National Conference on Poverty and Hunger
"Beyond Hunger: Real People, Real Solutions"
In order to reignite a national dialogue on hunger and poverty in America,
and to ensure that legislators are discussing it and reporting on what
they will do about it, the Center for Hunger-Free Communities and the
Dornsife School of Public Health hosted its first annual national
conference on hunger and poverty,
Beyond Hunger: Real People, Real Solutions, in May 2012. Conference participants consisted of researchers,
anti-hunger advocates, government representatives, government officials,
public health experts, philanthropists, members of the media, and most
importantly, those who had experienced hunger and poverty first-hand.
The conference brought together 350 attendees including media reporters,
academics, advocates, researchers, international leaders, and government
officials with the true experts those individuals who know hunger and
poverty first-hand.
Conference Overview
Video overview of the Beyond Hunger Conference held in Philadelphia in
May 2012
Keynote Speakers
Antwone Fisher
Antwone Fisher is a director, screenwriter, film producer and New York
Times best-selling author of Finding Fish and Antwone Fisher. His life story is an inspiring example of how anyone can overcome
adversity and obstacles to enjoy great success and respect. Fisher was
raised in institutions from the moment of his birth in prison to a single
mother. In his book, Finding Fish, he writes about how he
overcame years of abuse and abandonment in a foster home, with the
guidance of social workers and teachers, through experiences in the Navy,
as a correctional officer and a security guard in Hollywood to becoming
one of Hollywood's most sought-after screenwriters.
Gwen Ifill
Gwen Ifill is moderator and managing editor of Washington Week and senior correspondent and co-anchor for the PBS Newshour. She is also frequently asked to moderate debates in national elections,
including the vice presidential debates during the 2008 and 2004
elections. She has received more than 15 honorary doctorates and is the
recipient of several broadcasting excellence awards, including honors from
Harvard University's Joan Shorenstein Center, National Press Foundation,
Ford Hall Forum, Radio Television News Directors Association and American
Women in Radio and Television.
Rajsekhar Budithi
Rajsekhar Budithi is the CEO of the Society for the Elimination of Rural
Poverty (SERP) in Andrha Pradesh, Hyderbad, India. Budithi belongs to the
prestigious Indian Administrative Service, where he has focused his career
on developing innovative systems and institutional frameworks to improve
the lives of vulnerable populations, primarily poor women in rural
communities in India. He currently oversees the SERP, which supports over
900,000 self-help groups providing employment to over 10 million rural
poor women and implementing World Bank assisted poverty alleviation
projects. Budithi holds a bachelor of arts degree in mechanical
engineering from Andhra University College of Engineering, Visakhapatnam,
and is a recipient of the 2011 Eisenhower Fellowship.
Conference Program and Outcomes
Program Overview
Outcomes