Name: The story we tell about poverty isn't true
Uploaded: 2015-09-15T15:24:12Z
Duration: 15 min 7 s
Description: As a global community, we all want to end poverty. Mia Birdsong suggests a great place to start: Let's honor the skills, drive and initiative that poor people bring to the struggle every day. She asks us to look again at people in poverty: They may be broke — but they're not broken.

As a global community, we all want to end poverty. Mia Birdsong suggests a great place to start: Let's honor the skills, drive and initiative that poor people bring to the struggle every day. She asks us to look again at people in poverty: They may be broke — but they're not broken.

The story we tell about poverty isn't true

Efforts to fight poverty in the United States have invested millions in policies and programs, yet rates have barely budged in fifty years. Stories of parents launching small businesses and building community support groups show that people experiencing poverty are full of resourcefulness and drive. The real expertise lies with those navigating these challenges daily, not with distant think tanks or outside experts. Recognizing and investing in these lived solutions could transform the conversation and impact around poverty.