We bring you now the fourth and final in a series of community conversations on poverty sponsored by the Quality Community Council and the University of the Poor. This conversation from February 1 centers around education, and how a poor education or no education can factor into someone’s likelihood to fall into poverty.

The session is introduced by U.Va religious studies professor Corey Walker and speakers include: Deidre Gilmore, Chair of the Public Housing Association of Residents; Professor Robert Q. Berry from the Curry School of Education; Kendra Hamilton of Charlottesville City Council & Black Issues in Higher Education; Emily Dreyfus of Legal Aid’s JustChildren; William Harvey, U.Va’s vice president for diversity and equality; Kenneth Jackson, QCC Volunteer. Janet Legro, Youth Minister of St Paul’s Memorial, served as moderator.

Thanks to CPN Volunteer Sean McCord for recording this event.

Should the Virginia Railway Express be extended from Northern Virginia to as far south as Charlottesville? This could be one of the most important transportation questions to be discuss over the next few years, as more and more developments come to Charlottesville and Albemarle County. An overview of the project, which is still just an idea at this point, was given by former City Councilor Meredith Richards at the September meeting of Charlottesville Citizens for Better Rail Alternatives.

More than 100 local business and technology leaders gathered February 7 as the Virginia Piedmont Technology Council and the Thomas Jefferson Economic Development Partnership co-hosted “Toward a Common Vision: A Call to Action”, the third in a series of annual conversations about issues shaping our region’s economic development. This year, as for the past two years, the event was sponsored by Wachovia. The luncheon was held as part of the VPTC Speaker Series at the Omni Hotel. Former VPTC Chair Bryan Wright and partner in the law firm Williams Mullen served as moderator.

The speakers are: Dr. Catherine Renault, program manager for technology-based economic development with RTI Tech Ventures in Research Triangle Park; Jeff Anderson, executive director of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership; Robert De Mauri, executive director of TJPED.

Rundown of event:

00:00 – 01:23 – Opening comments from VPTC Director Gail Milligan
01:23 – 02:54 – Comments from Scheline Moore of Wachovia
02:54 – 09:53 – Comments from moderator Bryan Wright of Williams Mullen
09:53 – 12:13 – Bryan Wright introduces the speakers
12:13 – 32:53 – Catherine Renault of RTI International
32:53 – 35:38 – Introduction of Jeff Anderson by Bryan Wright
35:38 – 45:57 – Jeff Anderson of the VEDP
45:58 – 47:23 – Introduction of Robert De Mauri by Bryan Wright
47:23 – 58:40 – Robert De Mauri of TJPED
58:40 – 1:17:11 – Question and Answer session
1:17:11 – 1:18:02 – Closing comments from Gail Milligan

In the third of four conversations on the “The Persistence of Poverty”, a series of speakers address the poverty of underemployment. This event was held on January 31 at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church. Speakers include Meredith Richards, Jan Cornell of the U.Va Staff Union, Labor History Professor Claudrina Harold of the University of Virginia, Westhaven resident Theresa Arabie and Joe Szakos of the Virginia Organizing Project. The program is moderated by Neil Halvorson-Taylor of the Quality Community Council. Thanks to CPN Volunteer Sean McCord for recording this event.