When economic justice advocate Arthur Fletcher arrived in the small, predominantly Black town of East Pasco, Washington in the 1960s, he found a community beat down by poverty, joblessness, and urban blight.
Now make no mistake, people WANTED to support themselves. That’s why so many begged Fletcher to help clear a path towards self-sufficiency. And clear a path he did.
Fletcher used his Higher Horizons education and training program to combat literacy challenges among the chronically unemployed.
Although it only lasted one year, its mission to promote independence from government assistance programs sparked another stellar initiative within the community - The East Pasco Self-Help Cooperative.
The co-op, which according to BlackPast grew to host a “credit union, a service station, a childcare center, a shopping center, a barber shop, dry cleaners, and a construction company,” was sustained through community sponsorship and a devoted neighborhood watch for security against criminal activity.
Fletcher dedicated his rapidly developing political career to anti-poverty initiatives like the Higher Horizons program and the Self-Help Co-op. As Assistant Secretary of Labor under President Nixon’s administration, he pioneered affirmative action policies in higher education and government contracting.
Such initiatives gave Black folks seats at the proverbial table. But it was because of the success of the Self-Help Cooperative that he remained a steadfast advocate for community teamwork as the most effective means to eradicate poverty long term!