She Worked Hard For The Money!

Submitted by:  Rasheedah Abdullah

Who are the poor anyway?  Are they the lazy, non-white, lacking moral virtue individuals in society?



 Controversially, according to US Department of Labor an increasing  percentage are "working" but their incomes fall below the poverty level, they cross all ethnic barriers and they are striving to be decent people.   According to the National Poverty Center, families headed by single women, particularly if they are non-white, have the highest poverty rates. Many of these working moms have net incomes that fall below the poverty thresholds but have gross incomes that prevent them from receiving any noncash benefits such as public housing, medical assistance, food stamps.  In addition some reasons noted for the  problematic situations of the working poor is that many minimum wage workers are the main breadwinners and that the needs of the typical family's spending exceeds their income.  Even working as hard as they can their cost of living is increasing but their wages appear, in some instances, to be decreasing.   Opportunities for better paying jobs are often not viewed as realistic due to lack of skills or education.  Often the role of parent and primary wage earner clash adding additional stress on options to improve income while at the same time  trying to provide a healthy family life. 

Currently their are demonstrations going on throughout the country demanding that the policymakers increase wages for workers to reflect rising economy costs. 





 Is this the answer to end poverty?  Or is it more complex?  Surely demonstrations are needed to make inequalities and injustices visible but they must be meshed with extensive examination and adjustment to reflect social strategies dealing with issues of the privileged and the poor.  Having recently retired after 40+ years of employment I have changed socially from the working poor to the retired poor.  Longer weekends.