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Group Asks Elected Officials to Support ‘Third Reconstruction’ Community Calls for Elected Officials to Support 'Third Reconstruciton'

CNY Poor People's Campaign Leads Fight Against Poverty

By Brendan Scanland

ANCHOR:
THE POOR PEOPLES’ CAMPAIGN OF CENTRAL NEW YORK HELD A RALLY IN DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE THIS AFTERNOON.THE GROUP IS RAISING AWARENESS FOR THE NEED TO ADDRESS POVERTY AND LOW WEALTH IN AMERICA VIA FEDERAL LEGISLATION KNOWN AS “THE THIRD RECONSTRUCTION.”NCC REPORTER BRENDAN SCANLAND WAS LIVE AT THE EVENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EXPLAINS THEIR MISSION.

REPORTER INTRO:
THAT’S RIGHT ELLIE. EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, THE POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN, ALONG WITH MANY SUPPORTERS, GATHERED BEHIND ME HERE AT THE GALLERIES OF SYRACUSE TO CALL ON ELECTED OFFICIALS LIKE REPRESENTATIVE JOHN KATKO, AND RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE THIRD RECONSTRUCTION. FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, THE THIRD CONSTRUCTION IS ALSO KNOWN AS HOUSE RESOLUTION 438 OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS WHICH WAS WRITTEN BY CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA LEE OF CALIFORNIA ON MAY 25. THE RESOLUTION IS GAINING NATIONWIDE SUPPORT PARTLY BECAUSE OF GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS LIKE THE ONE THAT TOOK PLACE HERE BEHIND ME IN DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE THIS AFTERNOON.

ERIC JACKSON TO CROWD AT RALLY:
“WE NEED IT NOW! WE NEED A THIRD RECONSTRUCTION AND WHEN DO WE NEED IT? WE NEED IT NOW”

REPORTER:
THE POOR PEOPLES’ CAMPAIGN, OR P-P-C, OF CENTRAL NEW YORK GATHERED THIS AFTERNOON OUTSIDE THE GALLERIES OF SYRACUSE.

ERIC JACKSON:
“We need to rebuild our system because these systems that we have in front to us are systems that have been designed to benefit some while dis regarding the poor, disregarding the people.”

TODAY’S “MORAL MONDAY” RALLY WAS PART OF A STATEWIDE EFFORT BY THE PPC TO RAISE AWARENESS AND SUPPORT FOR THE “THIRD RECONSTRUCTION”.

MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS SPOKE OUTSIDE THE GALLERIES AND SHARED PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH POVERTY AND WHY THEY BELIEVE THE THIRD RECONSTRUCTION IS PIVOTAL.

ALICIA WOOD:
“The third reconstruction comes after the first after the war and the second reconstruction after the civil rights movement of the 1960s and we would like the third reconstruction to address poverty at a systematic level not just looking at an individual getting welfare but the whole system needs to be changed.”

REPORTER:
ALICIA WOOD IS THE TRI-CHAIR FOR THE CNY PPC AND IS ALSO A PASTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.

ALICIA WOOD:
“Everyone has a story and when we listen to the stories we can see how one story after another are so similar and it’s because the system needs to change.”

REPORTER:
TO GET THE SYSTEM TO CHANGE, THE PPC IS ENCOURAGING ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL TO SUPPORT “BOTTOM-UP” MEASURES LIKE HOUSE RESOLUTION 438.

BETH DUBOIS:
“I’m also here to urge Rep Katko to co-sponsor that bill and support state efforts for comprehensive health care as well as housing that utilizes unused spaces.”

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) The Central New York Poor People’s Campaign (PPC) hosted a rally Monday afternoon outside the Galleries of Syracuse at 441 S. Salina Street.

The rally was part of the New York State Poor People’s Campaign “Moral Monday.” The campaign is calling for a national moral revival to address systemic poverty and racism, the war economy and ecological devastation among others.

A key component to the group’s efforts is the Third Reconstruction, also known as U.S. House Resolution 438. H.R. 438 addresses poverty and low wages from the bottom up. The resolution was introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) on May 25 and also addresses voting rights, demilitarization, tax breaks and other policy topics.

“We need to rebuild our system because these systems that we have in front of us are systems that have been designed to benefit some while disregarding the poor, disregarding the people,” said Pastor Eric Jackson of Plymouth Congregation Church in Syracuse.

The campaign is encouraging elected officials to enact and support similar “bottom-up” measures.

New York’s 24th Congressional District Representative, John Katko (R-NY), has a field office inside the building near where the rally was taking place.

“I’m also here to urge Rep. Katko to cosponsor that bill and support state efforts for comprehensive healthcare as well as housing that utilizes unused spaces,” said Pastor Beth DuBois of South Valley Presbyterian Church.

The Third Reconstruction has seen increased momentum due to the Poor People’s Campaign and other advocacy groups who have organized regional grassroots movements like the one on South Salina Street, this afternoon.

Pastor Alicia Wood is the tri-chair of the CNY PPC. She helps raise awareness and organizes local events.

“Everyone has a story, and when we listen to the stories, we can see how one story after another are so similar and it’s because the system needs to change,” said Wood.

The NYS Poor People’s Campaign has chapters in Buffalo, the Capitol Region, Eastern Southern Tier, the Hudson Valley, Long Island, New York City, North Country, Rochester, CNY, and the Western Southern Tier.

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