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Protests against poverty at State Capitol
A few hundred people marched around the Capitol on Saturday afternoon asking legislators to do something about poverty, and to mobilize voters ahead of the upcoming elections.
AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Poor People's Campaign walked around the State Capitol on Saturday to demand legislators end death by poverty and mobilize low-income voters.
"And while Texas has done nothing for the people, the people have died," said Denita Jones with the Texas Poor People's Campaign.
On the steps of the State Capitol, Jones and a few other advocates spoke to hundreds of people about poverty in Texas.
"It's time that we have to advocate," said Nyeka Arnold, director of the Healing Project. "We have to show up and speak up.
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The Texas Poor People's Campaign is pushing to see legislative changes addressing poverty, including an increase to the minimum wage, healthcare for all, and affordable and adequate housing.
"I've been part of the system and I know what it means to make a dollar too much, and you still can't cover your basic needs," said Jones.
They hope this plea to lawmakers is also loud enough to stir what they call the "sleeping giant."
"We won't be silenced anymore, and we are going to organize the 140 million poor and dispossessed people across the country," said Jones.
Ahead of the elections, the group is trying to mobilize low-wage workers to turn up at the polls.
"I'm hoping that we can turn this thing around," said Kenneth Lloyd, a protestor. "It's going to be essential to this country that we do something about 80 million people living in poverty, and it's growing."
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The campaign said about 7 million Texans are considered poor and low-income voters, enough to make up more than 30 percent of the electorate.
"They can change election outcomes and political outcomes," said Jones.
The Poor People’s Campaign is a nationwide movement that held other protests in more than 30 other states on Saturday.
On Monday, organizers of the Texas Poor People’s Campaign said they plan to meet at legislative offices in Austin to deliver information detailing the conditions of low-income people in Texas and offer suggestions on how to address the issues.