EVAF Day of Action on the Hill Media Coverage

On February 12, 2009, one hundred and fifty families from 12 states traveled to Washington DC in continuance of the Equal Voice for America’s Families campaign to hand-deliver the national family platform directly to the offices of their Representatives. They shared our collective vision of a new approach in addressing the needs of families comprehensively rather than turning their needs into single issues to be addressed one by one.

Here is some media coverage of the Equal Voice for America’s Families Day of Action on the Hill :

• 'We are America's Safety Net' - Families to Washington is a video from New America Media documenting the Equal Voice for America’s Families Day of Action on the Hill. Watch the day unfold – learn about the campaign, feel the momentum build at the press conference and travel with the delegation from Illinois as they hand-deliver the family platform to their representatives.

• MSN Money highlights the financial struggles of family spokesperson Star Paschal in, Getting by . . . on $32,000 a year. This is the first of a short series of articles featuring Equal Voice participants to give the human perspective with the growing statistics.

• MSN Money continues their series highlighting the financial struggles of working families in, Just Getting by . . . on $60,000 a year. This article features family spokesperson Ana Tacan of Stockton, California.

• New America Media reports, “Paschal said the key is to get legislators to address issues in a holistic manner rather than on a piecemeal basis,” in their piece following the campaign entitled ‘Equal Voice’ Unveils Family Platform in Washington.

• Equal Voice for America’s Families tell Washington Legislators what families need is a short visual synopsis of the event.

• "The families of America actually have done their homework. They are not just out there complaining. They would like to be part of this change that's coming to America, this movement by which we can bring changes to our lives," Arizona native George De La Riva explains in his radio interview, AZ Families Call for “Main Street” Stimulus, for the Public News Service. This interview was local stations as well as Clear Channel which represents 460 radio stations nationwide.

• View New America Media’s ‘Equal Voice’ Campaign Heard in Washington D.C. , a photographic record of a historic day as ordinary Americans from across the country presented their ideas to rebuild the social safety net, especially for low-income families, to their elected officials in Washington D.C.

• “Obama’s stimulus is a step forward but I know that this problem goes beyond just a short-term package. We need a comprehensive platform. We need solutions that come from the bottom up, not the top down,” explains Deborah Jones of Baton Rouge in the People’s Weekly World’s A victory for Obama and the people.

• See the Day of Action through the eyes of Corey Camphor and Target Area colleagues through their YouTube footage of the day.

• “This is us being the voice of the people,” Martha Sanchez of McAllen, TX tells the Rio Grande Guardian in an interview at the airport before leaving for Washington. Read about the South Texas contingency in Valley residents travel to Washington as part of national Equal Voices campaign.


• “Our nation’s approach to supporting families is piecemeal solutions,” says Deborah Jones of Baton Rouge. “We believe it is time for a comprehensive platform that helps families in poverty.” Read about Jones and the Louisiana contingency in the People’s Weekly World’s feature: Thousands, in springtime mood, head to Capitol Hill for lobbying on foreclosures, education


• "When 30,000 families from across the country come together and call for the adoption of a national family platform – we as a nation need to listen,” explains Luz Vega Marquis. The Red Lake Net News promotes the Equal Voice Day of Action in their article, America’s Families to Call on Nation’s Leaders to Adopt National Family Platform.


View Photos of the Event

Families from across the country tell Washington legislators

Washington DC – Today in Washington DC, one hundred and fifty families from 12 states called on the nation’s leaders to adopt the Equal Voice for America’s Families National Platform. The platform identifies key issues affecting families and asks that legislators address the needs of families collectively and no longer break down these needs issue by issue. Families sent a clear message today – America’s families need a safety net, not just a bailout. Following the unveiling of the platform, the families went to meet with members of Congress from their states.
The families are part of the Equal Voice for America’s Families campaign, which held 65 townhall meetings and brought together more than 30,000 families in 2008 to create a national family platform that identifies key issues affecting families and makes policy recommendations to ensure the well-being of America’s families.

“Families have gone from paycheck to paycheck, to day to day living. If something is not done at this moment in time, I don’t see a future for my children, and what does that say about us as a country?” said Star Paschal, a working single mother of three in her 20s from Auburn, Alabama. “We can’t just have jobs without child care, healthcare and even transportation.”

Families also gave their perspective on the economic stimulus package as they presented their vision for a nation that responds to the essential needs of America’s families.

“When 30,000 families from across the country come together and call for the adoption of a national family platform – we as a nation need to listen, said Luz Vega-Marquis, President and CEO of Marguerite Casey Foundation. “The 150 families who are at the nation’s capitol today are the voice of the millions of families who are struggling to get by and who are saying enough is enough.”

Families represented twelve states, including: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas and Washington.
The Equal Voice for America’s Families campaign was a yearlong campaign supported by Seattle-based Marguerite Casey Foundation and its grantees to elevate the voices of America’s families in the public debate about ensuring a better future for families.

For more information about the Equal Voice for America’s Families campaign go to www.equalvoice2008.com.

Contact:

Kathleen Baca

Marguerite Casey Foundation

206.718.0879

Kbaca@Caseygrants.org

America’s Families to call on Nation’s Leaders to Adopt National Family Platform

Seattle, WA -- One hundred and fifty families from 12 states will unveil the Equal Voice for America’s Families national family platform in Washington D.C. on February 11, 2009 . The families will call on the nation’s leaders to adopt the family platform created last year by over 30,000 families from across America. The platform identifies key issues affecting families and asks that legislators address the needs of families comprehensively rather than turning their needs into single issues to be addressed one by one. The families are part of the Equal Voice for America’s Families campaign, which brought the families together to create a national family platform.

“Piecemeal solutions have failed families,” said Luz Vega-Marquis, president and CEO of Marguerite Casey Foundation, “When 30,000 families come together and call for the adoption of a national family platform – we as a nation need to listen. On February 11, families will travel across the country not to ask for a bailout but to ask that the nation adopt a national family platform that puts the needs of families first.”

States represented include: Washington, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Illinois and Indiana. A family spokesperson is available from each state for interviews.

The Equal Voice for America’s Families campaign was a yearlong campaign supported by Seattle-based Marguerite Casey Foundation and its grantees to elevate the voices of America’s families in the public debate.

Contact: Kathleen Baca 206.718.0879 Kbaca@Caseygrants.org

Press Conference

Wednesday,February 11, 9 a.m.

National Press Club

529 14th Street NW

Washington DC