Boston Democratic Socialists of America Forum Rose-in-fist logo

Welfare, Children and Families: The Impact of Welfare Reform

Event Scrapbook

Five years ago, Congress and President Clinton with much fanfare ended welfare as we knew it.  Unfortunately, and despite a boom economy, poverty as we knew it is still with us.  DSA'S October 30, 2001 Forum took a hard look at the reality behind welfare reform in light of Congress' upcoming requirement to reauthorize the 1996 legislation.

William Julius Wilson - 9159 Bytes Professor William Julius Wilson, one of the nation's foremost scholars on urban poverty, challenged the idea that welfare reform has been "successful" in solving the problem of poverty.

Dottie Stevens - 18703 Bytes Activist Dottie Stevens of Survival News called for expanding the safety net.


Bob Haynes - 15217 Bytes Labor leader Bobby Haynes recalled how welfare had made a difference in his own life, and pointed out that no-one is "self-sufficient", because we all depend on each other.

The Panel - 28839 Bytes

The panel (from left to right):  Heather Higginbottom (legislative assistant to Sen. John Kerry), William Julius Wilson (Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor, and Director of the Joblessness and Urban Poverty Research Program at Harvard University), Dottie Stevens (low-income activist and Communications Coordinator of Survival News), moderator (and Boston DSA Chair) Jack Clark, and Robert J. Haynes (President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO).

Event Sponsors:
Democratic Socialists of America, Northeastern University Center for Urban and Regional Policy, Survival News, Boston Workforce Development Coalition, Massachusetts Neighbor to Neighbor, Low-Income Welfare Organizing Collective (LIWOC)

For more information on Welfare reauthorization try these links...


Home Site Index Yankee Radical Links

Photos of Wilson, Haynes and Stevens copyright ©2001 Martin Voelker
Other material copyright ©2001 Democratic Socialists of America
P.O. Box 51356, Boston MA 02205
(617) 354-5078
webmaster: David Knuttunen webmaster@dsaboston.org
yankee radical editors: Mike Pattberg & David Keil yankeeradical@dsaboston.org