The video “Growing up poor in America” was definitely a very sad thing to watch.

They are
all single moms trying to provide as much as they possibly could for their kids. It is extremely
heart breaking to see them shouldering all those problems by themselves. These moms don’t
even have jobs and the one who does have a job doesn’t even make enough to pay the electric
bills. “Men make up an overwhelming majority of top earners across the U.S. economy, even
though women now represent almost half of the country’s workforce. Women comprise just 27
percent of the top 10 percent, and their share of higher income groups runs even smaller. Among
the top 1 percent, women make up slightly less than 17 percent of workers, while at the top 0.1
percent level, they make up only 11 percent.”1

One of the moms in the video used government assistance to lessen the impact of poverty in
her family. She had kidney problem so it hindered her ability to work and provide for her family.
She still had to do certain hours of work to get her assistance which worried her son because of
the virus (covid). The second one had her friend’s and mother’s help which lifted a significant
amount of weight of her shoulders because she didn’t even have a place to stay if not for their
help. It was still very difficult living in a small room with her two kids with no means of income.
The third one used food stamps to get food from food pantries to feed her family and used the
very little money she made working to pay utility bills which at times wasn’t even enough.

On first look any body would say the lives kids differ than that of middle- and upper-
class kids in their current way of life and obvious poverty.But in addition to that according to  C.
Nicole Mason only 4% of Americans who are born into poverty ever make it to the middle class. That means 96% of
poor Americans stay poor throughout their lifetime2.So its not just the kids current state of poverty that differentiates
them from of middle- and upper-class kids but statistically speaking while their counter part get
chances to make a better lives for themselves they are likely to stay poor their whole lives.Which
is so sad when you listen to all their goals and whishes.

I am no economist but if I get a chance to advice a cogress man or women on policy I

would suggest the come up with one that fairly distributes taxes and other economic gains that
citeizens are entitled to to the middle and lower classes instead of recycling it within the pockets
of the rich 1%.Also I would suggest that minimum wage be raised to a properly studied level
where it gives its recipients a decent way of life. Polices towards minimum wage should focus on
providing the minimum amount a person can live with provided with basic food, shelter, and
healthcare.
1
Facts: Economic Inequality across Gender Diversity (Links to an external site.). (2020)
Inequality.org. 
2
The Ohio State University. (n.d.) Module 1: Overview and Introduction to Social and
Economic Justice. In SWK 6201:AU19 [Class lecture]. Retrieved from:
https://osu.instructure.com/courses/61701/pages/week1-coursework?
module_item_id=2932102