Guest post by Rutgers-Camden PhD Candidate Rasheda Simpson:
Throughout my short time in Camden, New Jersey I have observed poignant parallels between conceptions of it and my home, the Bronx, NY. These conceptions are often negative, demeaning, and misinformed. They range from residents being lazy and thus the cause of their own poverty to impoverished people in the city actually liking poverty, as it qualifies them for free social services. Among the most baffling conceptions to me is the idea that there is a culture of poverty, wherein impoverished people have no desire to overcome poverty so they do not strive to do so. It is often said that such a culture is most pervasive among African Americans and Hispanics.
As a first generation American born to Jamaican and Cuban immigrants in an impoverished neighborhood in the Bronx, such stereotypes both frustrate and sadden me. My parents, neither of which graduated high school, worked tirelessly to grant my brother and I a better life than which they had. They worked so hard that as a child I often went days without seeing them, having to stay with family members and various babysitters. While they had not finished school, they used the little money they had to purchase books, computers, and tutoring classes to motivate us to obtain the education they believed so strongly would combat the cycle of poverty in our family. They enrolled me in modeling school and dance classes and sent me on vacations with other relatives although they could not afford to come themselves.
My parents, like other parents, in my poverty stricken and crime-ridden neighborhood in the Bronx sacrificed their time and quality of life so their children would not feel poor. It is this reason that when I hear people state that there is a culture of poverty I am saddened. I think to myself that if such a belief was common to all Americans I may not have been the accomplished person that I am today. Specifically, while my parents invested in and motivated me to pursue educational and entrepreneurial ambitions, they could not literally show me how to do so. Being the first person in my family to graduate high school, I often relied on mentorship from teachers, guidance counselors, and volunteers who came from a range of communities to the Bronx to help disadvantaged children in my neighborhood.
These mentors helped me recognized the gifts and skills that made me special and taught me how to maximize on them through education. However, if they believed there was a culture of poverty they may not have come to my neighborhood to help. After all, if being impoverished were ingrained in my culture what good would they do trying to change an inveterate component of my identity? Conceptions of a culture of poverty are damaging because they are often followed by the mistreatment, stigmatization, and low appraisal of people in poverty. This often perpetuates the social, economic, and institutional discrimination that has caused so many people, especially people of color, to be in poverty to begin with.
Conceptions of a culture of poverty in Camden, the Bronx, and other disadvantaged cities throughout nation do not consider that while there may be people in such communities that are indeed lazy or content with their situation, they are not the majority. Impoverished people often work more strenuous and time consuming jobs than their more privileged counterparts. In fact, a substantial number of homeless individuals work, but still cannot afford a place to live due to lack of affordable housing. There are impoverished people that work every day striving to achieve their American Dream, but are unsuccessful for a variety of reasons.
If there is a culture of poverty, poor people like my parents would not work so hard. If there was a culture of poverty among Black and Hispanic people then in May 2013 I would not have graduated valedictorian from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, one of the most prestigious universities in the country. If there was a culture of poverty I would not currently be a doctoral student at Rutgers University-Camden who is forming a social enterprise that works to develop human capital in impoverished communities.
Growing up in poverty did not immerse me in a culture of destitution. On the contrary, it motivated me and a number of my friends who grew up poor to utilize our skills and knowledge about the world to alleviate problems disproportionately impacting disadvantaged communities. That is not characteristic of people brought up in a culture of poverty. It is characteristic of people who are enlightened about social injustices plaguing impoverished communities and have devoted themselves to combating them. To people who believe there is a culture of poverty I challenge you to spend some time researching and learning about the causes of poverty in the United States. I challenge you to search for the parallels between racial and ethnic discrimination and community development throughout American history. Take some time to understand the psychological, historical, political, and economic factors influencing poverty in this country and assess if that is still your belief.
Share it!
