THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT - Check out the NC Policy Watch Facebook page on Dec. 6 to see a live broadcast of the event. 

Join us Thursday December 6 for a very special Crucial Conversation luncheon:

Prof. Gene Nichol discusses his new book:
"The Faces of Poverty in North Carolina"

Few, if any, 21st century North Carolinians have brought more passion, eloquence or determination to the fight against poverty and injustice than Gene Nichol. Nichol is the Boyd Tinsley Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina and, together with his colleague Heather Hunt, directs and staffs the North Carolina Poverty Research Fund. For decades now, Nichol has served as a bold, provocative, courageous and prolific leader and spokesperson in the cause of economic and social justice in our state.

Now, Nichol has produced a vitally important new book summarizing his work in recent years to document the vexing poverty that continues to plague North Carolina. This is from the official summary of The Faces of Poverty: Stories From Our Invisible Citizens (UNC Press, 2018):

These are the faces of poverty in North Carolina: scores of homeless men, women, and children take refuge in makeshift camps, barely hidden in the woods near some of our most affluent neighborhoods. Hundreds wait in lines hours long to receive basic health care at underfunded free clinics. In large cities and small towns, children--especially children of color--rely on meals at their schools to keep hunger at bay, while parents struggle in jobs that fail to pay living wages. While many in the Tar Heel State enjoy unparalleled prosperity, those born into poverty have lower odds than ever of climbing the ladder of economic upward mobility. Today, more than 1.5 million North Carolinians live in poverty. More than one in five are children. Behind these sobering statistics are the faces of our fellow citizens. This book tells their stories.

Since 2012, Nichol has traveled the length of North Carolina, conducting hundreds of interviews with poor people and those working to alleviate the worst of their circumstances. Here their voices challenge all of us to see what is too often invisible, to look past partisan divides and preconceived notions, and to seek change. Only with a full commitment as a society, Nichol argues, will we succeed in truly ending poverty, which he calls our greatest challenge.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase and Prof. Nichol will be available after his talk to autograph them.

Don’t miss this very special event!

When: Thursday, December 6 at 12:00 noon — Box lunches will be available at 11:45 a.m.

Where: Center for Community Leadership Training Room at the Junior League of Raleigh Building, 711 Hillsborough St. (At the corner of Hillsborough and St. Mary’s streets)

Space is limited – pre-registration required.

Cost: $10, admission includes a box lunch.

Questions?? Contact Rob Schofield at 919-861-2065 or rob@ncpolicywatch.com