January 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty, a time when our nation came together to make a national commitment to reduce poverty in America. Despite the gains our nation has made in this arena since then—with the creation of programs like Head Start, Medicaid, and Community Action—some in Washington are using this anniversary as an opportunity to cut or restructure vital programs, which would devastate vulnerable families. Anti-poverty advocates must be well-equipped to face the challenge and opportunity that this important anniversary brings. Storytelling can help us push back on misinformation and convey the successes of War on Poverty and other assistance programs in order to reset the debate and advocate for proactive policies that will cut poverty in half going into the next fifty years.
Submit Your Story Today!
Contest
The submitted story (which may be in video, audio, or written form) that best reflects at least one of the three narratives below will be selected as the winner and be flown out to Washington DC and put up in a hotel for a night in order to meet and share their story with Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) who will then read your story on the floor of the House of Representatives. At least 10 others who submit the next best stories that correspond to the following three narratives will have their story printed and shared in a booklet sent to all members of Congress.
Story Narratives
- What is an original War on Poverty program and/or other social safety net assistance program that has helped you family make ends meet? How did Head Start, Medicaid, Community Action, housing assistance, etc, help you or your family? Where would things be like today if not for the assistance?
- Today’s economy has changed since 1964, but our policies have not kept up. What is work environment like (i.e. wages, benefits, child care obstacles, etc.)? How do your low wages, or lack of enough hours or benefits, etc, affect you or your family?
- Have you have participated in an assistance program in your community that should be mimicked on the national scale to meet the 21st century challenges facing low-income families?
Timeline
The contest starts on November 7, 2013 and ends December 6, 2013. We’ll be announcing winners by December 16, 2013. To be eligible to win the meeting with Rep. Lee, you must be available to come to Washington D.C. tentatively between January 27 and January 31, 2013. Additional restrictions apply. Please read our Contest Rules for more information.
We want to hear from you! Submit your story today.
