#33 Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz, Capital Area Asset Builders

Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz, Associate Director of Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB), returns to Power Station with news about the expansion of its Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) campaign into Washington DC's historic Wards 7 and 8. The EITC enables working people, whose employment is low-wage and sporadic, to claim a tax credit through through their annual tax filing. This return can be instrumental in providing savings towards a home, college education or a small business. The challenge is to get the word out, which is why CAAB launched DC Community Conversations. It raises awareness about the EITC through presentations in schools and community centers in neighborhoods where disinvestment has stripped communities of resources and families of personal wealth. Joseph is exactly the right person to lead this effort. He is a former financial advisor and the product of a single parent household with high aspirations but limited means. His energy and commitment seem boundless and he is a consummate collaborator with the public and corporate partners that share his vision.