Last week, the research and advocacy organization Demos held a policy conference in Washington on 21st century poverty issues. It included discussions led by Bob Herbert, E.J. Dionne, Ezra Klein, and an assortment of researchers and practitioners. The inspiration for the gathering was the 50th anniversary of Michael Harrington’s seminal exposé The Other America. Even before the recession, millions of Americans were living in poverty. Now, with many more out of work, economic inequality on the rise and proposed cuts to the social safety net, the issue is more relevant than ever.

Here are some of the highlights of the findings presented at the conference.