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The Poor People's Campaign Is Marching On Washington — Virtually

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This weekend, thousands of people are coming together online for what's being called a digital justice gathering organized by the Poor People's Campaign. It's an effort co-chaired by the reverend Elizabeth Theoharis and the Reverend William Barber II. It's designed to lift up the voices of poor and low-income Americans and to rally the nation to address the root causes of the poverty, discrimination and police brutality that affects millions of people in this country.

Here are some of the voices heard during the event's first online session earlier today, starting with Maria Meneses from Arkansas.

MARIA MENESES: Ever since the president initiated the zero-tolerance policy in order to separate children from their parents at the border, life has continued to only become more difficult for immigrant families.

NAKIYA WAKES: Hi. My name is Nakiya Wakes (ph). I live in Flint, Mich. It has been over six years, and we are still fighting for clean water here in Flint, Mich. The lead exposure impacted my family tremendously. I lost two sets of twins due to drinking the contaminated water, and my daughter also miscarried.

ANU YADEV: My name is Anu Yadev (ph). I am the daughter of Indian Hindu immigrants to this country, and this movement is for my father, who struggled with steady work, who blamed himself for not having enough for his family and who killed himself when I was 10.

WILLIAM BARBER II: It's time to mobilize. It's time. We are living in time for this time. It's time.

MARTIN: Some of the voices from today's session of the Poor People's Campaign Digital Justice Gathering, ending with the Reverend William Barber II. He co-chairs the campaign, along with the Reverend Elizabeth Theoharis, and we will hear from both of them tomorrow on this program. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.