North East Immersion 2005

The Plight and Fight of Poverty

We have all heard the statistics: 45 million people have no health insurance; 3 million jobs have been eliminated in New York City since 9/11; soup kitchen visits are up 150%. What are religious leaders and other people of conscience to do in the face of growing poverty, homelessness, and misery?

This course explored the reality of poverty in New York City and across the United States and offered tools for overcoming and eliminating poverty. A hands-on and experience-based course, the Poverty Immersion Experience included dialogue with leaders of local and national poor people’s organizations, human rights trainings, Bible studies, video-showings, and poverty reality tours. Significant time was spent discussing the theological implications of building a movement to end poverty, led by poor people and the role of religious communities in building a social movement.

Students in this seminar traveled to Atlantic City, NJ and well as other places in the Northeast and meet with leaders of Poor Voices United, an organization of poor and homeless people who are working to establish a free health care clinic in the area.

Syllabus