As the Living Wage Coalition expanded its outreach, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors announced plans to restrict eligibility to, and cut benefits for, its General Relief (or “welfare”) program in accordance with the passage of the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act (better known as “welfare reform”) of 1996. Coalition members, including CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice), the Community Coalition, the Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness, and ACORN (the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), quickly mobilized to prevent cuts in services that would impact thousands of county residents. In early 1997, they organized a community meeting in which individuals gave testimony and called on Los Angeles County administrators to adopt policies that would protect, rather than restrict, access to social services for those in need. Hundreds of people joined a “Hold the Line Caravan” rally organized by the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness in 1997 outside of the meeting to show their support.
Pictured here is Rev. James Lawson Jr. speaking at the “Hold the Line Caravan” rally on behalf of CLUE, as photographed by CLUE’s interfaith organizer Linda A. Lotz. The photograph was featured in an exhibition called “Faith at Work,” which was shown at several congregations and community spaces in Southern California before Lotz left Los Angeles to join the staff of the American Friends Service Committee International Programs in 1999.
Josh Meyer, “County May Slash General Relief: Welfare: Supervisors will vote next week on restricting eligibility and limiting benefits to four months for able-bodied, officials say,” Los Angeles Times May 17, 1997 https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/county-may-slash-general-relief/docview/2110418912/se-2?accountid=14512
View more photos from the Living Wage Campaign: https://www.flickr.com/photos/uclairle/albums/72177720320809410/
View more photos from the Linda A. Lotz Photo Collection: https://www.flickr.com/photos/uclairle/albums/72177720320845755/