Events

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Poverty Center Co-Sponsors 14th Annual Summer Public Health Videoconference on Minority Health

This year's videoconference, "Men's Health Disparities: Implications for Research and Intervention," featured discussions with four imminent speakers:

  • Claudia R. Baquet, Professor, Departments of Medicine, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine; Associate Dean for Policy and Planning; and Director, Center for Health Disparities
  • Spero M. Manson, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center and Director, National Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research
  • Abel Valenzuela, Jr. Abel Valenzuela, Jr., Professor, Department of Urban Planning and the Cesar E. Chavez Department for Chicana/o Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, and Director, Center for the Study of Urban Poverty
  • Frank Y. WongFrank Y. Wong, Associate Professor, Department of International Health, School of Nursing and Health Studies, Georgetown University

The interactive broadcast was produced in front of a live audience at the UNC School of Social Work and was shown via c-band satellite and the Internet. For more information about the videoconference, including speaker biographies, presentation slides and other materials, as well as a link to the archived webcast, visit the Minority Health Project website at http://www.minority.unc.edu/institute/2008/.

Presented by the UNC School of Public Health Minority Health Project, UNC Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and NC A&T State University Institute for Public Health.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Premiere Screening of Change Comes Knocking - The Story of the NC Fund

The Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity co-hosted the premiere screening of the new documentary, Change Comes Knocking - The Story of the NC Fund as part of UNC-Chapel Hill's Poverty Awareness Week (March 24-28).

Through interviews and archival materials, this vibrant film traces the story of the NC Fund, a groundbreaking anti-poverty initiative launched in 1963 by Governor Terry Sanford. From its innovative start as a public-private partnership and daring use of biracial teams of college students, to its controversial embrace of grassroots activism, the Fund was a visionary experiment with an influence that long outlived its tumultuous five-year existence.

The screening was followed by a fascinating discussion with the audience and distinguished panelists, including:

  • Billy Barnes - freelance writer, photographer, and former public relations director for the NC Fund
  • Rebecca Cerese - producer of Change Comes Knocking
  • Rubye Gattis - Durham-based activist and president of the NC Fund-affiliated organization, United Organizations for Community Improvement
  • Jim Leloudis - professor in the UNC history department and author of a forthcoming book on the NC Fund
Change Comes Knocking is a production of Video Dialog, Inc. Dr. Steven Channing is the Executive Producer.

Co-sponsored by the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity, the HOPE Committee of the Campus Y, Opportunity Rocks and Video Dialog, Inc.

Update:

Congratulations to filmmaker Rebecca Cerese! Change Comes Knocking - The Story of the NC Fund won first place in the documentary category of the Appalachian Film Festival, held in April in Huntingdon, VA.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The State of Things with Marion Crain

On November 14, 2007, WUNC radio's daily talk show, The State of Things, featured an interview with Professor Marion Crain, the Center's director, on the lawsuit brought by Smithfield Foods against the local union. The suit, filed two days after Smithfield pulled out of negotiations with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, is based on a federal anti-racketeering statute. Professor Crain discussed recent Supreme Court rulings that laid the groundwork for this case.

Archived editions of The State of Things interviews can also be accessed online at http://www.wunc.org/tsot.

Sunday, Nov. 4 and Monday, Nov. 5, 2007

Wealth Inequality and the Eroding Middle Class

Co-sponsored by the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity and the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, this conference examined wealth and income inequality in the United States, the impact of globalization, the changing labor market and domestic policies on the disparity between rich and poor and the implications of these trends for the American middle class.

