Category: News
July 20th, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact:
Abree Dominguez
Elle Communications
epic@ellecomm.com
End Poverty in California Launches New Documentary Exploring “Poverty and Power”
End Poverty in California led by Mayor Michael Tubbs, Special Advisor to Gov. Gavin Newsom will premiere “Poverty and Power”
Los Angeles, California (July 18, 2023) -Today, leading anti-poverty organization End Poverty in California (EPIC) will premiere “Poverty and Power”, a documentary by Emmy Award-winning director Jacob Kornbluth that offers an intimate portrait of what poverty looks like, told by impacted leaders across California who are challenging historical policy decisions that create and sustain poverty.
Former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs is nationally recognized for creating innovative solutions to promote economic security and mobility for people living in poverty. “Poverty and Power” follows Tubbs’ next bold effort, ending poverty in the state of California. In the documentary, Tubbs takes viewers on a journey as he travels across the state on EPIC’s listening tour. From Antioch to Los Angeles, Fresno to Ontario, and other stops along the way, we meet people in their communities battling issues like environmental racism, incarceration and reentry, the high costs of housing and bad landlords, a lack of access to capital, and much more. These stories challenge the way we talk and think about poverty, and reveal opportunities for meaningful policy change.
“The struggles that Californians are facing in poverty are the direct result of past and present policy decisions that not only fail to meet the needs of everyday people, but in many cases actually make their lives harder. This documentary offers a glimpse into the lives of people who know firsthand what it means to struggle,” said Mayor Michael Tubbs, Founder of End Poverty in California. “To transform the neverending impact of poverty across California, lawmakers must hear from those who understand the issue the most, and adopt policies that are reflective of their needs, desires, and ideas.”
The documentary exposes how a broken system at both the federal and state level has created and sustained poverty, keeping millions of individuals, families, and communities from having equal opportunity and achieving financial stability. The documentary paints a vivid picture of how policy choices continue to trap people into generational cycles of poverty, and challenges the commonly held belief that poverty is a result of character flaws or a lack of hard work.
“We cannot change the way we legislate around poverty without changing the story we tell about poverty,” said Devon Gray, President of EPIC. “‘Poverty and Power’ is part of EPIC’s work to replace a false narrative about poverty that is based on lies and stereotypes, with an authentic one that reflects people’s real experiences.”
To stream “Poverty and Power” please visit: EndPovertyinCA.org/PovertyandPower/
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About End Poverty in California (EPIC):
Led by former Mayor of Stockton, California, Michael Tubbs, End Poverty in California (EPIC) is a nonprofit organization that serves as a hub to bring together local leaders, advocates, policymakers, funders, cultural influencers, and communities to reduce the number of Californians in poverty and to level the economic playing field. Through narrative change, bold policy innovation, and unique partnerships with key stakeholders and influencers, EPIC is working to create new systems that promote economic mobility for all, with dignity at the center. To learn more, please visit endpovertyinca.org and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.