Transforming the Narrative

Systems Not Individuals

Our society stigmatizes poverty as the result of a person’s “bad choices.” But isolating poverty to individual circumstances is an easy way to avoid the hard truths of our existence and defer needed change.

The reality is much more incriminating.

A review of our history, political institutions, and economic systems clearly trace the roots of poverty to racism, colonialism, and capitalism. Poverty is not a design flaw or unintended bug. Instead, poverty is a deliberate, chosen result embedded in systems of oppression that rely on exploitation, manipulation, and degradation to uphold the status quo.

We put the spotlight on the structures reinforcing poverty and share the blueprints on how to dismantle them collectively, not individually.

Speaking Truth to Power

Changing the narrative on poverty is mandatory in this line of work. At any given time, we’re working to:

Practice dignity and respect, aligning words and actions in the pursuit of justice

Question assumptions; deconstruct the myths we’ve absorbed; disentangle fact from fiction

Identify how the causes of poverty continue to use lies and deception to normalize oppression and hardship

Challenge complacency and ignorance and combat misinformation by centering the voices and expertise of people impacted by poverty

Concentrate on impact over intent – but never accept bad intentions

From Deficit to Abundance

Public policy debates often start in the wrong place, focusing on shortages, expenditures, and inefficiencies. These debates position the floor as the ceiling and tell us we should be happy with that.

We’re interested in new mindsets and perspectives that flip the script on child poverty.

We prioritize vibrant communities, healthy families, and happy children. We’re reframing how we talk about assets and investments to align dollars with stated values. What would happen if we actually directed the abundant resources at our disposal to do what’s best for kids and families?

Amplifying Authentic Voices

The most powerful form of human connection is the story. While data and analysis are useful tools, persuasive in their own right, they can never capture the whole story.

We collaborate with partners to center the voices and leadership of community across communication platforms and media channels. Why? Because the movement must be driven by people. People with lived experience speaking honestly about their lives and the actual impact of policies on minds and bodies. No two stories are the same, as the interactions of oppressive systems and the intersectional identities people hold undeniably shape their nuanced experiences of poverty.