Interesting, but unsurprising, visual demonstrating the spread of poverty across DC. The city, though it doesn't make the "Top 10 Most Segregated," is segregated, rich and poor, white and non-white. DC has come a long way in the past couple of decades, but the rapid gentrification projects aren't always good for the city's revival and the city's long time citizens.
To me, this visual really demonstrates what most already know about DC. The "forgotten" East of the River neighborhoods are the poorest. These are also the neighborhoods where the most crime happens, where the drop out rates are highest, and where there are no grocery stores to shop at. These neighborhoods are almost entirely African American populations. Poverty is systemically and institutionally tied to race in this country. Knowing that, I wonder what can really be done to reverse the cycles and actually defeat poverty?
Many programs in the city simply aid those who are dealing with poverty; the programs are not meant to actually defeat poverty. While of course I agree that this aid is helpful and necessary for those in desperate situations, I'm curious to find out what can really end this culture of poverty? As I believe, it is so closely tied to race, I'm very unsure. It's not easy to reverse history. How to undo what's been done? Programs have certainly been in place to make equality and justice accessible to all, but it's just really not that easy. History plays a role and has influenced who has advantages and disadvantages: poverty is predetermined .
A speaker I heard in the past week said to the group, "There is a cure for homelessness: houses!" It is, yes, that simple. Housing would dissolve the problem of homelessness; however, policies and procedures and cultural and societal norms get in the way. How can we give one person a house but someone else has to pay for theirs?
It's systemic, it's self perpetuating. What would work to break these cycles?
--Megan
To me, this visual really demonstrates what most already know about DC. The "forgotten" East of the River neighborhoods are the poorest. These are also the neighborhoods where the most crime happens, where the drop out rates are highest, and where there are no grocery stores to shop at. These neighborhoods are almost entirely African American populations. Poverty is systemically and institutionally tied to race in this country. Knowing that, I wonder what can really be done to reverse the cycles and actually defeat poverty?
Many programs in the city simply aid those who are dealing with poverty; the programs are not meant to actually defeat poverty. While of course I agree that this aid is helpful and necessary for those in desperate situations, I'm curious to find out what can really end this culture of poverty? As I believe, it is so closely tied to race, I'm very unsure. It's not easy to reverse history. How to undo what's been done? Programs have certainly been in place to make equality and justice accessible to all, but it's just really not that easy. History plays a role and has influenced who has advantages and disadvantages: poverty is predetermined .
A speaker I heard in the past week said to the group, "There is a cure for homelessness: houses!" It is, yes, that simple. Housing would dissolve the problem of homelessness; however, policies and procedures and cultural and societal norms get in the way. How can we give one person a house but someone else has to pay for theirs?
It's systemic, it's self perpetuating. What would work to break these cycles?
--Megan
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