Fund for Humanity and Income Movement To Host Basic Income March Day of Events in Oakland, California

SAN FRANCISCO September 15, 2020 The Fund for Humanity, a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the understanding, acceptance, and implementation of Universal Basic Income programs to benefit all Americans today announced that it was co-hosting a day of events with Income Movement in conjunction with the September 19 Basic Income March in Oakland, California.
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This is the Second Annual Basic Income March, with more than 35 cities around the world participating. Basic income supporters from across the bay area will demonstrate to their community and political leadership the strength and growth of the movement and demand the consideration of policies that would lead to a guaranteed income for the people.

"There is much to celebrate," explains Stacey Rutland, Founder of Income Movement, and lead strategist for the Basic Income March Week of Events. "This year marked an important shift of focus from a single candidate, that of Presidential hopeful Andrew Yang, to a burgeoning long-term movement that spans politics, social justice movements, popular culture, and more. Bringing all of those elements together the week of September 14th to take stock of all we accomplished is an important moment for this movement."

A key feature of the day is the unveiling of a display at Eastshore Park at 1 pm. The "Eviction Installation" is a sea of flags, each representing a family or an individual who is facing eviction. The display will be a powerful opportunity for the people of Oakland to witness a representation of the thousands of people in their community who are experiencing housing scarcity and homelessness due to a significant loss of income during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a reminder of the role that basic income could play in addressing this challenge.

Leading up to the Basic Income March, Income Movement is hosting a series of events to celebrate the progress made in 2020. On Tuesday, Sept. 15, there will be the world premiere of Inherent Good, a documentary film that explores basic income in the American South, followed by panel discussions with the film's creators and stars, including a conversation with participants of the Magnolia Mother's Trust pilot on Sept. 16. Later in the week, on Friday, Sept. 18, Income Movement will host 2020: The Year of Basic Income Livestream Program, where Basic Income leaders like Andrew Yang, mayors participating in Mayors for a Guaranteed Income including Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Kentucky Senate Candidate Charles Booker, Andrew Stern, and others will talk about the important progress the basic income movement has made in 2020, and the unique moment we find ourselves in as a community fighting for a basic income during a global pandemic and economic depression.

Among the most significant Basic Income developments in 2020 happened in the Bay Area with the launch of Santa Clara County universal basic income program for young adults transitioning out of foster care, a program that the Fund for Humanity was actively involved in conceiving and supporting. Providing transitioning foster youths with a basic income is a lifeline for them and would be under any circumstances but especially so during the pandemic. The UBI program for transitioning foster youth is the first such governmental program in the country. The Fund for Humanity believes that this program opens the door to similar programs in similar local entities for other marginalized populations.

Universal Basic Income, sometimes referred to as basic income or UBI, is an investment in society through an amount of income that is unconditional, universal, individual, and regularly provided. In other words, it's an income floor below which no one is allowed to fall. It is traditionally considered to be an amount sufficient to raise everyone above the poverty line, but that is not required to meet the definition of UBI. Over the last decade, a growing body of evidence supports the idea that unconditional cash payments provided to people experiencing economic hardship or uncertainty are a potentially transformative intervention. Studies have shown that such payments can reduce poverty and increase wellbeing, positive health outcomes, and educational attainment.

"UBI is not a handout. The earth, the sun, the air, the water belong to all of us. Over the centuries, we applaud those who contributed to the improvement of the human condition and acknowledge their claim to what they have earned," said Gisèle Huff, President of the Fund for Humanity. "But they don't own those resources – we do, and we have to be remunerated. That's what UBI is, our share in America's prosperity."

About The Fund for Humanity:
The Fund for Humanity is a Section 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was created in 2019 to promulgate the vision of the late Gerald Huff, an ardent proponent of Universal Basic Income (UBI) as a transitional solution to the existential threat of technological unemployment. Through various programs and initiatives, the Fund supports UBI by collaborating with education and advocacy programs and individuals to further its understanding, acceptance, and implementation to benefit all Americans. Among the Fund's current initiatives are Basic Income Today, an online information and community site dedicated to providing news and information and furthering the discussion and debate about UBI. https://fundforhumanity.org/ On Twitter @FundforHumanity.

About Income Movement:
Income Movement is a people-powered, grassroots movement working to shift universal basic income from a radical idea to one that has widespread public acceptance. We believe that cash in the hands of people is the most effective way to eradicate poverty. https://www.incomemovementfoundation.org/