Poverty Initiative at Union Theological Seminary
The Poverty Initiative offers an anti-poverty pedagogical paradigm that differs from other professional graduate schools by bringing students and faculty into direct contact with poor people in their homes and neighborhoods as well as in the classroom. The cornerstone of the Poverty Initiative has been the Scholar in Residence Program - an immersion experience where a notable anti-poverty advocate spends a year living at Union participating in classes, forums and personal conversations with the Union faculty, administration, students and other community members.
Project
The Poverty Initiative's new Poverty Scholars Program will organize and carry out a Leadership School for grassroots community leaders, as well as strategic dialogue sessions for new Poverty Scholars in order to prepare them to be Scholars-in-Residence for other seminaries, universities, and religious institutions. Those identified will be trained in skills including: blogging, street theater, flip video camera shooting and editing, website development, and media analysis. They will also gain knowledge around MLK and the Poor People’s Campaign, the current economic crisis, theories of impoverishment, human rights, the history of social movements, and global poverty.
Additionally, Poverty Scholars will form committees including a Leadership Council to oversee “Re-Igniting the Poor People’s Campaign: Finishing the Unfinished Business of MLK” and the overall Poverty Scholars Program; and a Certification Committee to determine the requirements and standards of the Poverty Scholars Program and to certify participants in particular areas and skills.
Finally, communications materials will be developed including a Poverty Initiative website to be used as a resource center and clearinghouse for education and training materials for the Poverty Scholars Program, and a book on the 40th Anniversary of the Poor People’s Campaign.
Contact Representative
Box 47
New York, NY 10027