wfn.org | Noon Jan 14 D.C. Launch, Effort to Register Low-Income Voters

["Carol Fouke" <cfouke@ncccusa.org>]

Media Advisory: News Conference Noon, January 14, Washington, D.C.

NCC, Other Groups Launch Massive Voter Registration Effort

What: The National Council of Churches USA, the Center for Community Change
and other grassroots groups and faith-based organizations will announce a $15
million mobilization to register more than two million new low-income voters
in 2004.

When: Buffet lunch media briefing Wednesday, January 14, 2004.	Noon to 1
p.m.  (RSVPs helpful - jfuson@communitychange.org or call Leila McDowell,
202-339-9329)

Where: Occidental Restaurant, 1475 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 
This well-known gathering place for Washington insiders and power brokers was
chosen as a venue to symbolize the new power broker in town - people with low
incomes whose voices must be included in national policy dialogue.

Speakers: 

The Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary, National Council of Churches, the
nation's leading ecumenical organization with 36 member denominations
comprising 50 million adherents in 140,000 local congregations nationwide.

Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director, Center for Community Change, a national
non-profit organization that provides technical assistance, training and
policy support to low-income community groups.

The Rev. Bernice Powell Jackson, representing "Faithful Democracy Project," a
coalition of faith-based groups that have joined together for voter
mobilization and education efforts.

Also: Pollster Celinda Lake; Former U.S. Rep. Ron Dellums; Radio Personality
Tom Joyner; Business Mogul and Hip Hop Impresario Russell Simmons; Greg
Galuzzo, Executive Director, Gamaliel; Maxine Nelson, National Secretary and
Chair of National Political Committee, ACORN; Phil Baird, Dean, Vocational
and Academic Programs, United Tribes Technical College; Maria Morales, Voces
de la Frontera; Theresa Thomas Boyd, Wisconsin Citizen Action; Anton Gunn,
Executive Director, South Carolina Fair Share.

More: The Center for Community Change will describe plans for a "Presidential
Candidates' Dialogue with America's Family" 11 a.m. Jan. 30, in Columbia,
S.C.  On Jan. 31, the NCC will convene people of faith for additional work on
voter registration and ending poverty.

NCC Media Contacts: Leslie Tune, 202-544-2350 x 11; Carol Fouke, 212-870-2252

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