March 29th, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 28, 2024
Media contacts:
Shaleeka Powell, Shaleeka@endpovertyinca.org, (916) 907-4456
Taylor Kimber, Taylor@centralvalleycf.org, (559) 367-5639
End Poverty in California, Central Valley Community Foundation Will Engage Hundreds in Community Screening of Poverty and Power Film
The national documentary tour stops in Fresno to host a screening followed by a panel discussion with community leaders and cast members
FRESNO, Calif. – Today, End Poverty in California (EPIC) President Devon Gray along with Central Valley Community Foundation, Fresno Unified Trustee Andy Levine, and community leaders will host a screening of 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 policy decisions that create and sustain poverty.
Event partners also include Fresno DRIVE, Community Justice Network/Center, Advancing Fresno County Guaranteed Income, Fresno Economic Opportunities Commision, Career Nexus, and Center for Community Voices.
Hundreds of community members are expected to attend the event–both to celebrate the Fresnoans featured in the film, and to continue their organizing efforts to abolish poverty in the Central Valley and throughout the state.
“We cannot change the way we legislate around poverty without changing the story we tell about poverty,” said Devon Gray, President of End Poverty in California. “‘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. We also utilize the film to support local organizing efforts and fortify relationships with allies in our pursuit of poverty abolition.”
“The Central Valley Community Foundation and local Fresno partners are committed to building a racially inclusive economy that works for our entire community. The blight of poverty is everyone’s issue and requires collective action and solutions that will bridge Fresno in all directions,” said Heather M. Brown, Chief Operating Officer of Central Valley Community Foundation. “By supporting the voices of those with lived experiences in poverty, we see, acknowledge, and give space for them to step into their power to address poverty and shift power.”
In 2022, Mayor Michael Tubbs and EPIC had an idea about how to combat poverty that was as simple as it was revolutionary: listen. 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 and the public must hear from those who understand the issue the most, and adopt policies that are reflective of their needs, desires, and ideas.”
Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion with Gray, Levine, and Poverty and Power cast members Paloma Sanchez, Marcel Woodruff, and Kieshaun White.
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, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About Central Valley Community Foundation (CVCF):
Since 1966, the Central Valley Community Foundation has been a trusted partner in philanthropy. As the only accredited community foundation in the region, we drive strategic investments that benefit our community and donors and offer best-in-class charitable tools to connect donors to the causes they care most about. As a philanthropic financial institution with $140 million in assets under management, we partner with the community and multiply every dollar for big, measurable change. The Foundation serves a 6-county region in the Central Valley (Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Tulare, and Kings). To learn more about our community impact and philanthropic tools, visit: centralvalleycf.org. Connect with and follow the Foundation on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram) at @centralvalleycf.
