U.N. Special Rapporteur Visits: Maps America, Noting Dramatic Link between Race and Poverty

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U.N. Special Rapporteur Visits:
Maps America, Noting Dramatic Link between Race and Poverty
June 12, 2008


The link between race and poverty is an issue that the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLHCP) continues to voice concern over, When African Americans constitute just 12% of the population but represent 50% of homeless people, the government can't credibly claim that everyone is equally enjoying the right to housing, said Maria Foscarinis, Executive Director of NLCHP.

One of Mr. Diène's recommendations to ameliorate the problem was to revisit current legislation. A great emphasis should be put in revisiting the legislation& on the linkage between racism and poverty. As long as those marginalized economically and socially are minorities, domestic policies remain inadequate.

Mr. Diène's comments came at the end of his three-week tour of the United States, stopping in Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Omaha and San Juan, Puerto Rico. His final stop was in Washington, D.C. where NLCHP helped organize a public hearing with other local advocacy organizations at the Thurgood Marshall Charter School in Anacostia. Nearly 100 victims of racial discrimination attended and voiced their experiences, concerns and recommendations for solutions.

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For video footage of the Special Rapporteur and some victims testimonies visit: http://youtube.com/NLCHP


http://www.nlchp.org/news.cfm?id=1