Learn the Facts
Participant reading a discussion guide at an AmericaSpeaks 21st Century Town Meeting
As a nation, we need to come together to put our country on a sustainable path by setting national priorities and making decisions about how we are going to pay for them.
Unless we take necessary steps to plan for the future, our national deficit and mounting debt will grow out of control. Planning ahead so that our nation can support its highest priorities will help to ensure that our country is able to create new jobs and maintain confidence in our financial markets. If we don’t start making tough choices, the interest we will need to pay on our debt will begin to crowd out other priorities, like education, national defense, investment in roads, public transit, and other infrastructure.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be providing you with information to better understand the issues. Here are a few links to get you started.
Reports on the budget and economy:
Changing Expectations: Americans deliberate our nation’s finances and future
An initiative of the Facing Up to Our Nation’s Finances Project. Project partners: The Brookings Institution, The Concord Coalition, The Heritage Foundation, Public Agenda and Viewpoint Learning. Project Sponsors: The Ford Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Submitted by Viewpoint Learning, Inc.
Choosing the Nation’s Fiscal Future
National Research Council and National Academy of Public Administration
Fiscal Stewardship Project: Americans Confront the Fiscal Crisis
The Final Report from Concord Coalition Fiscal Advisory Councils, which have been established across the country.
Red Ink Rising: A Call to Action to Stem the Mounting Federal Debt
Report from The Peterson-Pew Commission on Budget Reform.
Video on the budget and economy:
I.O.U.S.A.: Byte-sized — the 30-Minute Version
The award-winning documentary I.O.U.S.A. opened America’s eyes to the consequences of our nation’s debt and the need for our government to show more fiscal responsibility. Director Patrick Creadon uses candid interviews and featured subjects include Warren Buffett, Alan Greenspan, Paul O’Neill, Robert Rubin, and Paul Volcker, along with the Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s David Walker and Bob Bixby of the Concord Coalition, a Foundation grantee.
Fiscal Wake Up Tour Online Video
The Fiscal Wake-Up Tour’s mission is to cut through the usual partisan rhetoric and stimulate a more realistic public dialogue on what we want our nation’s future to look like, along with the required trade-offs. Produced by Concord Coalition.
National Briefing on our Budget and Economy
Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, moderated a panel discussion on April 23, 2010 with four experts, recorded via webcast.
Organizations working on economic, budget, and tax issues:
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Bipartisan Policy Center
The Brookings Institution
CATO Institute
Center for American Progress
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Center for Economic and Policy Research
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
The Concord Coalition
Economic Policy Institute
The Heritage Foundation
National Academy of Public Administration
Public Agenda
Tax Policy Center
Urban Institute
Government offices focusing on the budget:
Congressional Budget Office
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
White House Office of Management and Budget
Monday, May 3, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Haitian Relief
The African American United Fund will be attending monthly meetings with Philadelphia's Mayor's Commission on African and Caribbean Affairs to create a coordinated response to the immediate needs of Haiti as well as creating an ongoing fundraising strategy to help rebuild the country.
For immediate contributions please consider a donation to Yele Haiti http://yele.org/. You can text YELE to 501501 to donate as little as $5.00 (which will be added to your cell phone bill).
AAUF will be hosting the first in a series of monthly fundraisers at our Conference Center, 2231 N. Broad Street, on January 29, 2009 from 8pm to 12am. The Dance Party for Haiti will be our ongoing effort to provide constant contributions to the immediate relief and to help rebuild Haiti. Ticket prices will start at as little as $20. Proceeds from this first event will be donated to the Haitian Professionals of Philadelphia to help them reach their goal to raise the last $50,000 needed to fuel a jet that was donated to fly medical personnel and relief supplies to Haiti. www.hpphilly.org
Each month AAUF will host an event and donate the proceeds to organizations providing direct relief to the citizens of Haiti.
In the meantime, I encourage you all to contribute to Yele Haiti. If you spend on average $10 a day on lunch your daily or weekly lunch bill can save lives now. I implore you to make a $10, $20, $50 contribution to help rescue our world neighbors in Haiti.
If you feel compelled to donate items you can bring the following items to the African American United Fund (2227 N. Broad Street). This list will be expanding in the coming days, weeks and months.
