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Gabriela Sosa
Dr. Salome
RWS 1301

Child Poverty: Texas

When researching child poverty, it is realized that to cover the broad aspect of Child
Poverty in America would not be plausible in such a short amount of time. I decided to contain
my studies to only the state of Texas, since this is my home state. During this paper I will discuss
the statistics, impact, and consequences of Child Poverty.
As a child of poverty I have seen the impact that it can have on an individuals life.
During childhood is when you absorb the most information, when you begin the process of
finding out who you are, and who you want to be. There are 2 paths to go down in every life
choice, the right and the wrong path. Majority of children born into poverty become statistics of
their race and/or origin. The minority of such children go on to become what is called an
exception to the rule. According to the NCCP (National Center for Children in Poverty) the
federal poverty level is an income less than $24,008. With that being said 25% of children in
Texas are born into poverty. 25% of the children born into poverty come from a home where
both parents are unemployed. 57% of childrens whose parents do not have a high school degree
live in poor families. 57% of children in poor families live with a single parent. The highest two
ethnicities with children born into poverty are Black and Hispanic with 33% and 35%
respectively. Another major contribution to majority of children in poverty taking the wrong path
in life is the lack of stability, home ownership, and consistency. 33% of children in poor families
live in owner occupied housing. With not having a home, without having a consistent place to

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call your house, without feeling that you always have something to go to you begin a life of
instability.
Most children that grow up in such an environment strive so heavily to no longer love on
poverty that they neglect the long term goals and processes of getting an education, becoming an
expert in a specific field and enter a lifelong career that will allow you to be above poverty level
and in turn make a family, if you choose, that will not have to live in conditions, or be raised in
the way you did.
I believe that there should be a much larger focus on this issue. I believe that children
currently in poverty should be more educated on how to escape the status quo. I also believe that
young adults, such as myself, should be able to vocalize, as well as put our stories out there. I
believe that if children see that there is a productive way out and that with a little discipline they
could possibly make a change.