Amy  Jo Hutchison

wheeling, WV

I’m 46 years old and I’ve lived in poverty every day of my life.  I organized primarily around low-income moms and the safety net issues.  And I think that one of the things that I hope to gain out of this movement is to break through those stereotypes of what poor looks like.  And the fact that a lot of times everyone's solution is get a job.  I'm also the only parent of two children.  So my trigger, like, the one thing that really gets me angry is when I'm told to stop having kids that I can't afford.  It's just like the way that society puts blame automatically.  Like I’ve done something wrong to be in this position.  It doesn't matter that we're not paid livable wages. Society doesn't see that.  So it's a very punitive view.  So I can organize around these women and I can just lift them up and give them the support that they need.  And to watch them emerge as leaders and realize that they do have the power for change and to be the embodiment of everything that movements like the Poor People's Campaign and Our Children, Our Future, are about - that's just phenomenal to me.