-Nutrition Bars (individual or in packages)
-Diapers
-Ace bandages
Peace and Blessings,
Aissia Richardson
For immediate contributions please consider a donation to Yele Haiti http://yele.org/. You can text YELE to 501501 to donate as little as $5.00 (which will be added to your cell phone bill).
AAUF will be hosting the first in a series of monthly fundraisers at our Conference Center, 2231 N. Broad Street, on January 29, 2009 from 8pm to 12am. The Dance Party for Haiti will be our ongoing effort to provide constant contributions to the immediate relief and to help rebuild Haiti. Ticket prices will start at as little as $20. Proceeds from this first event will be donated to the Haitian Professionals of Philadelphia to help them reach their goal to raise the last $50,000 needed to fuel a jet that was donated to fly medical personnel and relief supplies to Haiti. www.hpphilly.org
Each month AAUF will host an event and donate the proceeds to organizations providing direct relief to the citizens of Haiti.
In the meantime, I encourage you all to contribute to Yele Haiti. If you spend on average $10 a day on lunch your daily or weekly lunch bill can save lives now. I implore you to make a $10, $20, $50 contribution to help rescue our world neighbors in Haiti.
If you feel compelled to donate items you can bring the following items to the African American United Fund (2227 N. Broad Street). This list will be expanding in the coming days, weeks and months.
-Nutrition Bars (individual or in packages)
-Diapers
-Ace bandages
Peace and Blessings,
Aissia Richardson
Monday, December 14, 2009
2009 Toy Drive
On December 18 the African American United Fund will distribute toys collected during our 12th Annual Toy Drive in the Mantua section of Philadelphia. Children participating in programs at Belmont Charter School will receive toys this year.
With the increase in prices for consumer goods, utilities and food, this year will be particularly hard for poor, working families to afford basic necessities let alone holiday gifts for their children. New unwrapped toys for children aged 0-12 are currently being collected at our main office at 2227 N. Broad Street.
Cherron Perry-Thomas, Board Chair, African American United Fund says, “This is our 12th year providing toys to low income families either by hosting our own Toy Drive or collaborating with other agencies. We’ve received numerous requests for toys over the years. This year we anticipate the requests will be overwhelming due to the economic downturn. Obviously, our supporters will work hard to ensure each child receives a significant gift, but this year we’re reaching out to the broader community to help as well as provide a happy holiday experience to several adults at a community shelter”
For the second year, the toy drive is being supported by Jim Kernaghan- Former Candidate State Representative District 195 - who secured the help of the Marines' "Toys for Tots" program and his rugby club, Schuylkill River Rugby Club in Memory of Jason Siddell to provide toys and donations from individual donors.
Each year demand for toys exceeds goals set by the African American United Fund and generous donors provide toys to help meet requests received often days before the distribution. Donations for the event can be dropped off at the African American United Fund’s headquarters at 2227 N. Broad Street between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Volunteers are needed to help sort and distribute toys on December 18 and December 19 during the day. Please call 215.236.2100 to volunteer or to arrange to drop off toys.
With the increase in prices for consumer goods, utilities and food, this year will be particularly hard for poor, working families to afford basic necessities let alone holiday gifts for their children. New unwrapped toys for children aged 0-12 are currently being collected at our main office at 2227 N. Broad Street.
Cherron Perry-Thomas, Board Chair, African American United Fund says, “This is our 12th year providing toys to low income families either by hosting our own Toy Drive or collaborating with other agencies. We’ve received numerous requests for toys over the years. This year we anticipate the requests will be overwhelming due to the economic downturn. Obviously, our supporters will work hard to ensure each child receives a significant gift, but this year we’re reaching out to the broader community to help as well as provide a happy holiday experience to several adults at a community shelter”
For the second year, the toy drive is being supported by Jim Kernaghan- Former Candidate State Representative District 195 - who secured the help of the Marines' "Toys for Tots" program and his rugby club, Schuylkill River Rugby Club in Memory of Jason Siddell to provide toys and donations from individual donors.
Each year demand for toys exceeds goals set by the African American United Fund and generous donors provide toys to help meet requests received often days before the distribution. Donations for the event can be dropped off at the African American United Fund’s headquarters at 2227 N. Broad Street between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Volunteers are needed to help sort and distribute toys on December 18 and December 19 during the day. Please call 215.236.2100 to volunteer or to arrange to drop off toys.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Summary of Annual Activities
This past year has been filled with tragedy and triumph. The Fund lost one of our staunchest supporters in Yahya Abdul Karim; as a nation we saw the collapse of our country’s financial institutions and car industry; and, the world witnessed the election of the first African American President in the United States. As many celebrated President Obama’s victory, the jubilation was short lived due to the downturn in our economy, record job losses and slow retail sales.
