Raleigh march for jobs Friday

"Date:Friday, January 15, 2010
Time:3:00pm - 6:00pm
Location:"Walnut Terrace Community Center (opening rally) then march to City Hall"
Street:111 West Lee Street
City/Town:Raleigh, NC

The Peoples' Empowerment Movement is organizing a MARCH FOR JOBS on Dr. MLK's birthday. At this march, we are fighting for a real jobs program and real solutions to the problems which plague our communities. We are demanding that the Federal government provide funding for a public jobs program which provides jobs for all at a living wage, benefits, and training for our futures. The challenges facing single mothers, including but not limited to: unemployment, lack of affordable childcare, and lack of transportation must be addressed.

Our communities are also being constantly harassed by police and our people are incarcerated en masse. Nearly a whole generation is locked up. As the banks are getting bailed out and billions of dollars are going to corporations and wars, we are struggling to meet even our most basic needs. 10.7% of the North Carolina population is "officially" unemployed, and over 15% of African Americans are "officially" unemployed. However, these numbers only account for those who are actively searching for jobs, and do not take into account those who are not actively seeking for jobs or are underemployed. The real unemployment rate is about 30% and the real unemployment rate for people of color is much higher. The unemployment rate for urban youth of color is as high as above 50%!

In order to address these issues and other issues of racism and injustice in our community, we must unify and fight back. We are also calling a march for jobs on Friday, January 15, 2009, the Friday before Martin Luther King Day. Join Us! The March will start with a rally at the Walnut Terrace community center at 3pm.

Then we will march to Raleigh City Hall (corner of Dawson St and Hargett, downtown) around 4:30pm, or so. We then hope to deliver resumes from youth from all over Raleigh who are demanding jobs, as a symbolic act. Join us and bring your resumes too! We NEED and are READY for jobs! The government is the only roadblock!

We will then march to the state office that oversees the Federal stimulus money, the Office of Economic Recovery and Investment at 221 East Lane Street.

Sponsors include:
Peoples' Empowerment Movement
Raleigh F.I.S.T.
Workforce Empowerment Alliance Community Team (W.E.A.C.T.)
Black Workers for Justice youth
Raleigh City Workers Union, UE150
Black Workers for Justice, Raleigh chapter
Fruit of Labor singing ensemble

For more information or to endorse call 919-701-9871"