#PoorPeoplesCampaign Long Island Truth Commission on Poverty 9.12.17

More than 3 million New Yorkers live below the federal poverty line, including 1 in 5 children. #poorpeoplescampaign

"Poverty is part of a structure and system that produces poverty, and it impacts all of us." -Rev. Emily McNeil #poorpeoplescampaign

#MLK said "the means that are at hand to end poverty"--we can end it if we build a broad movement. #poorpeoplescampaign #nystruthcommission

Fr. Bill: "The Lord hears the cry of the poor." #poorpeoplescampaign #NYSTruthCommission

Fr. Bill: "I know God blesses this, I don't need to pray for God's blessing on this gathering." #poorpeoplescampaign #NYSTruthCommission

"To admit there is poverty on Long Island is to damage our property values so we try to ignore it as an issue." #poorpeoplescampaign

The federal poverty line is the same across the country, even though along Long Island has the highest cost of living. #poorpeoplescampaign

"Between 2000 and 2010, there was 66% increase in poverty in the suburbs." #poorpeoplescampaign

We don't just have pockets of poverty, it is everywhere. @LaborReligion #poverty #truthcommission #PoorPeoplesCampaign

Long Island is in the 10 most segregated suburban communities in the USA. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Gentrification is a primary cause of rising poverty in Suffolk County. @LaborReligion #poverty #truthcommission #poorpeoplescampaign

Hearing testimony at #NYTruthCommission. "Our communities face racism, poverty, and criminalization." #poorpeoplescampaign

Without a car getting around Suffolk LI is almost impossible. Public buses only in last few years. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

How can we call our children failures when they don't get the resources they need to succeed?#poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

If you cannot get to work on Long Island, you can't make an income. If you don't have a car, you can't get to work. #poorpeoplescampaign

Transportation is a systemic injustice in Long Island. If you cant get to work you dont have an income. @LaborReligion #PoorPeoplesCampaign

Shelters on Long Island often in the middle of nowhere-no way to get around or to work without a car #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Shelter residents on LI forced to pay into food programs controlled by private contractors, serve "goulash" #poorpeoplescampaign

With all the "zombie houses" out here, why are there so many in shelters? #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Awful labor conditions even among union employees at LI laundry mat. "Trump's policies coming home." #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Direct assault on labor mvmt- unions blamed for 2008 recession, etc. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

In violation of union contracts, employers are threatening, harassing, terrorizing workers #truthcommission #poorpeoplescampaign

Modern day slavery here on Long Island, targeting undocumented workers. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

The way we fight back: organizing. #truthcommission #poorpeoplescampaign

Over 8000 transgender people in Nassau, over 9000 in Suffolk- but frequently invisible. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

In NYS, no law that prevents discrimination against transgender people in terms of hiring #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

"Gender" not even defined in Suffolk County human rights law. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Number of trans women of color forced to engage in survival sex work on LI is off the charts. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

NYS Senate continues to block progressive legislation that has been on the books for decades. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

The transgender population could be a small hamlet on Long Island. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Shame on legislators in NYS who will not listen to communities whose identities challenge them. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

We assume that in areas of LI considered high income there is no poverty, but it's not true. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

There's this Great Gatsby idea of Long Island but we need to demystify poverty here. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Projects of survival are necessary but we need to move from charity to justice. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

We need to invest in our youth- through things like childcare subsidies and other policies. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Everybody goes to school-- education by itself isn't a path out of poverty. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

If we can design programs to get people out of poverty, why can't we design programs to end poverty. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

"We have systems that are pushing down on people."-Robert Koubek at the #LongIslandTruthCommission #PoorPeoplesCampaign #Poverty

Long Island suffers from an acute shortage of rental housing. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

"There has always been a direct link between civil rights & the fight against economic inequality." #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

There are between 15000 and 100,000 farm workers in NYS- many undocumented, an invisible workforce. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Due to labor law exclusions, farmworkers are invisible workers. #truthcommission #poorpeoplescampaign

NYS farm workers are excluded from many labor laws that include other workers in this country. #poorpeoplescampaign NYTruthCommission

NYS Senate blocking progressive legislation for decades is recurring theme across testimony tonight. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Often orgs aren't at table together because the system is set up to divide us. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

The fear being put on immigrant communities right now is unacceptable & hurting youth on Long Island #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Local chains wanting to capitalize on the #Walmart model are spreading to Long Island. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Systemic poverty continues with every law, every lying politician- all continue the cycle. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Testifier with cancer at #NYTruthCommission: "I am worth more dead than alive." We need universal healthcare. #poorpeoplescampaign

The effects of long term poverty are a life long experience. #PoorPeoplesCampaign #NYTruthCommission

"The power in this room is raw & inspiring- nobody gives us this power; this is how change happens." #PoorPeoplesCampaign #NYTruthCommission

Long Island was founded to keep people segregated & in isolated communities. Still feeling it today. #PoorPeoplesCampaign #NYTruthCommission

Long Island loses 24 billion a year due to racial inequities. #PoorPeoplesCampaign #NYTruthCommission

Undocumented kids aren't safe, there's a growing incentivized model of for profit detention centers. #PoorPeoplesCampaign #NYTruthCommission

"There is power in this room that you can feel. Imagine the power we could have if we came together across NYS." #PoorPeoplesCampaign

People are beginning to understand what they have in common. -Larry Cox #PoorPeoplesCampaign #NYTruthCommission

Common denominator of injustices in the world is economic inequality. #PoorPeoplesCampaign #NYTruthCommission

They try to divide us, they try to conquer us, but we're in the same boat, we rise or sink together. #poorpeoplescampaign #NYTruthCommission

Rev. F.D. Kirkpatrick sang in this room in the 1960s, part of the original #poorpeoplescampaign and Resurrection City. #NYTruthCommission

Thanks to all who testified tonight at the #NYTruthCommission of the #PoorPeoplesCampaign, and thanks to @LaborReligion for organizing.