Truth Commission on Poverty to be held at Franklin Circle Church on October 14

by Alyssa Apollo

(Plain Press, October 2017) The End Poverty Now! Coalition, a large coalition of Cleveland organizations, will be holding a truth commission on Saturday, October 14 from 10-4 pm. The group has modeled the upcoming Cleveland Truth Commission on Poverty after worldwide and historical Truth and Reconciliation Commissions. The event is free and open to the public. Meals and childcare will be provided at the event.

The Truth Commission is part of a year-long effort, through many activities and actions across the country, to revive the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and bring together the struggles of the poor and dispossessed today.

The event will put poverty on trial. The event will feature personal testimonies from local low-income individuals telling their stories involving environmental degradation, housing, quality education, healthcare, living wage jobs, and criminalization of the poor.

The testimonies will be presented to a panel of commissioners who will come out with findings. The panel of commissioners for the event includes Rev. Sala Nola-Gonzales, Maria Smith, Attorney with Legal Aid; and Marvetta Rutherford, Public Transit Advocate and two national commissioners.

For further information or to register children go to www.facebook.com/endpovertynowcleveland or call (216) 651-2606