“Deep Poverty: Opening Session and Keynote” A special main stage session at the American Psychological Association’s 2019 meeting With more than 18.5 million people affected in the United States, deep poverty – subsisting on an annual income of $12,000 or less for a family of four – is a condition that is often characterized by challenges such as addiction, homelessness, disability and chronic illness. For many, it persists generation after generation. Psychology can help lift people out of this cycle.

WHO:

Rosie Phillips Davis, PhD, is APA president and professor of counseling psychology at the University of Memphis. Changing public perceptions of deep poverty and examining psychology’s role in ending it are key initiatives of her presidential year. As the fifth of 12 children born to sharecroppers in Mississippi, she will share her personal experience of growing up in deep poverty. Davis is a founding board member of the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis, an organization that helps women break the cycle of poverty through philanthropy, leadership and collaboration.

Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, APA’s CEO and executive vice president, is the former commissioner of Behavioral Health and disAbility Services for the city of Philadelphia. In that post, Evans addressed health care disparities, including deep poverty, and significantly improved community engagement. He will talk about how APA is transforming as an organization to have more impact on critical issues such as deep poverty.

Wes Moore, a New York Times bestselling author, decorated Army combat veteran and CEO of Robin Hood, one of the largest anti-poverty forces in the nation, will discuss how organizations like his are supporting the underserved. Moore has dedicated his career to advocating for some of the nation’s most vulnerable people. Moore overcame challenges in his early life – living on what he calls the precipice of poverty in Baltimore and the Bronx – and turned the lessons learned from those obstacles into a life of inspiration for others. Today, he is dedicated to advancing the fight against poverty and championing sustainable solutions to ensure pathways out of poverty are available to everyone. 

WHEN:

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Thursday, Aug. 8, 5:00-6:30 p.m. CDT

WHERE:

Skyline Ballroom, Room W375abc, Level Three-West Building, McCormick Place Convention Center, 2301 S. King Drive, Chicago.

The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA's membership includes nearly 118,400 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.

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