FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. xx, 2018
Pushing Back Poverty focus ofApril 26 conference
Keynote is author of award-winning book on mass incarceration’s impact
Leaders and activists from Central Indiana’s nonprofit, faith and government sectors will gather in an effort to “Push Back Poverty” at the Faith & Action Project’s second annual spring conference on April 26. A day of workshops, networking and inspiring community action, the conference will include insights from national experts and highlight the impact of collaborative efforts to reduce poverty in Indianapolis.
Hosted at St. Luke’s Methodist Church, the event’s agenda will feature break-out sessions facilitated by experts from throughout the Midwest and a keynote address by Elizabeth Hinton, award-winning author of From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America. Hinton will address issues of poverty,racial inequality and the barriers to employment and rehabilitation.
“No effort to turn back the tide of poverty will succeed unless we also examine the barriers that keep so many people trapped in poverty,” said CTS Interim President Bill Kincaid. “This conference will dissect barriers such as unemployment, poor education, incarceration and a lack of affordable housing, and seek to inspire, enable and build on creative solutions.”
In her work, Hinton notes that one in every 31 American adults is under some form of penal control, including 1 in 11 African-American men. “How did the ‘land of the free’ become the home of the world’s largest prison system?” she asks.
Closing the conference will be Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, co-director of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice and the Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and Willie Baptist, a long-time educator, organizer, and the Co-Coordinator of the Poverty Scholarship and Leadership Development for the Kairos Center.
Breakout sessions will feature local speakers and highlight effective efforts in the areas of employment, education, service navigation, and more. The result will be a day this inspires, informs and equips individuals and organizations to provoke and build on lasting change in our community.
Tickets are $20 to cover lunch and snacks and may be purchased here. In an effort to make the event accessible for all, a number of subsidized tickets are available and can be requested by emailing Faith & Action Project Director, Lindsey Nell Rabinowitch at .
WHAT:Push Back Poverty: The Faith & Action Project Spring Conference
WHEN:April 26, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE:St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St., Indianapolis
COST:$20. Scholarships available.
REGISTER:
About the Faith & Action Project
The Faith & Action Project at Christian Theological Seminary is dedicated to helping to spark a revolution of hope by leveraging resources of communities of faith to connect, inspire and empower lasting solutions for people confronting poverty. Through annual public events and grants, the Faith & Action Project seeks to ignite a solution-oriented movement for inclusive well-being in our community. The Faith & Action Project is supported by the Mike and Sue Smith Family Fund.
About Christian Theological Seminary
Christian Theological Seminary (CTS) is a fully accredited ecumenical seminary, open to all, affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).It offers nine graduate-level degree programs, including programs in theology, ministry and counseling, plus open-to-the-public classes and events.More than 30 denominations, including no denomination, are represented among CTS students and faculty.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Jen Schmits Thomas, , 317-441-2487