Washington, D.C. — Today, the Center for American Progress Action Fund announced that Greg Kaufmann will join the organization as a Senior Fellow with the Half in Ten campaign, a partnership of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the Coalition on Human Needs. In this role, Kaufmann will help Half in Ten build the political and public will to cut the U.S. poverty rate in half in 10 years. He will work with CAP Action’s policy and Communications teams to combine long-term strategic thinking with rapid-response communications to strengthen the safety net, expand economic opportunity, and create pathways to the middle class. Kaufmann will also launch the #TalkPoverty Blog, which will feature stories from low-income families, service providers, and other community members that explain the real impact of our public policies and provide information on policies, research, and grassroots actions across the country building momentum toward our goal of cutting poverty in half.
”Greg works on the cutting edge of journalism and activism, and we’re thrilled that he can bring his unique talents and voice to our efforts to cut poverty in half. In launching the #TalkPoverty Blog, Greg will be building a platform that we hope can be a hub for scholars, activists, policymakers, and media interested in the growing movement to create greater economic opportunity for all,” said Melissa Boteach, Director of Half in Ten and American Progress’ Poverty and Prosperity Program.
Before joining American Progress, Kaufmann was the poverty correspondent for The Nation. MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry called him “one of the most consistent voices on poverty in America.” Through his weekly column, “This Week in Poverty,” Greg sought to increase media coverage of poverty, share new research, elevate the voices of people living in poverty, and offer readers opportunities to get involved with organizations working to eradicate poverty. BillMoyers.com syndicated the column, and it won a 2012 Media Award from the National Association of Social Workers and the 2013 Cameron Duncan Media Award from RESULTS.
Greg has spoken at numerous poverty-related conferences and has been a guest on MSNBC, PBS, NPR, and radio talk shows across the United States. His work has also been featured on “Moyers & Company,” “TAVIS SMILEY,” CBSNews.com, NPR.org, WashingtonPost.com, and BusinessInsider.com. Greg serves as an advisor to the Economic Hardship Reporting Project and on the board of Mary House in Washington, D.C. Prior to his work as a reporter, his favorite job was as education director for the Westside Boys and Girls Club in Columbus, Ohio.
Greg graduated from Dickinson College and studied creative writing at Miami University in Ohio. He lives in his hometown of Washington, D.C., with his wife, son, and two daughters.
To speak with Greg Kaufmann, please contact Katie Peters at [email protected].
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The Half in Ten campaign is a project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the Coalition on Human Needs, and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. It is dedicated to building the political and public will to cut the U.S. poverty rate in half in 10 years.