IN THE MOVEMENT TO ABOLISH POVERTY
 |
music & song | paintings & drawings | photography | writing & literature | video
call for submissions | featured artist | special note
POWER's Arts
& Culture page is an on-line gallery displaying
various examples of arts & culture created by artists,
musicians, performers, and cultural workers whose work is for and/or
about ending poverty and
economic justice, including artiststs/cultural workers who are also
struggling to obtain their
economic rights. If you're interested in having your work displayed on
this page, please contact us!
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Lyrics to All of Our Rights Now!
By Margie Wilkes & Kensington Welfare Rights Union.
This song was written just before KWRU's 1998 New Freedom Bus Tour
left Philadelphia; it expresses some of the mission of the freedom bus.
What do we all need?
All of our rights now!
Keeping us all where?
Off of the street!
What do we all need?
All of our rights now!
We stand united -
We'll not be moved.
Right now -
We won't back down, no.
Right now -
We'll not be moved
Right now -
We've staked our claim, now.
Right now -
We've mapped out our route.
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Lyrics to Up & Out of Poverty Now!
This song came out of the struggles of the Union of the Homeless
in the late 1980's and early 1990's
So long, they've kept their feet on our necks
So long, they've been walking on our backs
We must overcome, and stand tall as one
(CHORUS)
We're going to move up and out of poverty now
That is what we're fighting for
We're going to move up and out of poverty now
That is what we're living for.
So long they've kept us far apart
For too long, they've told us its all our fault
We must overcome and stand tall as one...
(CHORUS)
So strong, we have begun to unite
So strong, we've built our army to fight
With help from above, God's giving us love...
Paintings & Drawings
untitled drawing #1 untitled drawing #2
by jesse vear by jesse vear
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Photography
MORE COMING SOON!!!
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Writing & Literature
MORE COMING SOON!!!
Each One
Teach One:
Up and Out of Poverty,
Memoirs of a Street Activist
By Ron Casanova
Edited by Stephen Blackburn;
published by Curbstone Press;
October 1, 1996; 250 pages;
ISBN 978-1-880684-37-5
Click here to read an excerpt
Available for purchase at Curbstone Press & Amazon.com.
Photograph of Ron Casanova,
from Each One Teach One
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Call for Submissions for POWER's Arts & Culture Page
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A special note about this page:
P.O.W.E.R.'s Ars & Culture page is a space for us to display various examples of arts & culture by artists, musicians, performers, and cultural workers whose work is for and/or about ending poverty and economic justice, including artiststs/cultural workers whom are also struggling to obtain their economic rights. You don't have to be a POWER member to have your artwork displayed on this page (though please feel free to join!). All that matters is that your work is about or related to ending poverty. More about submitting artwork...
Please note that POWER's Arts & Culture Page displays work by various artists & cultural producers, including works created by POWER, POWER members, other members of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, other members/schools the University of the Poor, and/or works by unaffiliated artists/producers whose work we feel addresses our issues and help in building a movement to end poverty. We've done our best to properly give credit to each artist. Please alert us in the event you notice any errors or ommissions so that we can correct them.
Also, we ask that you please be patient with us = we're all hard-working volunteers struggling the best we can (most of us are low-income ourselves) and we're still learning how to make this technology work, working with (often buggy) second hand equipment.
Thank you for visiting POWER's Arts & Culture Page!
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Music
& Song
Healthcare Justice - by Colette Washington
Listen [MP3 file - 4.17 MB]
Rich Man's House
Listen | Lyrics
All of Our Rights Now!
Listen | Lyrics
Up & Our of Poverty Now!
Listen | Lyrics
Song Lyrics
Lyrics to Richman's House
This song came out of the 1998 New Freedom Bus Tour organized
by Kensington Welfare Rights Union - founding member of the
Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign. The song was
inspired by the song "The Enemies Camp" which freedom riders
learned and sang while visiting a church in Durham, NC.
Healthcare Justice - by Colette Washington
Listen [MP3 file - 4.17 MB]
"About Time For 89"
By Colette Washington - for more information please visit www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org
The California Nurses Association Presents: "About Time for 89" - The First Ever Rap Song and Music Video About a Proposition! Written and Performed By: Colette Washington. Available now at www.YesOn89.org. Videography by Kaptur Films and editing by James Johnson at JJ Post. Visit the California Nurses Association YouTube channel!
By Colette Washington - for more information please visit www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org
The California Nurses Association Presents: "About Time for 89" - The First Ever Rap Song and Music Video About a Proposition! Written and Performed By: Colette Washington. Available now at www.YesOn89.org. Videography by Kaptur Films and editing by James Johnson at JJ Post. Visit the California Nurses Association YouTube channel!
Rich Man's House
Listen | Lyrics
All of Our Rights Now!
Listen | Lyrics
Up & Our of Poverty Now!
