PHOTO/PPEHRC
WASHINGTON D.C. — On June 2 the Poor People’s March on Washington, DC gathered in Kensington, Philadelphia—the poorest district in Philadelphia—to march to Washington, DC and setup Resurrection City II in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s original Poor People’s March.
“We proud mamas are marching because poverty is violence against our babies, our elders, and our families, and if you stay silent you are part of the problem,” said Tara Colon, Puerto Rican and Mexican mother of five, marcher, and Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC) co-director.
Forty-five marchers arrived in DC on June 9, ranging in age from 2 to seniors. Marchers sought to highlight ‘The Ugly Road’ walked by the poor in the U.S. and abroad everyday, and to demand the rights of the poor be observed, including economic human rights to housing, food, health, education, communication, and a living wage, guaranteed by Articles 23, 25, and 26 of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In Resurrection City II in Dupont Circle, there were two demonstrations at HUD and the Chamber of Commerce, two citizens arrests served to the Chamber of Commerce, one benefit concert, one eviction of Resurrection City II, and one arrest—that of Cheri Honkala, PPEHRC co-director, poor single mother of two, including a son with disabilities, and the 2012 Green Party Vice President candidate. She was arrested while performing a sit-in at HUD and demanding a meeting with Secretary Ben Carson to order no cuts to be made to the Section 8 budget.
Along the road, the multicultural group of poor and homeless families and individuals, youth, veterans, returning citizens, people with disabilities, and people who receive SSI, WIC, SNAP, Housing Vouchers, and other life-saving services, organized other poor and homeless people, engaging in dialogue, teach-ins, and sharing stories on social media. Poor and homeless marchers arrived safely home after the week-long, 125-mile march.
In addition to continuing to feed, house, and clothe poor and homeless people, including Hurricane Maria evacuees, next steps for the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign include the upcoming Poor People’s Conference to build a Poor People’s Party to eradicate poverty through both traditional and unconventional means, slated for November 2018.
For information contact: English: Cheri Honkala, Co-Director of PPEHRC, (215) 869-4753, cherihonkalappehrc@gmail.com. Spanish: Tara Colon, Co-Director of PPEHRC, (863) 557-5233, tara.b.p.colon@gmail.com. General: Felicia Teter, Media Director, FeliciaTeterPPEHRC@gmail.com.
