Today on Sojourner Truth:
We are sad to announce the death of internationally-known peace activist and longtime KPFK programmer, Blase Bonpane. We dedicate today's show to Blase and will let you know when we do a memorial special on his remarkable life. Our hearts go out to his loved ones.
We bring you voices from a Poor People's Campaign hearing held in the Bay Area of California on Saturday, April 6. The hearing is part of a national Poor People's Campaign Emergency Truth and Poverty tour, which kicked off in 30 states nationally on Monday, April 1. Throughout the tour, residents impacted by systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, the war economy and militarism are given a platform. Elected officials are invited to come and listen, but not to speak. The Poor People's Campaign, which points out that there are over 140 million poor and low-income residents in the United States, has declared a national state of emergency. Along with rampant poverty and inequality, this emergency also includes the fossil fuel invasion of Indigenous lands, the destruction of the environment, systemically racist police institutions, military expansion across the globe and the growth of the private prison system. All of these issues, according to the Poor People's Campaign, form part of the real national emergency. As the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II put it, "these are not left or right, but moral issues that must be addressed."
Also, we continue our coverage of National Poetry Month with a poem from Ron Baca, a Chicano poet based in El Sereno, East Los Angeles. His poem is dedicated to Marcos at Homeboy Industries and is called Homeboy 101.