Listen | Lyrics
Song Lyrics
Lyrics to Richman's House
This song came out of the 1998 New Freedom Bus Tour organized
by Kensington Welfare Rights Union - founding member of the
Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign. The song was
inspired by the song "The Enemies Camp" which freedom riders
learned and sang while visiting a church in Durham, NC.
Well
I went down to
the rich man's house*, and I
Took back what he stole from me -
Took back my dignity
Took back my humanity
(Repeat)
And now it's under my feet
Under my feet
Under my feet
Under my feet!
Ain't no system gonna walk all over me!
*For the following verses, replace "rich man's house" with: "president's house,"
"governor's house," "mayor's house," "welfare office," etc.
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Took back what he stole from me -
Took back my dignity
Took back my humanity
(Repeat)
And now it's under my feet
Under my feet
Under my feet
Under my feet!
Ain't no system gonna walk all over me!
*For the following verses, replace "rich man's house" with: "president's house,"
"governor's house," "mayor's house," "welfare office," etc.
( TOP )
Lyrics to All of Our Rights Now!
By Margie Wilkes & Kensington Welfare Rights Union.
This song was written just before KWRU's 1998 New Freedom Bus Tour
left Philadelphia; it expresses some of the mission of the freedom bus.
What do we all need?
All of our rights now!
Keeping us all where?
Off of the street!
What do we all need?
All of our rights now!
We stand united -
We'll not be moved.
Right now -
We won't back down, no.
Right now -
We'll not be moved
Right now -
We've staked our claim, now.
Right now -
We've mapped out our route.
( TOP )
Lyrics to Up & Out of Poverty Now!
This song came out of the struggles of the Union of the Homeless
in the late 1980's and early 1990's
So long, they've kept their feet on our necks
So long, they've been walking on our backs
We must overcome, and stand tall as one
(CHORUS)
We're going to move up and out of poverty now
That is what we're fighting for
We're going to move up and out of poverty now
That is what we're living for.
So long they've kept us far apart
For too long, they've told us its all our fault
We must overcome and stand tall as one...
(CHORUS)
So strong, we have begun to unite
So strong, we've built our army to fight
With help from above, God's giving us love...
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)
Paintings & Drawings
untitled drawing #1 untitled drawing #2
by jesse vear by jesse vear
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| Featured Artist: Ron Casanova |
|
For our very
first
featured artist on our new Arts &
Culture page, we are pleased to be able to share with you the work
of our dear friend & fellow freedom fighter Ron Casanova. Among
his
many, many accomplishments, Ron is a brilliant artist, a published
author, a veteran in the struggle to end poverty, a founder of the
New York City-based organization Artists For A Better
America, & a core leader in the School of Arts &
Culture of the University
of the Poor, the educational arm of the Poor People's
Economic Human Rights Campaign. We are most honored to have
the privilege of
displaying his work. To see Ron's paintings, please click on the link Paintings
by Ron Casanova!and
scroll down to see the virtual picture gallery. Once there,
click
on any image to see a larger version of that
same image. [pictured above left: Still Praising God,
by Ron Casanova]
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Photography
MORE COMING SOON!!!
| POWER'S PICTURES
PAGE |
|
">LD 1538 Hearing
May 2007
|
|
Living Wage
Demonstration Aug 2006
|
|
National Truth Commission
Jul 2006
|
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Writing & Literature
MORE COMING SOON!!!
Up and Out of Poverty,
Memoirs of a Street Activist
By Ron Casanova
Edited by Stephen Blackburn;
published by Curbstone Press;
October 1, 1996; 250 pages;
ISBN 978-1-880684-37-5
Click here to read an excerpt
Available for purchase at Curbstone Press & Amazon.com.
FROM THE BACK COVER:
Each One Teach One chronicles Ron Casanova's struggle out of poverty, homelessness, and drug addiction to find dignity and purpose in his life. Through his own dramatic awakening, this Black, Puerto Rican activist ultimately finds his answer in helping other people.
Born into a dysfunctional family and placed into an orphanage on Staten Island at an early age, Casanova faced overwhelming odds. His story illuminates some of the major events of our time, including the "police riot" at Tompkins Square Park, the "Housing Now" march of the homeless on Washington, and community takeovers of housing in Kansas City, New York, and Philadelphia.
Underlying Each One Teach One, with its vivid cast of characters and intimate descriptions of Harlem and other urban areas, is the profound sense that no matter what your circumstance, you can use your past experience to help others. Ultimately, Casanova's story is a message of hope for the future and for the possibility of self-sufficiency and self-empowerment for each individual.
As Casanova writes: "Each One Teach One will reveal to others that once you are fully awake, you can appreciate the beauty of life and its rewards. But this will only happen when you make up your mind that poverty in all of its forms is not the way anyone should live, that you have to understand the need to fight to save your life and the lives of others - to get Up and Out of Poverty Now!"
