Fighting Poverty Together

RMAPI is a coalition of strong-willed individuals and organizations working together to tackle the systematic root causes that create and perpetuate poverty in Rochester.

RMAPI’S Unity Agenda: A New Vision For Rochester

We’re looking at poverty in a new way, focusing on bringing upward mobility to every person in Rochester.

Inequalities within the region -
Economic Well-being:

Compared with White residents, African Americans are almost 3 times as likely to experience unemployment, while Latinos are 2 ½ times as likely.
African American incomes are less than half those of Whites (49%), while Latino incomes are only slightly more than half (53)

Median Household Income by Race & Ethnicity for the 9-County Region

$32.606

50%

$30.182

45%

$63.918

85%

$61.627

80%

$57.350

75%

Upward Mobility by Uprooting Poverty

We used to talk primarily about being “anti-poverty.” But that made us think: What are we working toward?”

We’re changing how we talk about our work—using language that is focused on solutions and based on our shared strengths. In order to create an equitable Rochester,

we seek to achieve upward mobility from poverty for everyone in our community – starting with those furthest from the goal.

What's Upward Mobility?

Solving poverty differently requires defining poverty differently and recognizing that poverty is about more than just income. We’ve identified three main drivers of poverty, which means we can find three ways to uproot poverty:

Dignity and Belonging

Feeling the respect, dignity and sense of belonging that comes from contributing to one’s community.

Power and Autonomy

Control over one’s life, the ability to make choices and the collective capacity to influence larger policies and actions that affect one’s future.

Economic Success

Refers to factors that directly contribute to individuals’ and families’ material well-being.