Hundreds march in each state on National Day of Action

If we ever needed to vote, we sure do need to vote now!

On Saturday, October 15th, the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival mobilized hundreds of people in states across the US to simultaneously march down “main street” and focus attention on the voting power of poor and low-income people. At noon in each time zone, marches were conducted in sync, chanting in unison across the country “If we ever needed to vote, we sure do need to vote now!”

In over 25 states, people marched with fervor and enthusiasm to show that the 43% of Americans who are poor or low-income have a voice and a vote that can produce a powerful shift in the midterm elections. Today’s action of historic mobilization was put on to continue the PPC:NCMR initiative to reach out to 5 million poor and low-wage people and low-propensity voters before the midterm elections, in order to encourage them to vote based on policy demands.

Photo credit: Emilee Johnson MS-PPC

During the actions, statistics were provided to bring light to the policy violence that kills more than 700 Americans every day. A range of testifiers shared why they have joined the PPC:NCMR and how they are mobilizing throughout their respective states in order to Mobilize, Organize, Register, Educate, and Empower their communities to vote, use their voice, and hold legislators accountable for their actions.

In a roundup livestream, people directly impacted by poverty testified. Brian Nolin from Alabama is a disabled homeless Marine veteran with stage five terminal cancer, who talked about how he was denied healthcare, housing, and dignity after he served his country for over 5 years. “I was put in the street because of the system. They refused to give me my disability and held me off until I didn’t qualify for it anymore, so they gave me SSI. But at the time, they only gave me $813 per month to live off of.”

Unable to pay for his housing, Nolin was evicted and forced to live in his RV. Last year, the city took his RV and sold it at auction, taking the only shelter he had. “I applied for the housing-first program four years ago, and I just had an interview two days ago. The program was able to get me a hotel room and they are supposed to help me with my medical. [Doctors] tell me I’m in the end stages [of cancer]. I have trouble breathing, I have COPD, and I’m a diabetic. I can’t have my insulin out here on the street. I have nowhere to keep it.”

Testimonies like Mr. Nolin’s demonstrate what the victims of policy violence look like and why we need a Third Reconstruction in America.

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