Speakers included:

  • Mark Rank, Herbert S. Hadley Professor of Social Welfare, Washington University in St. Louis
  • Fran Ansley, College of Law Distinguished Professor of Law, University of Tennessee
  • Harley Shaiken, Director of the Center for Latin American Studies, University of California, Berkeley
  • Judy Scott, General Counsel, Service Employees International Union
  • Michael Zweig, Professor, Department of Economics and Director, Center for the Study of Working Class Life, Stony Brook University
  • Joel Handler, Richard C. Maxwell Professor of Law and Professor of Policy Studies, UCLA
  • Mary Beth Maxwell, Executive Director, American Rights at Work

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Workers' Rights Speak Out

The Poverty Center co-sponsored an event in honor of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.'s support of the Memphis sanitation workers' strike and his recognition that economic and civil rights are intertwined. Thirty-nine years after his assassination, many workers in the United States and particularly the South, still face many obstacles to full-fledged economic participation. The assembled panelists discussed their attempts to organize workers in North Carolina and the different obstacles standing in their way. Panelists included members of: the Farm Labor Organizing Committee; UE 150; and the UNC Employees Forum. The panel was moderated by Marion Crain, Paul Eaton Professor of Law and Director of the Center on Poverty, Work & Opportunity.

Thursday, November 9, 2006

Can Schools Make a Difference in the 21st Century?
Education and Workforce Preparation for Youth in America's Margins

The Center sponsored a discussion on education--its importance, what needs to be done, where we can make changes. Educators, policymakers, and academics engaged with attendees in a dialogue about what skills are necessary in today's market and how best to reform schools so that they meet these need. Held from 3-7 p.m. in the auditorium of the School of Social Work, this panel included the following participants:
  • Larry Aber, Professor of Applied Psychology and Public Policy, New York University
  • Annette Lareau, Professor of Sociology, University of Maryland
  • Bill McNeal, Executive Director, North Carolina Association of School Administrators and former National Superintendent of the Year (2004)
  • Carol Stack, Professor Emeritus, University of California-Berkeley
  • Rachel Tompkins, President, Rural School and Community Trust
  • George Wood, Director, Forum for Education and Democracy
Watch this dynamic panel.

Friday, October 13, 2006

High Poverty Schooling in America: Lessons in Second-Class Citizenship?

The Center co-sponsored this day-long conference with the UNC Center for Civil Rights, the UNC School of Education, and the North Carolina Law Review to investigate the state of high-poverty schools in North Carolina. Expert panelists engaged in frank and open conversations about high poverty schooling and discussed concrete steps toward reversal of what has become an alarming trend. For information on panelists, please visit http://www.law.unc.edu/centers/civilrights/

Watch Senator Edwards' powerful keynote speech.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

The High Cost of Being Poor

The Center sponsored a panel to explore the ways that being poor in America is expensive, delving into issues of predatory lending, lack of access to banking services, rent-to-own stores, higher credit costs and lack of access to affordable goods. These issue were covered recently by two of the panelists--Rod Watson and Jonathan Epstein--for the Buffalo News, in an extensive four-part series which led to legislative discussion and potential action on behalf of the working poor. Laura Hogshead, former Assistant Director of the Center, moderated this session, and former Director John Edwards served as the lead discussant/questioner. The panel was held in the auditorium of the School of Social Work from 4-6 p.m. Panelists were:

  • Michael Barr, Professor, University of Michigan School of Law
  • Jonathan Epstein, Financial Reporter, Buffalo News
  • John Herrera, Chair, Latino Community Credit Union
  • Mark Pierce, formerly President of the Center for Responsible Lending and currently Deputy Director of the Office of the Commissioner of Banks
  • Rod Watson, Urban Affairs Editor, Buffalo News

Watch the video of this panel.

Friday, September 8, 2006

Katrina Revisited: Progress Made and Challenges Ahead

The Center hosted a panel discussion on the progress made in the Gulf Coast since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the challenges remaining for this region. Are we moving in the right direction? What would an improved Gulf Coast look like? How can we better the lives of those who called this region home? This panel was moderated by UNC Director of Business and Economic Development, Dr. Jesse White. Held in the Great Hall of the Student Union, the panelists were:

  • Kwame Asante, State Director, Louisiana NAACP
  • Xavier de Souza Briggs, Professor, MIT
  • Walter Isaacson, Vice-Chair, Louisiana Recovery Authority
Listen to the panel or watch the video of their powerful presentations.

