Although I have many ideas of how we as a society could try and eradicate poverty, what I know is that women and children bare a heavier burden than men.
I have spent the majority of my professional career working with women trying to help them become self-sufficient. During this time I became very aware of the many issues these women face when it comes to providing the basic necessity for their children. I was amazing to discover at the time, nearly one third of the children in Louisiana were living in poverty. These children face dire circumstances each day and are powerless to improve their situation. It is my opinion that until we get our leaders, communities, and neighbors to see how poverty feeds into the cycles of teen pregnancy, drugs, crime and incarceration then we are going to forever fighting a losing battle. I have made the pledge that I am willing to work with others to pave a better way for those in need. RESULTS are on the way but we all have work together.
Please check out the data below taken from the Center for American Progress.
- Women in America are more likely to be poor than men. Over half of the 37 million Americans living in poverty today are women. And women in America are further behind than women in other countries—the gap in poverty rates between men and women is wider in America than anywhere else in the Western world. Consider the following facts:
- Poverty rates are higher for women than men. In 2007, 13.8 percent of females were poor compared to 11.1 percent of men.
- Women are poorer than men in all racial and ethnic groups. Recent data shows that 26.5 percent of African American women are poor compared to 22.3 percent of African American men; 23.6 percent of Hispanic women are poor compared to 19.6 percent of Hispanic men; 10.7 percent of Asian women are poor compared to 9.7 percent of Asian men; and 11.6 percent of white women are poor compared to 9.4 percent of white men.