Ron Casanova has served as Vice President of the National Union of the Homeless, Editor of the Union of the Homeless National News, and former director of the Kansas City Union of the Homeless. He has worked as a house manager for Dignity Housing, an organizer of special events for the Employment Project in Philadelphia, an AIDS counselor, and as a drugs couselor for juvenile offenders. He currently lives in New York City.
Each One Teach One chronicles Ron Casanova's struggle out of poverty, homelessness, and drug addiction to find dignity and purpose in his life. Through his own dramatic awakening, this Black, Puerto Rican activist ultimately finds his answer in helping other people.
Born into a dysfunctional family and placed into an orphanage on Staten Island at an early age, Casanova faced overwhelming odds. His story illuminates some of the major events of our time, including the "police riot" at Tompkins Square Park, the "Housing Now" march of the homeless on Washington, and community takeovers of housing in Kansas City, New York, and Philadelphia.
Underlying Each One Teach One, with its vivid cast of characters and intimate descriptions of Harlem and other urban areas, is the profound sense that no matter what your circumstance, you can use your past experience to help others. Ultimately, Casanova's story is a message of hope for the future and for the possibility of self-sufficiency and self-empowerment for each individual.
As Casanova writes: "Each One Teach One will reveal to others that once you are fully awake, you can appreciate the beauty of life and its rewards. But this will only happen when you make up your mind that poverty in all of its forms is not the way anyone should live, that you have to understand the need to fight to save your life and the lives of others - to get Up and Out of Poverty Now!"
Ron Casanova has served as Vice President of the National Union of the Homeless, Editor of the Union of the Homeless National News, and former director of the Kansas City Union of the Homeless. He has worked as a house manager for Dignity Housing, an organizer of special events for the Employment Project in Philadelphia, an AIDS counselor, and as a drugs couselor for juvenile offenders. He currently lives in New York City.
from Each One Teach One
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Call for Submissions for POWER's Arts & Culture Page
Calling
all artists & cultural workers who care about ending poverty!
Are you an artist/cultural worker whose work addresses issues of poverty &/or economic injustice &/or oppression? Do you use your creativity to speak out about these important issues? Do you have ideas about using arts & culture in building a movement to end poverty? Are you as an artist/cultural worker struggling with your own issues of poverty and/or economic injustice, like access to affordable healthcare and/or housing, etc?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, we want to hear from YOU!
Are you an artist/cultural worker whose work addresses issues of poverty &/or economic injustice &/or oppression? Do you use your creativity to speak out about these important issues? Do you have ideas about using arts & culture in building a movement to end poverty? Are you as an artist/cultural worker struggling with your own issues of poverty and/or economic injustice, like access to affordable healthcare and/or housing, etc?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, we want to hear from YOU!
- PLEASE CONTACT US & LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE WORK YOU'D LIKE TO SUBMIT FOR OUR ARTS & CULTURE PAGE.
- Please also contact us if you're interested in joining POWER &/or helping POWER incorporate arts & culture into our efforts to build a local movement to end poverty.
Maybe you're a
poet, a singer, a photographer, a dancer, a painter, a rapper, a
play-write, a sculptor, a print-maker, a composer, a puppeteer, a
story-teller, a performer, a guitarist, a novelist, a designer, a
potter, or someone who likes to sew or knit or draw - or
whether you're another kind of cultural creator. If
you and the cultural work you do are inspired by the idea that
poverty and economic injustice can and must be ended - we would be
honored to display your work!!
By the way - you don't have to be a POWER member to have your artwork displayed on this page (though please feel free to join!). All that matters is that your work is about or related to ending poverty. So what are you waiting for = contact us today!
By the way - you don't have to be a POWER member to have your artwork displayed on this page (though please feel free to join!). All that matters is that your work is about or related to ending poverty. So what are you waiting for = contact us today!
( TOP )
A special note about this page:
P.O.W.E.R.'s Ars & Culture page is a space for us to display various examples of arts & culture by artists, musicians, performers, and cultural workers whose work is for and/or about ending poverty and economic justice, including artiststs/cultural workers whom are also struggling to obtain their economic rights. You don't have to be a POWER member to have your artwork displayed on this page (though please feel free to join!). All that matters is that your work is about or related to ending poverty. More about submitting artwork...
Please note that POWER's Arts & Culture Page displays work by various artists & cultural producers, including works created by POWER, POWER members, other members of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, other members/schools the University of the Poor, and/or works by unaffiliated artists/producers whose work we feel addresses our issues and help in building a movement to end poverty. We've done our best to properly give credit to each artist. Please alert us in the event you notice any errors or ommissions so that we can correct them.
Also, we ask that you please be patient with us = we're all hard-working volunteers struggling the best we can (most of us are low-income ourselves) and we're still learning how to make this technology work, working with (often buggy) second hand equipment.
Thank you for visiting POWER's Arts & Culture Page!
( TOP )
Portland Organizing to Win Economic Rights = POWER!
Contact POWER
Winning our economic human rights;
Putting poverty on trial;
Building a Maine that truly is the way life should be - for ALL of us!!!
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