Contemporary Inner-City Issues: Poverty Stricken Communities Case Study

Contemporary Inner-City Issues: Poverty Stricken Communities
Destitution. Malnourishment. Impoverishment. All of these words weigh heavy when you bring up the topic of inner-city poverty and the dilapidated living conditions associated with it. Due to lack of funds and resources, healthcare is something that has become more of a nicety, as opposed to a necessity. Multiple large families become forced to live under one roof, sometimes restricted to the use of a single restroom. Psychological disorders become area specific, such as a more complicated version of PTSD, and jobs that only pay minimum wage are widespread. In a thesis paper presented by Paula Ijeoma Ilochi, she states, “An environment that is not conducive to healthy, nutritional

In a peer-reviewed journal article by Marguerite Rosenthal, she talks about how if workers don’t possess the most up to date knowledge in their job field, then these employees end up getting left behind. In this specific article, she is referencing African American workers in the inner-city. Underpaid employees often try to organize strikes to raise the minimum wage. For many, it is difficult to get to work on time, or even at all, because transportation is being minimized to save money. Big wig companies don’t often want to hire people from these areas because they feel they aren’t as educated or don’t possess the skills to thrive. This is possibly because they are not receiving an equal education. Judith J. Carta wrote an article in 1991 that hits on the topics of inner-city childhood education and certain risk factors that these children face. Carta says: Young children growing up in inner-city environments face many risks. They are more likely than other children to have been prenatally exposed to drugs or AIDS, to be born preterm, and to have low birth weight. They are more likely than other children to have poor nutrition, be exposed to lead, and experience fatal or nonfatal injuries as a result of living in dangerous housing and neighborhoods. Finally, they are seven times more likely to face abuse and neglect than children from upper-income backgrounds.

The White House talks about several pros to raising minimum wage. The website states, “Raising the minimum wage nationwide will increase earnings for millions of workers, and boost the bottom lines of businesses across the country” (“Raise”). This means that our country will be granted the opportunity to rise together towards better economic circumstances which will benefit everybody in the present and ensure that this country continues to thrive in the future. Another solution, which is already taking place in certain schools within Brevard County, is a backpack take home concept. What this is is the opportunity for malnourished students to receive a backpack filled with non-perishable food items that they take home at the end of the week. This allows children who would not typically have access to three meals a day over the weekend to get the proper amount of food that they need in order to thrive. When school resumes after the weekend, the backpack is returned by the student and refilled by either the school or a separate entity, which allows the cycle to start all over again the following weekend. The food can be donated by wealthier families, or the school itself could purchase it. This could significantly help reduce the amount of hungry children that exist within the school