Here in Philadelphia, the state budget crisis led Mayor Nutter to propose closing all neighborhood branches of the Free Library and recreation centers; massive layoffs of police, fire and nonessential city personnel; and, the draconian institution of bimonthly trash collection. While the City’s budget crisis was averted due to the state legislature voting to raise the sales tax here to 8%, we now know the price of that vote was the taxing of tickets to cultural institutions and museums (breathe a sigh of relief Phillies, Eagles and Harry Potter fans, your entrance fees have been protected from taxation). It’s patently unfair to place the burden of corporate institutional financial mismanagement on the backs of struggling nonprofits. Is it Freedom Theatre’s fault that AIG and Lehman Brothers hid their losses causing the financial markets worldwide to meltdown? Raising taxes from art and culture groups seems a little Scrooge-like on the part of legislators. Many nonprofits are already working with less this year due to donors cutting back on contributions because their retirement plans loss money or they were laid off. As we struggle to maintain services during the recession, let’s work together to ensure that legislators know that our services provide vital support to individuals and families that the government simply can’t reach.
At the African American United Fund, we have managed to continue to provide services and programs, even as the City threatened to shut down, that have improved the lives of 201,870 individuals through our public policy advocacy, direct services and referrals. The Fund conducted 2 voter engagement/education forums, provided technical assistance to 6 organizations, collaborated on programs and projects with 15 organizations and started a new Urban Garden Initiative. We are proud of these accomplishments, especially since our operating expenses were only $65,000 last fiscal year. A contribution to the Fund goes a long way. For only $100 you can help us provide services to 322 people. A true value in these hard economic times.
Since spring of 2007, AAUF has been hosting our Civic Engagement in the 21st Century Forums, formerly known as the People’s Voter Education Forums to bring community based organizations, community residents and elected officials together to discuss and improve upon programs and policies that address the social and economic issues affecting our community. These forums bring candidates to the community to respond to constituents needs and reinforce to constituents that candidates are in office to serve them not special interests, lobbyist or large donors.
AAUF will continue to highlight health disparities in the African American community through, the African Marketplace Health and Wellness Workshops. In June, we hosted the first annual Harambee Community Festival with the Black Women’s Health Alliance, Institute for the Development of African American Youth, Philadelphia Doll Museum and Uptown Entertainment and Development Corporation. The event was created to provide cultural enrichment, health information, entertainment and activities to residents and visitors to North Central Philadelphia. There were children’s activities, games, rides, a health pavilion, music and entertainment. The event also promoted National HIV Testing Day. The Black Women’s Health Alliance conducted twenty HIV tests during the activity. Over 1,000 youth and adults participated in the Harambee event on June 27. Planning has already begun for Harambee 2010. Next year the event will take place on June 5.
Our newest program is our Urban Garden Initiative at our lot, at 2229 N. Broad Street, between the main office and the AAUF Center. The lot was cleaned by youth and adult volunteers in April during the Philly Spring Clean Up. The soil was tested by college students and plans are underway to host a farmer’s market, grow food in raised beds and to use the space as an outdoor neighborhood gathering place. A special thanks to Monifa LaGrone and Anthony Singleton for their help throughout the spring and summer during our community clean ups.
In addition to our programs, AAUF provides operational support to organizations such as, X-Offenders for Community Empowerment. X-Offenders for Community Empowerment saw that the ease of access to illegal guns destroyed the lives of victims and the incarcerated. They conceived and supported laws that will reduce gun violence and the proliferation of illegal weapons in Philadelphia. Their programs also focus on educating and empowering the formerly convicted to overcome barriers to re-entry into society.
Finally, since 1997 the Fund has conducted an annual toy drive that benefits the children of low income working families. With the increase in prices for consumer goods, utilities and food, this year will be particularly hard for poor, working families to afford basic necessities let alone holiday gifts for their children. Our 12th Annual Toy Drive will be conducted from now throughout the month of December. Toys will be distributed to several dozen low income working families between December 14 and 18.
