Collection:LPB

Genre: Panel

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2015-11-18

Duration: 00:57:58

Subjects: Filmed panel discussions | Poverty

Contributors:

• Mann, Bob Host
• Gautreaux, Kevin Producer
• Connelly, Kelly Producer
• Davis, Belinda Interviewee
• Simmons, Janet Interviewee
• Ellsworth, Sharleane Interviewee
• Nichols, Randy Interviewee
• Krutz, Dan Speaker
• Gorman, Rob Speaker
• Terrance, Denise Speaker
• Acalda, Michael Speaker
• Brown, Reginald Speaker
• Bailey, Manny Speaker
• Draper, Alissa Speaker
• Rao, Samhita Speaker
• Wallace, Arnedia Speaker
• Williams, Ruth Speaker
• Brown, Reggie Speaker
• White, Perry Speaker
• Keegan, Joseph Speaker
• Dixon, Herbert Panelist
• Weisner, Carmen Panelist
• Goss, Darrin Panelist
• Moller, Jan Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana Public Square” from November 18, 2015, features Bob Mann leading a discussion between the audience members and panelists on poverty in Louisiana. A background report on the topic precedes the discussion. It includes interviews with: Belinda Davis, a political science professor at LSU; Janet Simmons, the executive director of HOPE Ministries; Sharleane Ellsworth, the food pantry coordinator for HOPE Ministries; and Randy Nichols of the Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless. The audience members then discuss the role of government in helping the poor. A panel of experts then joins the audience to answer their questions. The panelists are: Hebert Dixon, the outreach director for the Louisiana Workforce Commission; Carmen Weisner, the executive director of the Louisiana chapter of the National Association of Social Workers; Darrin Goss, the president and CEO of Capital Area United Way; and Jan Moller, the director of the Louisiana Budget Project. They discuss: their organization’s tactics for overcoming poverty; how individuals and businesses can help combat poverty; the need for a health care safety net; immediate assistance available to people in need; children living in poverty; the need for more prisoner rehabilitation in Louisiana; and the importance of partnerships and collaboration between government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector in order to combat poverty in Louisiana.