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Connections

Why is poverty still so entrenched in Rochester?

Five people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a man at left in the foreground is bald and is wearing a blue suit, white button-down shirt, and brown shoes; a man at right in the foreground has dark braids and a grey goatee and is wearing a black suit and blue button-down shirt; a woman at left in the background has dark hair and is wearing a red cardigan sweater and black and white striped shirt; a man at right in the background has short dark hair and a grey goatee and is wearing a light grey blazer and white button-down shirt; a man at far right has short dark hair and is wearing a grey button-down shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
Mari Tsuchiya
/
WXXI News
(foreground) Ajamu Kitwana, Jerome Underwood, (background) LeKeyah Wilson, and Chiwuike Owunwanne on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Monday, January 13, 2025
A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a blue button-down shirt and a grey blazer. He is holding a pair of eyeglasses. The word "Connections" appears on the left side of the photo in vertical letters.
WXXI News

"If we choose to be fearlessly honest, we know that the primary cause of poverty is simple: we choose it."

So says Jerome Underwood, president and CEO of Action for a Better Community. ABC was created sixty years ago as part of part of the "War on Poverty."

Today, Underwood is sharpening his critique — and asking why after six decades, poverty is so entrenched. Over forty percent of Rochester children live in poverty.

ABC is hosting its annual conference, and Underwood wants tough questions, paired with unflinching answers. Our guests discuss it:

*Notes:

  • To learn more about the Action for a Better Community Signature Conference and awards breakfast, click here.
  • Connections is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel.
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson" and is also the office administrator for radio, news and technology and operations. She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.