New unwrapped toys for children aged 0-12 can be dropped off at our main office at 2227 N. Broad Street, from October 1 until December 18. I would also like to ask you to financially support our charitable activities this year by making a $100.00 contribution to ensure that we are able to continue to serve our community. Your contribution will validate our hard work and help us reach a $2,500 fundraising goal for our Annual Toy Drive.
This month is the official kick off of the winter fundraising drive. Some contributions have already been received; won’t you help the African American United Fund provide a positive holiday experience for those truly in need by writing a check for our Toy Drive?
Here in Philadelphia, the state budget crisis led Mayor Nutter to propose closing all neighborhood branches of the Free Library and recreation centers; massive layoffs of police, fire and nonessential city personnel; and, the draconian institution of bimonthly trash collection. While the City’s budget crisis was averted due to the state legislature voting to raise the sales tax here to 8%, we now know the price of that vote was the taxing of tickets to cultural institutions and museums (breathe a sigh of relief Phillies, Eagles and Harry Potter fans, your entrance fees have been protected from taxation). It’s patently unfair to place the burden of corporate institutional financial mismanagement on the backs of struggling nonprofits. Is it Freedom Theatre’s fault that AIG and Lehman Brothers hid their losses causing the financial markets worldwide to meltdown? Raising taxes from art and culture groups seems a little Scrooge-like on the part of legislators. Many nonprofits are already working with less this year due to donors cutting back on contributions because their retirement plans loss money or they were laid off. As we struggle to maintain services during the recession, let’s work together to ensure that legislators know that our services provide vital support to individuals and families that the government simply can’t reach.
At the African American United Fund, we have managed to continue to provide services and programs, even as the City threatened to shut down, that have improved the lives of 201,870 individuals through our public policy advocacy, direct services and referrals. The Fund conducted 2 voter engagement/education forums, provided technical assistance to 6 organizations, collaborated on programs and projects with 15 organizations and started a new Urban Garden Initiative. We are proud of these accomplishments, especially since our operating expenses were only $65,000 last fiscal year. A contribution to the Fund goes a long way. For only $100 you can help us provide services to 322 people. A true value in these hard economic times.
Since spring of 2007, AAUF has been hosting our Civic Engagement in the 21st Century Forums, formerly known as the People’s Voter Education Forums to bring community based organizations, community residents and elected officials together to discuss and improve upon programs and policies that address the social and economic issues affecting our community. These forums bring candidates to the community to respond to constituents needs and reinforce to constituents that candidates are in office to serve them not special interests, lobbyist or large donors.
AAUF will continue to highlight health disparities in the African American community through, the African Marketplace Health and Wellness Workshops. In June, we hosted the first annual Harambee Community Festival with the Black Women’s Health Alliance, Institute for the Development of African American Youth, Philadelphia Doll Museum and Uptown Entertainment and Development Corporation. The event was created to provide cultural enrichment, health information, entertainment and activities to residents and visitors to North Central Philadelphia. There were children’s activities, games, rides, a health pavilion, music and entertainment. The event also promoted National HIV Testing Day. The Black Women’s Health Alliance conducted twenty HIV tests during the activity. Over 1,000 youth and adults participated in the Harambee event on June 27. Planning has already begun for Harambee 2010. Next year the event will take place on June 5.
Our newest program is our Urban Garden Initiative at our lot, at 2229 N. Broad Street, between the main office and the AAUF Center. The lot was cleaned by youth and adult volunteers in April during the Philly Spring Clean Up. The soil was tested by college students and plans are underway to host a farmer’s market, grow food in raised beds and to use the space as an outdoor neighborhood gathering place. A special thanks to Monifa LaGrone and Anthony Singleton for their help throughout the spring and summer during our community clean ups.
In addition to our programs, AAUF provides operational support to organizations such as, X-Offenders for Community Empowerment. X-Offenders for Community Empowerment saw that the ease of access to illegal guns destroyed the lives of victims and the incarcerated. They conceived and supported laws that will reduce gun violence and the proliferation of illegal weapons in Philadelphia. Their programs also focus on educating and empowering the formerly convicted to overcome barriers to re-entry into society.
Finally, since 1997 the Fund has conducted an annual toy drive that benefits the children of low income working families. With the increase in prices for consumer goods, utilities and food, this year will be particularly hard for poor, working families to afford basic necessities let alone holiday gifts for their children. Our 12th Annual Toy Drive will be conducted from now throughout the month of December. Toys will be distributed to several dozen low income working families between December 14 and 18.
