Public Speak Out Against Poverty

A public speak out against poverty and for affordable housing has been scheduled as part of the 25th anniversary of the Preble Street Resource Center in Portland.

The speak out, to be led by the nationally known Kensington Welfare Rights Union of Philadelphia, will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday, May 31, in front of the Preble Street Resouce Center, 5 Portland Street. The speak out is free and open to the public.

The Kensington Welfare Rights Union, named for a poor Philadelphia neighborhood, spearheads the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, a nationwide network of 50 organizations of poor people.

Cheri Honkala, the Kensington Union leader recently profiled in Ms. magazine and on ABC’s “20/20,” will lead the speak out. She also will give the keynote address at the Preble St. Resource Center’s 25th anniversary conference, “The New Economy and the Old Poverty.” The conference will he held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday, June 1, in USM’s Luther Bonney Hall, Portland. The Kensington Welfare Rights Union will be making additional stops in Maine, including a dinner for economic justice, scheduled for 5 p.m., Saturday, June 2 at the York County Shelters, Alfred.
The Preble Street Resource Center provides services to people struggling against homelessness, hunger and poverty. It was founded originally as the High Street Resource Center by USM Social Work Professor Joe Kreisler, former chair of USM’s Social Work Department.

The conference and speak out are cosponsored by the Preble Street Resource Center and the USM Department of Social Work. For more information, call 775-0026 or 780-4764.