THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 20, 1996 TAG: 9605200034
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Area residents will have the chance to exchange views about poverty-related issues at two locations in South Hampton Roads on Tuesday night.
The community-wide ``Dialogue on Poverty'' is being organized by the Southeastern Tidewater Opportunity Project, known as STOP, the region's anti-poverty agency.
The dialogue program seeks to bring together people from different economic levels to discuss their perspectives of poverty, said Edith R. Jones, STOP executive director.
``Poverty doesn't just affect the poor, it affects us all, and we all need to talk about the solutions,'' Jones said.
The conversations are open to the general community and STOP hopes to attract a wide array of citizens, from affluent bankers to low-income single moms, said Regina Lawrence, public relations director.
The program is part of the larger ``National Dialogue on Poverty,'' sponsored by the National Association of Community Action Agencies.
The dialogues are being held for several reasons, Jones said. There's a need to look back over the 30 years of anti-poverty programs launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson's ``War on Poverty'' and sort out which efforts should be kept, redesigned or ended.
Local communities need to engage in the discussions, Jones said, because of the nationwide trend of turning federal programs over to state and local levels.
``This is not a STOP thing,'' Jones said. ``We're just the catalyst for getting the local discussion going.
``We're just opening the doors for people to talk with each other. We hope that many new dialogues come out of this . . . and that some of those dialogues turn into working partnerships, programs and successes.''
Tuesday's dialogues will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at Norfolk State University in Norfolk and at Nansemond River High School in Suffolk. That way, Jones said, there will be opportunities to focus on both urban and rural poverty.
STOP will show a 15-minute film based on community dialogues on poverty that were held in other parts of the country. Participants then will be separated into discussion groups of eight to 10 people. ``We hope to have a cross section of the community in each group,'' Lawrence said.
The groups will discuss questions such as ``What is your experience with poverty'' and ``What effect does poverty have on your community.'' MEMO: PROGRAM DETAILS
What: ``Dialogue on Poverty,'' hosted by STOP, the region's
anti-poverty agency.
When: 6-9 p.m. Tuesday.
Where: Two sites - Scott Dozier Dining Hall at Norfolk State
University in Norfolk and Nansemond River High School in Suffolk.
Who should attend: STOP is seeking a wide array of citizens to foster
an exchange of perspectives about poverty-related issues.
Speakers: State Sen. L. Louise Lucas, a former executive director of
STOP, will speak at the Norfolk venue while Paul C. Gillis, president of
the state chapter and Suffolk branch of the NAACP, will talk at the
Suffolk site.
Format: Participants will be separated into groups of eight to 10
people for discussions on poverty.
For information: Call Regina Lawrence at STOP, 858-1385.
KEYWORDS: POVERTY COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS PUBLIC JOURNALISM by CNB