STUDENTS' ROLE IN THE GROWING MOVEMENT TO END POVERTY

Students have always played an important role in struggles for social change, from the civil rights movement in the United States to building democracy in China. The struggle for justice continues, and movements for human rights have become central. The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign recognizes the need for a movement to end poverty and economic human rights violations in the United States of America. Keeping in mind the history of student involvement in social justice work, it is imperative that students recognize these new challenges and opportunities as we continue to work towards creating a better world.

Young people all over the U.S. are already an important part of the new Movement to End Poverty.Students work both locally with the KWRU in Philadelphia, and nationally with members of the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC). These groups include the migrant farmworkers in Immokalee, Florida; the deaf community in Lorain, Ohio; public housing tenants in Chicago; and community college students in California. PPEHRC organizations represent individuals and families that fighting on a daily basis for their own survival, yet are also committed to building a broad movement based on the leadership and unity of the poor. Together we are fighting for the right to food, clothing, housing, and medical care; for a job at a living wage; and the right to equal access to education.

We as students fight because we know our survival and the survival of our country depends on it. With everyone’s economic security growing less stable, we know that it is in our own best interest to fight for an end to poverty and a guarantee of economic human rights for all of us. Just as welfare cuts, decreased availability of affordable housing and the stripping of jobs at a living wage are making it harder and harder for poor people to survive, we see that the increasing costs of higher education are making it harder to obtain a college degree. And despite our nation’s economic prosperity, many of us are graduating into incredible debt and unemployment or temporary employment. In addition, many of us find ourselves without health care insurance after graduation, or having to pay for expensive and often inadequate health care plans.

Here in the world's wealthiest nation, as the gap between the rich and the poor grows on a daily basis, we've found it necessary to build a broad-based movement. While we know that this movement must be led by the poor themselves, we also know that it will take involvement from all parts of society to end poverty. As students, we have an integral role to play in the emerging poor people's movement.

We also see that the ideals and aspirations embodied in this poor people's movement are the same ones we hold for our nation. We know that a shelter is no place to raise a child. We know that it is wrong for people to die on the streets. We know that it is wrong for a person to work hard all week and still not have enough money to put food on the table. And most importantly, we know that our country can be better than this. In the United States there is no reason for these conditions to exist. We all deserve our economic human rights. As students, we must decide to stand up and declare that we are morally opposed to poverty and will no longer accept such injustice. We must side with the interests of the poor and begin to work together to create the nation we all deserve.

We're only going to end poverty through a broad-based movement. It's time for us, as young people, to stop working for poor people and begin to work with poor people. The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign needs our passion, our skills, and our support. Become a part of this exciting and inspiring movement!

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