Poverty Truth Commission

celebrating the 40th anniversary of dr. King jr.
poor people's campaign

Poverty Truth Commission
Thursday, April 10, 2008, 5:30-8:45pm

Bade' Museum, PSR Campus - 1798 Scenic Avenue, Berkeley
5:30 Gathering and reception- 6:15 Truth Commission
Free and open to the public
For more information: povertytruthcommission [at] googlegroups.com

On Thursday, April 10, 2008, the Justice Collaborative of the GTU will convene the first Bay Area Poverty Truth Commission. Fashioned after the truth commissions organized around the world in such places as South Africa and Peru, a goal of this event is to support the growth of a nation-wide dialogue concerning the issues of poverty in the United States-- a conversation led by those who are under the daily assault of being poor in this country. Individuals from around the Bay Area will testify on violations of their economic human rights that are and have been a direct result of living in poverty in the United States. Commissioners from many backgrounds, including the academic, political, and
religious realms, will bear witness to these stories of injustice. This public event will include a reception, music, art exhibits and the possibility for networking with grassroots social justice groups.

Press Release:

THURSDAY APRIL 10, 2008--the Bay Area's first ever POVERTY TRUTH COMMISSION to be held at Berkeley 's Graduate Theological Union.
This event is convened by the Justice Collaborative of the Graduate Theological Union, fashioned after the TRUTH COMMISSIONS organized around the world, including South Africa and Peru .

Individuals from grassroots activist communities in the Bay Area will testify on violations of their economic human rights that are, and have been, a direct result of living in poverty in the United States . Testifiers will include people from Youth Emergency Assistance Hostel, Poor Magazine, The Woodfin Worker Campaign and EBASE, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, and more. Commissioners from academic, political and religious backgrounds will bear witness to the stories of injustice, including Muslim feminist scholar Dr. Amina Wadud, feminist theologian and activist Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, mujerista ethicist Dr.Ada María Isasi-Díaz, non-profit founder and scholar, Dr. Charlie Garfield, Buddhist author Melodie Ermachild Chavis, feminist ethicist Dr. Carol Robb, religious leaders and activists Rev. Phil Lawson and Rev. Dr. Dorsey Blake, Director of Research at the Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice, Monique W. Morris. See full list of Commissioners below.

Testifiers come from a variety of grassroots organizations, including Yeah! (Youth Emergency Assistance Hostel), East Bay Alliance for Sustainable Economy-Woodfin Campaign and Poor Magazine.

This event supports growth of nation-wide dialogue concerning issues of poverty in the United States ---a conversation led by those who are under the daily assault of being poor in this country. Event includes reception, music and art exhibits by local, grassroots artists and opportunities for networking with social justice groups.

The Poverty Truth Commission is free and open to the public

WHERE: Building Bade' Museum Pacific School of Religion Campus, Graduate Theological Union . 1798 Scenic Avenue , Berkeley , CA .
WHEN: Thursday, April 10, 2008.
5:30 reception
6:15-8:45 Poverty Truth Commission

Full Commissioners List:
1. Monique W. Morris Director of Research and Senior Research Fellow, Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice, Berkeley School of Law, University of California,

2. Dr. Alicia Vargas, Assistant Professor of Multicultural and Contextual Studies and Director of Contextual Education, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, GTU

3. Dr. Carol S. Robb, Professor of Christian Social Ethics, San Francisco Theological Seminary, GTU

4. Sally Hindman, Executive Director, Youth Spirit Artworks, Quaker homeless activist, co-founder of Street Spirit, artist and Adjunct Professor, Starr King School for the Ministry/CARE

5. Dr. Rita Nakashima, Visiting Scholar, Starr King School for the Ministry, and co-founder of Faith Voices for the Common Good

6. Rev. Andrea Davidson, Worship Director, Pacific School of Religion , GTU

7. Dr. Margaret McManus, Assistant Professor of American Religious History, American Baptist Seminary of the West, GTU

8. Dr. Bill O'Neal, Associate Professor of Social Ethics, Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, GTU

9. Dr. Charlie Garfield, Visiting Scholar, GTU; Founder and Senior Advisor, Shanti (http://www.shanti.org); Clinical Professor of Psychology, University of California Medical School, San Francisco

10. Rev. Kurt Kuhwald, Berkeley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

11. Dr. Ada María Isasi-Díaz, Professor of Ethics and Theology, Drew University Theological School and Graduate Division of Religion, member of SKSM Board of Directors

12. Dr. Bill McKinney, President, Pacific School of Religion , GTU

13. Rev. Dr. Dorsey Blake, Academic Dean, Starr King School for the Ministry, GTU and Senior Minister, Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples

14. Michael Mendiola, Associate Professor of Christian Ethics, Pacific School of Religion , GTU

15. Marianne Farina, Professor of Philosophy and Theology, Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, GTU

16. Melody Ermachild Chavis, author and activist, Buddhist Alliance for Social Engagement

17. Dr. Marion Grau, Associate Professor of Theology, Church Divinity School of the Pacific, GTU

18. Dr. Amina Wadud, Visiting Scholar, Starr King School for the Ministry

19. Bonnie Wolf, urban planner and activist

20. Carmen Barsody, Faithful Fools Street Ministries

21. Ajit Abraham, doctoral student, Graduate Theological Union

22. Tom McAninley, community organizer and activist, Berkeley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

23. Shane Snowdon, LGBT Resources Director, University of California

24. Rev. Dr. Liza J. Rankow, funding director, OneLife Institute

25. Dr. Marquita Chamblee, Dismantling Racism Program Director, Pacific School of Religion , GTU

26. Rev. Phil Lawson, Interfaith Program Director, East Bay Housing Organizations

27. Chris Crass, write and organizer, Catalyst Project

28. Dr. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, Associate Professor of Old Testament, Pacific School of Religion, GTU

29. Ben Sanders III, Poverty Initiative activist, Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York

30. Shirley Strong, Dean of Student, California Institute for Integral Studies

31. Dr. Julio Ramos, Professor of Spanish and Portuguese, University of California at Berkeley