Harlem has a long history of fighting poverty and injustice. Whether speaking of civil rights activism in the 60s or of teach-ins on the prison system in 2000, West Harlem has been a bastion of fostering community and activism in the face of isolation and inequality. In this tradition, we, the West Harlem Action Network Against Poverty, formed in 1997 to coordinate services, encourage self-empowerment among our clients and communities, and work towards the ultimate goal of ending poverty in its entirety.