Poor People’s Assembly in Washington, D.C., Saturday, June 29, 2024.
A “Moral Revival Mass Assembly” was called by the Poor People’s Campaign & Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly for Saturday, June 29. Click here to visit the Poor People’s Campaign website.
Delaware was one of 33 states across the nation to organize a poor people’s march for economic justice on Saturday, March 2, 2024.
Approximately 125 people gathered in Dover to advocate for affordable housing, health care, and living wages. Several members of the Episcopal Church in Delaware helped organize the campaign and, even more, took part in the march and rally.
Actually, it was not a march because of inclement weather. Instead, the event took place at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Dover rather than outside in front of Legislative Hall. Even so, people could not resist standing up and marching around inside the church with placards and song.
Two members of the Episcopal Church in Delaware were among the many speakers of the day, both from SsAM.
Anthony Jones, a vestry member, and the Rev. Patrick Burke, rector, both of Saints Andrew and Mathew, advocated for transformative policy and change. Jones shared his personal experience with homelessness after a business downturn and Burke emphasized the responsibility of government to care for all its citizens and the church’s need to hold government accountable for delivering equitable care. “Until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty river,” said Burke, “there will be no justice and no peace.”
While several of the speakers noted that poverty is the fourth leading cause of death in America, what seemed to be the most concerning is that over 374,000 Delawareans, or one-third of the state’s population, currently live in poverty. One major theme of the day was that, as citizens of Delaware: “We won’t be silent anymore — we will be bold and courageous and demand changes to policies that keep our citizens in poverty.”
Photos by Jea Street
