This is one of those posts that will typically not get a lot of reads. When I write about topics like poverty, hunger or HIV/AIDS, many tend to skip the post.
I will keep this post short.
The federal government released poverty numbers this past week.
One in five children in California live in poverty.
One is six children in the US live in poverty.
No matter why you read my blog or why you connect with me personally or with The Gay Vegans, I ask you to please consider these numbers.
So much wealth. So much privilege. Yet so many live in poverty.
As activists, we can take action. We can also build bridges with activist communities whose main mission is not ours, and become stronger. We can find connections with our work to poverty, to hunger and to class. In the Los Angeles area, where we live, it is not difficult to see hard-core class distinction.
If you would like more information on poverty in the US, please click here.
Thank you for reading.
You bring a really strong point to the table. The "beautification" that began a couple of years back in Downtown Los Angeles was made to "help" the community, but it has only pushed people and families into the poorer areas (East LA, South Central, Compton, etc.) while bringing people from out-of-state into the picture. Unfortunately, that's what ends up happening when people don't want to better their own communities; someone else comes in and cleans it up while also raising the prices. As sad as this may sound, people are where they are because they choose to not do anything about it. Take it from someone who grew up around these people. Yes, being Latin American does make it harder to move up, but it's not impossible.
ReplyDeleteVegetarian Courtesy ♥ Cheese with Papas
Thank you very much for reading the post and for your thoughtful response. We are new to LA and still learning.
DeleteThank you for sharing this. So many people don't understand the hunger issue here at home. Part of my thrust as Kitchen Shaman is to do what I can to help alleviate that hunger in some small way...
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteThank you for sharing this. We're actually walking with some of our church family on October 4th in the Crop Walk, which helps to fight hunger both at the community and global levels.
ReplyDelete