[media-credit name=’DEREK MONTGOMERY / Herald Photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Former vice presidential hopeful and current U.S. Sen. John Edwards, D-North Carolina, called University of Wisconsin students to action in the fight against poverty at Union Theater Wednesday afternoon.

Edwards made a stop in Madison as part of his "Opportunity Rocks" tour, which is aimed at rallying students to join in the effort to end economic disparity in the United States.

Madison was the eighth leg of the 10-day, 10-college tour throughout the nation.

"It's you who have the power and the ability to do something about [poverty]," Edwards said. "We want to spark the kind of rationalist movement that political leaders will have to pay attention to."

The Opportunity Rocks campaign recruits students to volunteer 20 hours of their time to work for the cause of ridding the country of poverty. Edwards' appearance was presented by College Democrats of Madison and The Center for Promise, which are participating in the program.

As he spoke, Edwards often referenced his experience helping in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

The hurricane brought the "ugly face" of poverty to the forefront in the United States, Edwards said, when impoverished people in New Orleans were unable to evacuate the city due to a lack of means, while others with more money were able to escape the disaster unharmed. The racial disparity between white people and minorities also drew attention in the wake of Katrina, Edwards said.

"Poverty has a face in America — largely a face of color," Edwards said. "African-American families in this country today have an average net worth of about $6,000; Latino families is about $8,000; white families is $80,000."

Stereotypes of lower economic classes are wholly inaccurate, Edwards said, adding poverty is nearly inescapable for some, who work multiple jobs at minimum wage to support their families and still cannot manage to rise above the poverty line.

Edwards said Americans are "looking for something bigger" in their lives to join forces for, and that students can be the "champions" of his cause and stand up for the poor.

And students partaking in the event echoed Edwards' sentiment.

"We're all here today because, like Sen. Edwards, we don't think it's OK that 37 million Americans are living in poverty," College Democrats member Maggie Brick said. "We are ready to take action and do our part to make a difference in this community."

In addition, Edwards emphasized the need for equal access to high-quality education and post-secondary education as a means to eliminate poverty, adding the United States must take measures to make a college education available to everyone, regardless of social class.

Citing his own experience of living by modest means as a young person, Edwards attributed his success to the public university system in his home state of North Carolina.

"I could never have afforded to go to college without a great taxpayer-supported state university system like you have here in Wisconsin, like we have in North Carolina," he said.

College Democrats Chair Brian Shactman said he was impressed with the audience of hundreds of students who attended the event.

"It was a great turnout," Shactman said. "We had a really passionate crowd that was here to make a difference and turn an eye on a problem that is really affecting America."

In his concluding remarks, Edwards noted many political actions in the history of the nation were led by college students, such as the Civil Rights Movement, anti-Vietnam War effort and the fight to end apartheid in South Africa.

UW students could be an integral part of another such movement, he said.

"This is your moment. Seize it," Edwards said.

Though he would not comment on his future political plans, Edwards said in a press conference after the event his focus is on his campaign to end poverty and also on helping his wife, Elizabeth, recover from cancer.