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity Coffee Hour

Former director of the Center, Senator John Edwards, and the rest of the Center staff hosted in an informal coffee hour to discuss student research and studies, community service interests and accomplishments, and the work of the Center. Held at the James M. Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence--Graham Memorial lounge.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Suburban Sweatshops: The Fight for Immigrants' Rights?

Along with the Carolina Seminar on Law and Public Policy, the Center hosted Jennifer Gordon, Associate Professor of Law at Fordham Law School, to discuss with students and faculty the history of sweatshops, the changing nature of the workforce, and the work to be done in this area. Held at the School of Law.

Thursday and Friday, March 23 and 24, 2006

Challenging the Two Americas: New Policies to Fight Poverty

The Center's first full-scale conference on poverty brought together academics, activists, policymakers, nonprofits and other stakeholders in a dialogue about poverty alleviation strategies. Eight panels addressed how public policy and law perpetuate income and wealth inequality for working Americans, and presented ideas to create opportunity, build community and enhance economic equity. In keeping with the Center's mission, discussions over the course of the two-day conference showcased concrete policy and practical solutions to the problems identified. The agenda, bios of the participants, and the powerpoints presented at the conference are listed below, and the video and audio files will be uploaded shortly.

Read the agenda for the conference.

Take a look at the bios of our speakers and panelists. Review the powerpoints of several panelists below:

Watch the video recordings of this event, broken down into separate links because of size:

(Note - you will need Real Player to watch these files. If you do not have Real Player, download it here)

Panel 1

Lunch Presentation

Panel 2

Panel 3

  • Part 1 (beginning of session is on Part 2 of Panel 2 tape above)

Panel 4

Panel 5

  • Part 1 (beginning of session is on Part 2 of Panel 4 tape above)

Lunch

Panel 6

  • Part 1 (beginning of tape is from Lunch session)
  • Part 2 (also includes beginning of Panel 7)

Panel 7

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

A Discussion about Work and Access to Health Care in America

The Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity was pleased to host a discussion on access to health care and current issues in the healthcare system with the following distinguished panelists: Anne Burke, Executive Director of Urban Ministries of Wake County; Sen. John Edwards, former Director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity; Judith Feder, Dean of the Georgetown University Public Policy Institute; and Margaret Heldring, Founder and President of America's HealthTogether. Moderated by Assistant Professor Dan Gitterman, the panel discussed Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, rising health care costs, and potential solutions to these issues.

Listen to the panel's discussion and innovative solutions.

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

A Conversation on Poverty and Segregation

The Center for Civil Rights, the Black Law Student Association and the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity hosted Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II for an inspiring lecture and subsequent conversation on race and poverty. Rev. Barber encouraged each member of the audience to be "a conscientious objector" on issues such as resegregation, the abandonment of low-income children, and on the vast problems of poverty in this country and in the world. Rev. Barber spoke eloquently and passionately about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., emphasizing the need to organize progressive voices and stand by our constitutional and moral obligations to a society built upon justice. Our honored guest, introduced by Sen. John Edwards, encouraged the students, faculty, community members, and staff in attendance to "object" to being simply comfortable in our environment and to take a stand on issues of poverty and segregation. Through the use of the political system, our voices, our universities, and our passion, Rev. Barber encouraged all of us to not just remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but to live it each and every day.

