Friday Media Briefing Will Examine Racial Bias in Welfare System; Experts to Gather in DC to Discuss Plight, Propose Remedies

6/5/2003

From: Lynsey Kluever or Tracy Zimmerman, 202-518-8047

News Advisory:

As the Senate Finance Committee soon begins considering welfare bills, a longstanding debate will receive renewed attention. While work hour requirements, childcare funding, education, and job training are vital issues, another story is waiting to be told-the prevalence of racial bias in the welfare system. Join experts for an inside look at this problem at a small, media-only briefing this Friday, June 6.

Research confirms what many minorities in the welfare system already know-if you are a person of color you are likely to be living under a more punitive system and more likely to be denied access to job training and other skills development programs. The briefing will examine how bias and discrimination influence caseworkers and employers' treatment of minority TANF participants. Speakers will also discuss a variety of legislative remedies.

WHAT: Media Briefing on Racial Bias in the Welfare System, sponsored by the National Partnership for Women & Families

WHEN: Friday, June 6 from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Russell 188

WHO: Speakers will include:

-- Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

-- Maya Rockeymoore and Kenya Cox, National Urban League

-- Sean Thomas-Breitfeld, policy analyst, National Council of La Raza

-- Bo Thao, executive director of Hmong National Development, Inc.

The editors of Race and the Politics of Welfare Reform, Sanford Schram, Professor of Social Work at Bryn Mawr College, and Richard Fording, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kentucky, will discuss and hand out copies of their new book.

RSVP: Lynsey Kluever, Lynsey@publicinterestpr.com or 202-518-8047