Why Advocacy?
Our responsibility as an organization is to develop programs and services that begin to engage our participants and the community in their own empowerment process to change the system, so that they have access to a full range of possibilities. We are committed to taking a public stand on the systems of oppression and oppressive policies that prevent our participants from achieving the success we know they are capable of.
Our Lead Issues
Racial Equity
The playing field is not level. We understand that the laws and policies that keep people in poverty have a history of racism at their core. We seek to shape and influence those policies on behalf of the families and communities we serve. We are committed to addressing root causes and working for fundamental change in all systems and structures that promote racism—both conscious and unconscious.
Living Wage
Everybody deserves a living wage. The average minimum wage worker in the U.S. would need to work nearly 97 hours per week to afford the average two-bedroom home*. Housing is just one basic human need. We urge policymakers to make fair changes so working families can thrive – not just survive, because the minimum isn’t enough.
* National Low Income Housing Coalition
Benefits Cliff
Policy should not punish promotion. The Benefits Cliff is a dynamic that occurs when a slight increase in a worker’s income results in the sudden loss of public benefits—worth much more than the income increase itself. We advocate for public policy solutions that can help families thrive as they make upward financial progress.