My Story
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Coming Soon
BROKEN SYSTEMS AND BROKEN INDIVIDUALS
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Poor people are often at the mercy of systems created by the powerful.
Consequently...poverty-alleviation efforts need to address both broken systems and broken individuals, using highly relational approaches [spending time with the poor, the outcasts, the “least of these”] wherever possible.
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What does this look like in the cultural landscape of Memphis, Tennessee? or Fort Worth, Texas?
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"...There are centuries of broken systems that are still in place on state and federal levels.
...And some of these broken systems are intentionally oppressive and some are not.
...And these broken systems have contributed to poverty in the African American experience or sub culture.
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Example: Ronnie has been providing for himself since 2006. In 2006, he was removed from the disability system called Social Security Disability due to his ability to be restored to what I believe pleased God.
He was able to utilize his talents and gifts in Information Technology to acquire his CompTIA A+ Computer Professional certification and start his own small business in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He began accepting outsourced contracts by providing customer service and tech support for Fortune 500 Companies in the comfort of his home. This kind of work is called telecommute.
The A+ (Plus) Certification exam is designed to certify the competency of entry-level PC computer service professionals in installing, maintaining, customizing, and operating personal computers. The A+ certification is sponsored by the Computing Technology Industry Association.
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After several years of struggling with substance abuse, he decided to continue pursuing his gift in IT be applying for an online degree program in which he was required to submit a letter from a psychologist stating that he is psychologically able to attend a secondary school. This requirement demanded by the Department of Education for anyone who previously had their outstanding federal student loans forgiven. And each time a person applies for financial student aid for a new secondary school, it is required.
Ronnie attends a partially state funded mental health facility to have a psych evaluation completed. And has been waiting over 2 months for the doctor to sign off, so that he can obtain a copy of the psych evaluation at a cost of $20 to submit to the secondary school to start classes.
Unfortunately, he is not able to start class until this requirement is met. And the Department of Education and the mental health facility seems not to care whether or not Ronnie received the help he needs to that will allow him to fulfill his calling of glorifying God by working and supporting himself and his family with the fruit of that work. This is a perfect example of broken systems that exist in our communities across the country.
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Most readers are well aware that historic oppression has also been a major contributor to Native Americans’ poverty. As a result of these histories, the playing field is not level at the start of the twenty-first century. Even if there were no present discrimination ---and there is ---many people enter this century with distinct disadvantages, some of which greatly hamper their ability to function in an increasingly integrated, global economy.
...And I believe the internet has leveled the playing field. But many poor African American families are still struggling with attaining computer literacy and training to take advantage of this leveled playing field.
"...Globalization is exposing North American workers to increased competition from low-wage workers across the Majority World [Africa, Asia & Middle East]."
"...Emerging economies are expanding their manufacturing sectors, thereby creating much-needed jobs for the poorest people on the planet.
And..."North American production is shifting away from basic manufacturing into services and knowledge-intensive sectors, increasing the demand for highly educated workers in North America."
..."Unfortunately, the job opportunities and wages for blue-collar workers in such sectors are lower than they were in traditional manufacturing jobs."
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(And) ..."blue-collar workers in North America are getting squeezed, and this trend is very likely to continue and even accelerate in the coming decades."
Source: page 181, When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor. . . and Yourself is a 2009 non-fiction book by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert.
” https://www.chalmers.org/our-work/redefining-poverty/when-helping-hurts-products/, 2009.
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Al’s story is becoming all too common. Poor neighborhoods are teeming with mortgage brokers, rent-to-own stores, payday and tax refund lenders, pawnshops, and car title loan dealers, all of which charge very high interest rates, often burying people in a cycle of debt.
For example, a two-week loan of two to three hundred dollars from payday lenders charges interest averaging more than 400 percent APR, and the majority of payday borrowers have to roll over their loans multiple times, incurring additional fees in the process. The average payday borrower spends $800 to repay a $325 loan.
Many poor people do not understand the terms of the loans from these sources, leaving them open to abuse from unscrupulous lenders, many of whom engage in outright fraud. Indeed, research has found that a lack of financial education significantly contributes to people’s falling prey to such schemes.
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The Solution
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Actively walking along side the "least of these" by "working to reconcile the four foundational relationships (Jesus Christ, our Lord & Savior), ourselves, others and the rest of so that people can fulfill their callings of glorifying God by working and supporting themselves and their families with the fruit of that work." - When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor. . . and Yourself is a 2009 non-fiction book by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert.
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