Obama unveils urban agenda.
Speech excerpts.

WASHINGTON–In a low-income community here, White House hopeful Barack Obama (D-Ill.) unveils his plan to combat urban poverty.
Obama Speech Excerpts: “Changing the Odds for Urban America”

WASHINGTON, DC – WASHINGTON, DC –Senator Barack Obama will deliver a speech outlining his agenda to combat urban poverty today at the Town Hall Education Arts & Recreation Center (THEARC) in Washington, DC.

…The philosophy behind the project is simple – if poverty is a disease that infects an entire community in the form of unemployment and violence; failing schools and broken homes, then we can’t just treat those symptoms in isolation. We have to heal that entire community. And we have to focus on what actually works.

You don’t just sign up for this program, you’re actively recruited for it, because the idea is that if everyone is involved, and no one slips through the cracks, then you really can change an entire community. Geoffrey Canada, the program’s inspirational, innovative founder, put it best – instead of helping some kids beat the odds, the Harlem Children’s Zone is actually changing the odds altogether.

And it’s working. Parents in Harlem are actually reading more to their children. Their kids are staying in school and passing statewide tests at higher rates than other children in New York City. They’re going to college in a place where it was once unheard of. They’ve even placed third at a national chess championship.

Source: Chicago Sun Times Blog by Lynn Sweet

This is not the first time that a major politician is using chess to stress their plans and vision. This is why we MUST continue to promote chess positively and show the world all the incredible benefits of chess!

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