Poverty Scholars Vivian and Jasmine Hain protest with the California Hunger Action Coalition on the 10th Annual Hunger Action Day.
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by Vivian Hain May 8, 2007 was the 10th Annual Hunger Action Day at the State Capitol in Sacramento. Many advocates and low-income people from the California Hunger Action Coalition (C.H.A.C.) were in attendance to urge state legislators to support several state senate and assembly bills that would enable food security to many who need it in California. The event, consisting of mostly St. Anthony participants from throughout California, started out early with a morning rally at the Westminster Presbyterian Church. My twelve-year old daughter, Jasmine and I, both of us poverty scholars representing POOR Magazine, got the audience pumped up and energized, along with advocate Frank Tamborello and his group from L.A. singing their own rendition of ‘California Dreaming’ with the lyrics: We're black and white and brown We came from the Central Valley Had to stop into a church Gonna tell the Terminator Need breakfast for the kids Gonna tell the Terminator, The morning rally at the church ended with a procession of over 100 strong, banging big metal pots and carrying large signs demanding food security to the west steps of the State Capitol where another rally followed with awards given to two California state legislators for their work in helping to get food security to low-income families in the Central Valley during the recent crop freeze. After lunch, Jasmine and I led a group of low-income participants, like ourselves, from the Alameda County Community Food Bank and St. Mary's Center in Oakland to meet with Senator President Don Perata (D-Oakland) to discuss several legislative bills and seek his support on bills requiring more support for low and no income families, such as a bill requiring breakfast programs for low-income students in California schools (AB-92) and another bill that makes it easier for those on MediCal to apply and get food stamps in a simplified process (AB-433). In addition to many other bills eliminating current bans and requirements to receive food stamps. Currently, there are a multitude of obstacles that prevent many people in California from having food security. With the Schwarzenegger Administration continuing to target California's poor, it is imperative that these bills are supported by state legislators, especially when it concerns food stamps, which are a federally funded program. In addition, it is important that there is less USDA food in food bank bags each year, as this food has low nutritional value, especially for the elderly and children. Next we headed to Senator Perata's office, located on the second floor in the historical part of the State Capitol building, where amongst the fancy wood and marble architecture the voice and noises of visiting children moving about in groups could be heard. Upon opening the large, wooden double doors, I entered a lavish office adorned with large paintings, chandeliers and wooden furnishings. We were then lead into a conference room by one of Perata's aides. As we sat down around a big wooden table surrounded by plush burgundy velour chairs, Senator Perata entered the room, placing himself at the end of the table, and welcoming our group. I sat about three feet away from him, introducing our group as part of C.H.A.C. and telling him the reason we were there to see him. Each member of the group took on a bill issue and asked Senator Perata for his support on each bill. Senator Perata said that he supported all of the bills and said that Governor Schwarzenegger would probably not support most of them due to his inexperience and lack of knowledge about low-income issues in California. Jasmine advocated for AB-92, a bill sponsored by Republican Assembly member Bonnie Garcia that will require breakfast programs for low-income students in California schools. Senator Perata listened carefully as Jasmine articulated her own personal experience of being a houseless, hungry child with such eloquence that the Senator complimented her brilliance and asked when she was running for office. Jasmine also stated that: “A school breakfast program is brain food, which helps us students get better test scores.†Senator Perata listened intently and took notes, along with his Finance Director as several low-income people, including myself gave our personal testimonial to why these legislative bills should be supported. After our meeting ended, I felt a sense of hope. Then I remembered the grim forecast of Governor Schwarzenegger’s May Revision proposal with its draconian legislation that wants to permanently abolish cost of living adjustments for welfare and freeze them for the disabled and elderly, while paying back bond loans to Wall Street bankers a year in advance. Although it looks like the poor will most likely be targeted another year by this administration, we will continue to protest to get our voices heard on these issues facing all low and no income families. Vivian and Jasmine Hain have recently co-authored a book, My Life x 4, sharing their experience as a houseless family in America. For more information on this and other POOR Press publications, please call 415-8636306. |