New unwrapped toys for children aged 0-12 can be dropped off at our main office at 2227 N. Broad Street, from October 1 until December 18. I would also like to ask you to financially support our charitable activities this year by making a $100.00 contribution to ensure that we are able to continue to serve our community. Your contribution will validate our hard work and help us reach a $2,500 fundraising goal for our Annual Toy Drive.
This month is the official kick off of the winter fundraising drive. Some contributions have already been received; won’t you help the African American United Fund provide a positive holiday experience for those truly in need by writing a check for our Toy Drive?
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Spike Lee Compares Tyler Perry To Amos and Andy
Spike Lee Compares Tyler Perry To Amos and Andy
By Casey Gane-McCalla, Assistant Editor May 28, 2009 10:11 am
Spike Lee had an interview with Ed Gordon on Our World with Black Enterprise scheduled to air this weekend. In the interview he complained about “coonery and buffoonery” and both of Tyler Perry’s shows “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne,” comparing them to characters from minstrel shows.From EurWeB“We’ve had this discussion back and forth. When John Singleton [made 'Boyz in the Hood'], people came out to see it. But when he did ‘Rosewood,’ nobody showed up. So a lot of this is on us! You vote with your pocketbook, your wallet. You vote with your time sitting in front of the idiot box, and [Tyler Perry] has a huge audience. We shouldn’t think that Tyler Perry is going to make the same film that I am going to make, or that John Singleton or my cousin Malcolm Lee [would make]. As African-Americans, we’re not one monolithic group, so there is room for all of that. But at the same time, for me, the imaging is troubling and it harkens back to ‘Amos n’ Andy.’”
OPINION: Why Tracy Morgan Isn’t Taking Us Two Steps “Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors, but I still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is coonery and buffoonery. I know it’s making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better. … I am a huge basketball fan, and when I watch the games on TNT, I see these two ads for these two shows (Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne”), and I am scratching my head. We got a black president, and we going back to Mantan Moreland and Sleep ‘n’ Eat?
AAUF Responds...
Both Tyler Perry's Madea and Martin Lawerence's Big Momma characters portray the outmoded "Mammy" images of African American's created by white vaudevillians to entertain white audiences. These images have become so prevalent that they became a routine caricature of African American women. Fortunately, black women have refused to play these roles in the 21st century and so the role has fallen to men like Perry and Lawrence to perpetuate.
The coonery and buffonery of Madea and Big Momma are a sad reminder of the death of the Black Arts Movement whose aim was to create art that demonstrated positive images of African Americans as well as made political statements about the need for social and economic empowerment in the African American community.
It's easy to laugh at Madea and Big Momma, it's difficult to create a black space where our culture and history are revered, our children receive quality education, our neighborhoods are safe, our businesses thrive and create living wage job opportunities and our young people cease being commodified and sent to prison.
Do Madea and Big Momma cause the social and economic disparities in the African American community? No. Do they do anything to harm our children's images of themselves? Yes. Does that devaluation cause people like Bonnie Sweeten to blame black people for false crime? Yes. In 1955, Emmit Till died and in 1931 the Scottsboro Boys were sent to prison on the exaggerated and false testimony of white women. If our image in the media is devalued by African Americans then others will do the same. Aissia Richardson
By Casey Gane-McCalla, Assistant Editor May 28, 2009 10:11 am
Spike Lee had an interview with Ed Gordon on Our World with Black Enterprise scheduled to air this weekend. In the interview he complained about “coonery and buffoonery” and both of Tyler Perry’s shows “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne,” comparing them to characters from minstrel shows.From EurWeB“We’ve had this discussion back and forth. When John Singleton [made 'Boyz in the Hood'], people came out to see it. But when he did ‘Rosewood,’ nobody showed up. So a lot of this is on us! You vote with your pocketbook, your wallet. You vote with your time sitting in front of the idiot box, and [Tyler Perry] has a huge audience. We shouldn’t think that Tyler Perry is going to make the same film that I am going to make, or that John Singleton or my cousin Malcolm Lee [would make]. As African-Americans, we’re not one monolithic group, so there is room for all of that. But at the same time, for me, the imaging is troubling and it harkens back to ‘Amos n’ Andy.’”
