Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders is coming to North Carolina tonight to hear the stories of poor and low-wealth people at an Interfaith Ash Wednesday service and forum.

The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, who works with the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, will lead tonight’s forum. Sen. Sanders will answer questions from people directly impacted by systemic racism and poverty.

Sanders is the third presidential candidate to visit Greenleaf Christian Church, where Rev. Barber is the senior pastor. These visits follow demands by the Poor People’s Campaign that the Democratic presidential candidates hold a debate focused only on poverty.

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“It is exactly right to begin this season of Lent, a season of repentance, with a presidential forum focused on poverty,” Rev. Barber said. “Our nation must repent for how we have ignored and refused to address the reality of 140 million people living in poverty and low wealth in this nation.”

Last year, Rev. Barber extended an open invitation to all major presidential candidates from both parties to attend the church for a conversation on poverty. Sen. Sanders is one of several candidates who have accepted this invitation, in addition to the nine candidates who attended a forum organized by the campaign in June 2019 in Washington D.C., Presidential candidate Tom Steyer visited Greenleaf in January, and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg visited in December.

Each Democratic presidential candidate has committed to participate in a primetime, televised debate on poverty, which the Poor People’s Campaign has asked the Democratic National Committee to schedule during the primary season.

These public forums do not indicate endorsement or support of any candidate on behalf of any organization or individual. “We are not hosting Sen. Sanders to offer an endorsement,” said Wilson-Hartgrove. “We are asking Sen. Sanders and all candidates for public office to explain to the 43% of Americans who are poor and low wealth how their campaigns will address our demands.”

Click here at 7pm ET to tune in to the live stream.

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