(NAME-MCE) Poverty Institute August 13-14 Portland OR

[Anselmo Villanueva]

Poverty Institute

August 13-14, 2009    Portland, Oregon : August 13-14, 2009

Registration and information: https://combarriers.com/

We have finalized the conference agenda for the Poverty Institute in
Portland August 13th - 14th, 2009. With our current economic situation, it
is all the more important that we address the barriers that poverty
presents to children and adults in our communities. There are still spaces
available in our two-day Poverty Institute, so register now if you have
not already done so! Past participants have described the Poverty
Institute as life changing.

Our Team is excited to bring together  people from all over the country to
learn and gain concrete strategies for fighting poverty. The Poverty
Institute is designed to provide strategies for understanding,
motivating, educating and communicating more effectively with people who
are fighting poverty. We will have a fun, interactive two days of
learning that you can use in your efforts to assist people living in
poverty. The Poverty Institute is designed to be highly interactive with
strategies that can be implemented right away within your organization
and your community.

During your time spent in Portland with the Communication Across Barriers
team, you will learn, have fun, connect and collaborate with colleagues
from diverse communities such as education, justice, health, and social
service organizations across the country. As we learn together, let us
affirm our goal for this poverty institute ... to truly make a difference
for people  who are fighting that evil villain poverty.

Helping professionals and citizens who want to make a difference for
people living in poverty must be clear about the following:  One person
can make a world of difference. Our society has not taught us about
poverty. Overwhelmingly, what we know about poverty is based on
stereotypes and judgment. We need education, a new paradigm and real
actions that will assist us in breaking poverty barriers. The goal of our
work should be to assist students and families fighting poverty to connect
with resources and authentic opportunities for success. Growing up in
poverty does cause pain. Living in this environment impacts a person's
ability to develop to his or her full potential. However, people are
dynamic, not static. Resources, opportunities, and connections can assist
people to achieve success in education, employment and life. Poverty
hurts, but it does not  leave in its wake, a deficient person who needs
to be fixed or compensated for. Poverty is deficient, people are
incredible and have many strengths to contribute to their growth. Our
attempts to assist
should be based on the assumption that people living in poverty can learn,
grow and move forward. They can achieve big dreams and strive for
excellence, especially when we meet them where they are, and provide the
support and opportunities they need. To break poverty barriers, we must
move away from a scarcity model and build a comprehensive approach that
includes both resources and opportunity. We should not lower expectations
for students and families fighting poverty, but raise our expectations and
build the supports necessary for success.

At the Poverty Institute, as we learn and collaborate together, may we be
motivated to make a difference for children and families fighting poverty.
Our goal for  this two-day learning experience is to provide tools for
educating, communicating and working more effectively with people living
in poverty. We celebrate your presence and recognize that your inspiration
can serve to be the difference that touches the hearts and minds of people
who live in poverty conditions.

Dr. Donna Beegle & The Communication Across Barriers Team

Communication Across Barriers
PO Box 23071 Tigard, OR 97281
telephone: (503) 590-4599
dbeegle at combarriers.com