Conference Schedule

Thursday, March 17-Saturday, March 19 • 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 20 • 1:30 p.m.
Production of Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America
Centenary Methodist Church
Public welcome

Kick-off: Production of Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich and adapted for the stage by Joan Holden (2002).  Directed by Sydney Chalfa. Each showing will include a post-production discussion with director, actors, and facilitators.   

$3 for students and $5 for the public
All tickets will be sold at the door.
Proceeds will be donated to The Rainbow Center and the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Monday, March 21 • 6 p.m.
The Faces of Homelessness
Medical School Auditorium
Public welcome

The Faces of Homelessness speakers from the Macon area will share their personal struggles with homelessness and poverty followed by a brief question and answer session. This event is being held in conjunction with the National Coalition for the Homeless.   
Sponsored by QuadWorks and LEAP 

Tuesday, March 22 • Two sessions: 3-6 p.m. and  7-10 p.m.
Survivor: Poverty-- It’s Not a Game (poverty simulations and role play)
University Center Arena
Participation limited to students already registered

This exercise allows students to experience the “felt reality” of poverty. Students receive a fictional family identity and budget to work from. After putting together a workable budget for their family’s circumstances, they then receive “Life Happens” cards that present them with common situations such as unexpected (unbudgeted) medical expenses, car expenses, a raise in rent, etc. Students then must try to access assistance through mock social service agencies set up around the gym floor.  The simulation will be led by a professional facilitator.

Tuesday, March 22
Service and Volunteerism Fair
Heritage Hall, University Center

Sign-Up for volunteer opportunities and Saturday Service Day: 

• Rebuilding Together
• Habitat for Humanity
• Façade Squad  
• Coalition Against Homelessness  
• Boys and Girl’s Club  
• Big Brothers Big Sisters

Wednesday, March 23 • 10 a.m.
University Worship with Jason Alfonse Fileta
“Loose the Chains of Injustice: Extreme Poverty Must End.”
Newton Chapel
Public welcome

Fileta is the executive director of the Micah Institute at New York Theological Seminary. For more on Fileta, or other conference presenters, visit the conference presenters page, http://leap.mercer.edu/leap-conference/presenters/.

Wednesday, March 23 • 7 p.m.
Conference Keynotes
The Rev. Adam Phillips, "Speak Out: It's time for the church to open its big mouth"
Dr. David P. Gushee, "Poverty and the Politics of Religion"
Willingham Auditorium
Public Welcome

Phillips is the Church Outreach Director of the ONE Campaign in North America. Dr. Gushee is Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and director of Mercer's Center for Theology and Public Life. For more on Dr. Gushee, Phillips, or other conference presenters, visit the conference presenters page, http://leap.mercer.edu/leap-conference/presenters/.

Thursday, March 24 • 7 p.m.
“What can we all do to make progress against poverty in Macon?”
Presidents Dining Room, University Center
Public welcome

A panel discussion with local and regional experts on “What can we all do to make progress against poverty in Macon?”

• Education and Poverty - Julie Moore, Executive Director, Education First

• Economic Development - Keith Moffet, Mayor’s Office, City of Macon
• Incarceration and Re-Entry - Captain Thomas York, Inmate Support, Clarke County  
• Overcoming the rural South's legacy of poverty - Veronica Womack, associate professor of political science at Georgia College and State University who studies rural Black Belt America.
• Moderator - Amy Morton, marriage and family counselor
  

Friday, March 25 • 6 p.m.- Midnight
Soup kitchen dinner and shanty on the quad. 

In case of rain event will be in Willingham Auditorium            
After Dark: Viewing of Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days episode on living a month on minimum wage. 

Saturday, March 26 • 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
Conference Service Day 

Service activities focusing on poverty alleviation and urban revitalization. For a full schedule of service times and sites, visit the service days page http://leap.mercer.edu/hours-of-service/upcoming/.

Students meet at Connell Student Center breezeway for transportation to service sites. Sack lunches will be provided. Upon return to campus, Service Day t-shirts will be available in the Connell breezeway.

Monday, March 28 • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Florida Modern-Day Mobile Slavery Museum
Porter Patch in front of Stetson School of Business
Public welcome

“There is real slavery in the fields of Florida. This is not about lousy jobs, but violent control, vicious exploitation, and the potential for serious harm and even death. It is an ugly problem and we cannot solve problems we do not understand. [This] new traveling museum helps all of us learn what we need to know in order to bring this crime to an end. This is a living museum…not a dry and academic collection of dusty artifacts. " Dr. Kevin Bales, President, Free the Slaves and emeritus professor, Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation at the University of Hull