Page 18 - Florida Sentinel 11-20-20

Poverty Leads To Destruction
JustasIamreal,sois the reality of poverty. The reality is embedded in the fact that poverty is de- structive and can lead to starvation, homeless- ness, criminal behavior, mental fatigue, and even death.
Being poor is truly painful, extremely harsh, and brings a cold sense of loneliness. Many citizens of the United States struggle daily to provide for their family. Being forced to work 2 to 3 jobs at the same time to keep from drowning in an
ocean of extreme poverty, can be a de- pressing task at times. Florida is not immune to poverty.
The minimum wage in the state of Florida is $8.56. Be truthful, who can survive on an hourly wage like this and for how long? One of the pathways out of poverty is a good living wage. Minimum wage needs to be increased across the board to a reasonable wage. Job creation and expansion with a wage that is genuinely compat-
ible, with being able to actually provide an op- portunity to have your average needs met is a necessity on both a local and national level.
The Urban Institute Projections stated, “The poverty rate in the United States of America will be 9.2 percent in the year 2020”. The demographic breakdown is: Cau- casians 6.6 percent; African Americans 15.2 percent; and Latinos at 13.8 percent.
Education is a key component in decreasing poverty, locally and na- tionally. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Popu- lation Survey indicated: Median usual weekly earnings, earning less than a high school diploma: $520.00, unem- ployment rate 6.5 per- cent; high school diploma, with no college:
$712.00, unemployment rate 4.6 percent; some college no degree: $774.00, unemployment rate 4.0 percent; Associ- ate Degree: $836.00, un- employment rate 3.4 percent; Bachelor’s De- gree: $1,173, unemploy- ment rate 2.5 percent; Master’s Degree: $1,401, unemployment rate 2.2 percent; Professional De- gree: $1,743, unemploy- ment rate 1.5 percent; Doctoral Degree: $1,836, unemployment rate 1.5 percent.
While broadening op- portunities for gaining higher education and in- creasing the level of skills a person brings to the table for a career occupa- tion. There is a definite need to increase the min- imum wage in Florida. There needs to be a plan in place for a wage in- crease, and executed by the federal government to help the citizens of Florida.
There is a need to cre- ate 7.5 million jobs to im- prove the United States economy. Florida needs to be actively participat- ing in helping to change the destructive nature of poverty. Yes, there should be rebuilding of our communities, en- hancement of our infra- structure, and renewable energy made available. At the same time, jobs that can get this work done should be set with a living wage and not a poverty wage for the hard work- ing American citizens.
Reality dictates, good, living-wage paying jobs have to be created for the lower and middle class citizens and families to bridge the gap and de- crease poverty across the board.
[Dr. Shandale Terrell is an Educator for K-12 Polk County Public Schools, a Civic Leader in Lakeland, Polk County and the State of Florida]
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