Economic, Community and Political Leaders to Confront "Wealth Gap"

“Creating Economically Inclusive Communities”
Economic, Community and Political Leaders to Confront “Wealth Gap

WHO:

The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings, Congressman, United States House of Representatives (D-MD), The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies (Joint Center) and the Associated Black Charities’ (ABC) More in the Middle initiative to host session on strengthening nation’s black middle class during the ’09 ALC Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.

WHAT:

Distinguished scholars and practitioners will share with Congressman Cummings and other Members of Congress, a range of effective policy options and best community-based practices aimed at closing the wealth gap for African Americans. Through this session and other national conversations, such as this session, the Joint Center and ABC are helping to advance policy recommendations and programs for reinvigorating the nation’s black middle class, with a special focus on the situation in Baltimore, Maryland. By partnering with community organizations, businesses, philanthropic organizations, and experts, the Joint Center and ABC are identifying state-of-the-art practices and alternatives for asset- building. This session and others to follow will engage policymakers and other stakeholders in developing the policy reforms integral to confronting and closing the African American wealth gap.

Featured speakers will include:

The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings, Congressman, U.S. House of Representatives; Ralph B. Everett, Esq., President and CEO, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Diane Bell-McKoy, President and CEO, Associated Black Charities; Andrea Foggy-Paxton, Program Officer, Gates Foundation; Karen Gibbs, Video Network Host, MoneyShow.com; Lorenzo Harrison, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor; Wilhelmina Leigh, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and Stanley W. Tucker, President and CEO, Meridian Management.

WHERE: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2203
U.S. House of Representatives WHEN: September 23, 2009
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is one of the nation’s leading research and public policy institutions and the only one whose work focuses primarily on issues of particular concern to African Americans and other people of color. For more information about the Joint Center, please visit our Web site at http://www.jointcenter.org.

Associated Black Charities is a Maryland 501(c)(3) public foundation that facilitates the creation of measurably healthier and wealthier communities throughout the State of Maryland through responsible leadership and philanthropic investment. For more information, go to www.abc-md.org.