OPINION: Why Tracy Morgan Isn’t Taking Us Two Steps “Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors, but I still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is coonery and buffoonery. I know it’s making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better. … I am a huge basketball fan, and when I watch the games on TNT, I see these two ads for these two shows (Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne”), and I am scratching my head. We got a black president, and we going back to Mantan Moreland and Sleep ‘n’ Eat?
AAUF Responds...
Both Tyler Perry's Madea and Martin Lawerence's Big Momma characters portray the outmoded "Mammy" images of African American's created by white vaudevillians to entertain white audiences. These images have become so prevalent that they became a routine caricature of African American women. Fortunately, black women have refused to play these roles in the 21st century and so the role has fallen to men like Perry and Lawrence to perpetuate.
The coonery and buffonery of Madea and Big Momma are a sad reminder of the death of the Black Arts Movement whose aim was to create art that demonstrated positive images of African Americans as well as made political statements about the need for social and economic empowerment in the African American community.
It's easy to laugh at Madea and Big Momma, it's difficult to create a black space where our culture and history are revered, our children receive quality education, our neighborhoods are safe, our businesses thrive and create living wage job opportunities and our young people cease being commodified and sent to prison.
Do Madea and Big Momma cause the social and economic disparities in the African American community? No. Do they do anything to harm our children's images of themselves? Yes. Does that devaluation cause people like Bonnie Sweeten to blame black people for false crime? Yes. In 1955, Emmit Till died and in 1931 the Scottsboro Boys were sent to prison on the exaggerated and false testimony of white women. If our image in the media is devalued by African Americans then others will do the same. Aissia Richardson
Monday, May 11, 2009
Civic Engagement in the 21st Century Forum
African American United Fund and partners host Civic Engagement in the 21st Century Forum
on May 13 at AAUF Conference Center, 2231 N. Broad Street.
Several organizations collaborate to engage candidates and voters in a discussion about issues affecting the future of the City of Philadelphia, the State of Pennsylvania and the Nation.
Several community organizations will host a Civic Engagement Forum, a question and answer session with candidates seeking to become District Attorney, City Controller, Judge and Senator on Wednesday, May 13, at AAUF Conference Center, 2231 N. Broad Street (between Susquehanna and Dauphin Street) at 6:00 PM.
Cherron Perry-Thomas, Chairperson, African American United Fund stated, “This is the seventh forum held since 2000. This forum will focus on issues important to the electorate such as community court, the cost of incarceration and record expungement. We want the public to submit their questions for candidates prior to the Forum and at the Forum. Public engagement has improved our schools, reduced violence and ensures improvements in city, state and national services for Philadelphia’s residents.”
The sponsoring organizations are the African American United Fund, Alliance of Black Social Workers, DNA Connect, Grands As Parents, Greater Philadelphia Caucus of the I.C.W.A.D., Men United for a Better Philadelphia, Uptown Entertainment & Development Corporation and X-Offenders for Community Empowerment.
Fax or email your questions for the candidates to 215.236.9077 or AAUFMAIL@aol.com For more information, please call 215.236.2100.
on May 13 at AAUF Conference Center, 2231 N. Broad Street.
Several organizations collaborate to engage candidates and voters in a discussion about issues affecting the future of the City of Philadelphia, the State of Pennsylvania and the Nation.
Several community organizations will host a Civic Engagement Forum, a question and answer session with candidates seeking to become District Attorney, City Controller, Judge and Senator on Wednesday, May 13, at AAUF Conference Center, 2231 N. Broad Street (between Susquehanna and Dauphin Street) at 6:00 PM.
Cherron Perry-Thomas, Chairperson, African American United Fund stated, “This is the seventh forum held since 2000. This forum will focus on issues important to the electorate such as community court, the cost of incarceration and record expungement. We want the public to submit their questions for candidates prior to the Forum and at the Forum. Public engagement has improved our schools, reduced violence and ensures improvements in city, state and national services for Philadelphia’s residents.”
The sponsoring organizations are the African American United Fund, Alliance of Black Social Workers, DNA Connect, Grands As Parents, Greater Philadelphia Caucus of the I.C.W.A.D., Men United for a Better Philadelphia, Uptown Entertainment & Development Corporation and X-Offenders for Community Empowerment.
Fax or email your questions for the candidates to 215.236.9077 or AAUFMAIL@aol.com For more information, please call 215.236.2100.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)