Senator Obama cites our work!

We have great news!

Yesterday, Senator Obama cited our work in a speech he gave in Baton Rouge, LA. I was told this morning by Congressman Bennie Thompson's office that the Obama campaign had contacted their office about the our idea for 100,000 WPA-like jobs for the Gulf Coast.

Then, today, I was sent the below speech. (Recall that Congressman Bennie Thompson is the person that the Gulf Coast Civic Works Project has been working with since Congresswoman Lofgren hand delivered our proposal to him back in November.)

A huge YEAH to all of the work we have done this past semester. We should all feel great about what we have accomplished in such a short time. Keep it up!

The full article is at:
http://www.barackobama.com/2007/05/07/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_13.php

"That's why I have called for $50 million to begin innovative new job training and workforce development programs. This plan will also provide mentoring opportunities and let case workers help men and women make difficult transitions. It will coordinate with local employers, community colleges, and community organizations so that job training programs are actually connected to good paying jobs with the opportunity for career growth. This would help lift more people out of poverty and into the middle class.

There are models all across this country for how for how we can rebuild our cities and communities. There's a new idea coming for the Gulf Coast and the New Orleans area. Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, Emanuel Cleaver, the former mayor of Kansas City and head of the National Conference of Black Mayors, and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus will soon introduce legislation that creates a Gulf Coast recovery and empowerment initiative. It will employ people who fled the region to rebuild the region: the houses, the businesses, roads and bridges. It will give people an incentive to move back home and put them back to work. That's the kind of leadership..."

-- best, scott


Scott Myers-Lipton, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Sociology DepartmentCommunity Change Concentration
San José State University
smlipton@sjsu.edu
www.SolvingPoverty.com
(510) 508-5382