June 13 - June 26, 2002 SPARE CHANGE NEWS

Mother's March for Survival and Justice
(click here for a printable version)

by Kevin Cox

In a spirited display of solidarity low-income mothers, activists, and labor leaders took part in the 9th annual Mother’s March for Survival and Justice on May 13. This year’s march and rally focused on the impact of reduced funding for social safety-net programs. Denouncing social spending cuts at the State and Federal level, the group rallied at the John F. Kennedy Federal building at Government Center and marched to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) on Washington Street.

At the JFK Federal building, City Councilor Chuck Turner urged the crowd to "Stand together and show that human rights are more important than " property rights.. We have to appreciate that families are the foundation of our future." The invaluable role of mothers in society and the devastating impact of welfare reform were emphasized in speeches by women from the Low Income Welfare Organizing Collaborative (LIWOC), and the Welfare Education and Training Access Coalition (WETAC).

Sharon Tetrault of WETAC, dubbed "the mother of the mother’s marches," said, "There are a lot of people out there who are angry. They’re not quite making it and they don’t understand why, so they blame themselves...but when they see things like this action happening, it gives them a sense of empowerment and they get involved."

Earlier, Tetrault remarked that welfare reform has blocked the pathway -a college education-

through which she escaped the welfare system. This, she said, is a pathway no longer readily available to welfare mothers. "They are put into half-assed training programs that don’t help them get a living wage," she said.

"What is the future for my kids?" asked Lucia Santana of LIWOC, who spoke to the crowd about her own experiences as a mother struggling to provide for a household of seven people on a meager stipend.

Speakers from the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 59 emphasized the common struggle between labor and welfare recipients. Massachusetts AFL-CIO president Robert Haynes told the crowd, "There is a certain class of people in the political arena at the Federal level and the State level who think there is something wrong with you because you’re on welfare, that you did something wrong. That’s the message that we have to dispel ... Like everyone else, we

want to take care of our families. We need affordable housing. We need healthcare. We need education and training to get good jobs. We need jobs that pay decent wages, living wages."

Meizhu Lui, executive director of United for a Fair Economy, spoke of the devastating economic impact of the NAFTA and GAT trade agreements. The Government, she said, uses women, people of color, and immigrants as scapegoats for the economic fallout from these agreements.

Standing in a cold, driving rain, the crowd responded enthusiastically to each speaker. Mothers attending the rally were eager to speak out. "Welfare reform is a failure," said one. "The welfare system for years has been doing harm to low-income women and children, the ones it’s supposed to be helping...This is about honoring the work of mothers. Policies like welfare reform disrespect and harm people, and have pushed a lot of people into despair." Another participant voiced her determination, saying, "You Just can’t stay home in your comfortable house when people are hurting. ..It’s almost sinful to turn your back on people that need you."

After speeches, songs from The Raging Grannies, and political theatre by Class Acts, the marchers left the JFK building and set out for 600 Washington Street. "What do we want? A safety net! When do we want it? Now!" was one of several slogans chanted as the march proceeded towards the offices of the DTA.

Soaking wet, but spirits unhampered,

the marchers huddled outside of 600 Washington Street. In a rousing speech, Ken Ramsay, president of the DTA chapter of SEIU Local 509, lambasted the State Government for its lack of compassion for low-income citizens. "Don’t call this a Commonwealth," he said. "A Commonwealth would care for all of its citizens." Ramsay emphasized the common struggle between labor and low-income people.

Grace Ross of Sisters Together Ending Poverty (STEP) commented, "We’re all in this together. We are certainly not in a position to fight with each other over the crumbs from the table. It’s time for us to say "This is our table and no one should have to do without in the richest country in the world."

After addressing the rally as "The Welfare Queen," performance artist and former welfare mother Linda Carney-Goodrich added, "Working people and middle-class people really, really need to see how their lives are connected to people in poverty and homeless people...If there’s no safety net for us, there’s no safety net for them."

Organizers cited the dismal weather for the slightly disappointing turnout of approximately 125, but were pleased with what was accomplished. "This event was initiated and organized by low-income women of color. It was their vision, creativity, and determination to inspire other women to take responsibility for their own lives; to come out and speak out. We are training, young women to do this," said Laurie Taymor-Berry of LIWOC.

---