POVERTY COMPETENCY

TODAY’S AGENDA

• Intro! Discussion…what do we already know about the crisis of poverty? What does the media and society teach us about people living in poverty?

• Personal Stories

• Our Relationships to Privilege and Oppression Activity

• Types of Poverty

• History and Causes of Poverty

• Meet Your New Family!

• Budgeting Activity

SOCIETAL AND MEDIA PORTRAYALS OF POVERTY

• TV and movies

• Mainstream Media (MSM) and memes

• Terminology aka common derogatory terms

• Ruling class and expectations

LETS LISTEN TO OUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WITH LOVE AND KINDNESS IF THEY SHARE THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES

Time to explore our own life experience as it relates to privilege, education and poverty…

In each category, if the left side applies to you, add one point.

If the right side applies to your experience, subtract one point.

There is no right or wrong answer and an experience on one side or the other is not more positive or negative than the experience on the opposing side.

Debrief and discussion

How far have we come in the war on poverty?

"Unfortunately, many Americans live on the outskirts of hope—some because of their poverty, and some because of their color, and all too many because of both. Our task is to help replace despair with opportunity. This administration today, here and now, declares unconditional war on poverty in America."

~President Lyndon Johnson (State of the Union Address, 1964)~

HISTORY OF FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL

TYPES OF POVERTY AND LIFE OUTLOOK

Ø Generational Poverty

“Life happens to me and I don’t have any control over it.”

Ø Working-Class Poverty

“I have some control over my life, but not very much.”

Ø Situational Poverty

“I pulled myself out of poverty. If I did it, anyone can—you just have to make better choices and work harder.”

Ø Immigrant Poverty

“I have the power to make a better life for my family and I.”

GENERATIONAL POVERTY TEACHES…No one cares

You and those you love are a problemYou are dirty and not welcomeYour way is wrong, you must change and act middle class

Do whatever it takes to survivePeople work hard but never move upIllegal or impulsive activity can reap immediate relief and help with crisis needsLife happens to you. There’s no sense in trying because nothing ever changes

Voting does not put food on the table, and besides, “those” people are going to do what they wantEducation means stress and more pressure on my familyYou are not a person without material items and money

Those making it are better and smarter than you

MORE SOCIAL CLASS CONSIDERATIONS

JUST A BIT OF HISTORY DEBUNKED….Myth

• Poverty is uncommon

• The US is doing a lot to address poverty, welfare benefits are adequate for families

• People on welfare are lazy

• Social and socioeconomic mobility are easily achievable

Reality

• Currently the US has the highest child poverty rate of industrialized nations (22%) and 37 million citizens (12.7%) live below the federal poverty line

• The FPL is calculated on a 1960’s cost of living formula based on a gov’t study that found Americans spent 1/3 of their after tax income on food

• 70% of HH’s with one child that receive food stamps work

• 2/3 of people experiencing poverty are working an average of 1.7 jobs; 1 in 4 workers earns poverty level wages (less than $8.84 per hour in 2004)

IN 2012, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SET THE POVERTY LINE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR AT $23,050. THE FIGURE IS BASED ON FOOD COSTS — THE GOVERNMENT IDENTIFIES HOW MUCH IT SHOULD COST TO FEED A FAMILY OF FOUR FOR ONE YEAR AND THEN MULTIPLIES THAT NUMBER BY THREE.

MEET YOUR NEW FAMILY!!FIND YOUR “FAMILY” MEMBERS AROUND THE ROOM

SHOW ME THE MONEY!

• Read about your family’s current situation

• Discuss budgeting as a family and try to maintain the role of the family member you represent. Keep in mind:

• What would that person want for their self in a monthly budget plan?

• What would they want for other family members?

MORE ABOUT THE REALITY OF LIVING IN THE CRISIS OF POVERTY, AS IT RELATES TO EDUCATION

Ø THERE IS A COMMON MISPERCEPTION THAT EDUCATION IS READILY AVAILABLE TO THOSE THAT WANT IT…

Ø 73% OF CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS DO NOT HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE LIVE IN LOW INCOME FAMILIES

Ø 43% OF CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE, BUT NO COLLEGE EDUCATION, LIVE IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

Ø 15% OF CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS HAVE AT LEAST SOME COLLEGE LIVE IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

Ø CHILDREN EXPERIENCING THE CRISIS OF POVERTY WILL CONTINUE TO BE LEFT BEHIND IF THEY DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO ADEQUATE HOUSING, FOOD, HEALTH CARE, SAFE PLACES TO PLAY AND A CARING, SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY

CAN YOU NAME CAUSES OF DEEP POVERTY YET?

• HOUSING COSTS

• HEALTH CARE COSTS

• WAGE GAP/WEALTH INEQUALITY

• LACK OF OPPORTUNITY/ACCESS

• HISTORICAL OPPRESSION—REDLINING, UNEQUAL PAY, RACISM, SEXISM, ABLEISM

WHAT CONSTITUTES A LIVING WAGE?

• Graphics of wage vs. housing costs:

http://nlihc.org/oor/report-graphics#Graphics

• Minimum wage hasn’t been raised since 2009https://www.epi.org/minimum-wage-tracker/

• State wage increases this year

http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/29/news/economy/2018-minimum-wage-increases/index.html

• Prices for Food, 2000-2018 ($20)

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food were 50.36% higher in 2018 versus 2000.

• Between 2000 and 2018: Food experienced an average inflation rate of 2.29% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food costing $20 in the year 2000 would cost $30.07 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.07% during this same period, inflation for food was similar.

IMPACT OF POVERTY ON THE BRAIN