Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative has pushed local employers to raise wages. They developed a coalition to secure policy changes to ensure wages increase with the cost of living. Executive Director Aqua Porter talks about what else can be done.
Q. What factors most influenced the decline in Rochester poverty?
A. When Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative launched in 2015, we set out to do something that hadn’t been done before—break down silos and build real collaboration among organizations working to combat poverty. We focused on identifying the root causes and creating system-wide changes that give everyone in our community a seat at the table. Every decision we’ve made has been grounded in our core principles: centering racial equity, addressing trauma and revitalizing neighborhoods.
Other significant wins include the Clean Slate Act, which seals certain criminal records after several years, giving more New Yorkers the opportunity to fully participate in their communities and build a better future.
Q. What can locals do to further this decline? What are concrete examples of how people can help? Is there someone in the community you can point to as an example?
A. Last year, RMAPI brought Pulitzer Prize-winning author and poverty expert Matthew Desmond to Rochester to talk about his book "Poverty, by America." He challenges people to become “Poverty Abolitionists”—to shift their mindset and take real action to dismantle the systems that keep poverty in place.
We’ve also launched our Civic Influencer program, designed to give community members the tools and support they need to engage in civic conversations and advocate for equitable solutions.