Listen to his powerful speech.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Strategies for improving the Wages and Working Conditions of Low-Wage Workers

The Center hosted a panel discussion on the state of low-wage workers and policy initiatives aimed at this population, moderated by Arne Kalleberg, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Senior Associate Dean for Social Sciences. The panelists featured were: Annette Bernhardt, Deputy Director of the NYU Brennan Center for Justice; John Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO, Eduardo Pena, Staff Coordinator for the Justice for Smithfield Workers Campaign and International Representative for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union; and Melanie Stratton, Representative from Student Action with Workers. The panelists discussed the state of unions and of low-wage workers in the U.S. from several perspectives, including their experiences as organizers, leaders, and academics on the subject. The discussion took place in the Law School's Rotunda and prompted dialogue from the audience, as well discussions about UNC's role in recognizing the rights of its workers.

See the program for the event and read more about the panelists in their biographies.

Listen to an audio recording of this program (Part 1 and Part 2).

Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005

Summit on Poverty: New Frontiers in Poverty Research and Policy

The Poverty Center hosted a day-long summit on poverty at the Carolina Inn on November 9, 2005. Titled "New Frontiers in Poverty Research and Policy," the summit took a cutting-edge look at concrete policy solutions to address and eliminate American poverty. The experts in attendance covered a wide range of disciplines, perspectives, and topics, including the role of public programs in promoting economic independence, the interrelationship between family structure and poverty, job opportunity and economic mobility in the U.S., addressing poverty through community economic development and the lessons of Hurricane Katrina. This discussion brought together the foremost experts in poverty research and policy and encouraged discussion across sectors, disciplines, and ideology.

Read more about the experts from the Summit in their biographies and see the full day's schedule in the Summit Program.

Watch the video recordings of this event, broken down into separate links because of size:

(Note - you will need Real Player to watch these files. If you do not have Real Player, download it here)

Panel 1

Panel 2

Panel 3

  • Part 1 (also has the end of Panel 2 at beginning)
  • Part 2
  • Part 3 (also has the beginning of Panel 4)

Panel 4

  • Part 1 (also has the end of Panel 3 at beginning)
  • Part 2 (also has the beginning of Panel 5)

Panel 5

Thursday, November 3, 2005

Press Panel Addresses Poverty in the Media

A panel comprised of prominent journalists examined the state of poverty in America, the media's role in covering stories that explore issues of class and how those stories shape the public's perception of the poor. Convened at the Paul Green Theatre on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the event was covered by the cable channel C-SPAN. The panel was moderated by Senator John Edwards and featured the following panelists: Katherine Boo of the New America Foundation; David Brooks of The New York Times; Jason DeParle, also of The New York Times; Sam Fulwood III with the Cleveland Plain Dealer; and David Wessel of The Wall Street Journal.

Read more about the panelists and their writings on poverty.

Listen to the audio recording of this event (Part 1 and Part 2).

October 31, 2005

Senator John Edwards Discussion with Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Jack Kemp

Senator John Edwards hosted former Representative and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Jack Kemp in a spirited discussion of poverty and opportunity in America. The two men, co-chairs of a Council on Foreign Relations task force on US policy toward Russia, focused their discussion on the issue of domestic poverty, finding both differences and common ground in their ideas about American policies towards the working poor. Issues of urban revitalization, housing, tax policy, and the minimum wage were part of the dialogue, which was focused on the role of the government versus the private market by Moderator Dan Gitterman, Assistant Professor of Public Policy.

Listen to the audio recording of this event.

September 7, 2005

Senator John Edwards Kicks Off Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity Speaker Series

In the Rotunda of the School of Law, Senator John Edwards outlined UNC's vision for the Center and kicked off its Speaker Series with a bold set of ideas and challenges. Introduced in a moving speech by New Orleans native and Interim Dean of the Law School, Gail Agrawal, Edwards called upon the images of poverty seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as a call to all Americans to face the tragedy of the working poor in our nation. Speaking to a packed crowd of students, faculty, staff, and community members, Edwards introduced the Center as an academic center, dedicated to exploring concrete policy solutions to poverty. The Speaker Series will bring scholars, researchers, activists, and students to UNC's campus to discuss issues of the working poor and ideas for the elimination of poverty.