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I for one am tired of being defined by statistics. Yes they are quite relevant and often reflect harsh realities we choose not to acknowledge. That doesn’t mean I nod my head in total agreement and allow a bunch of numbers to define who I am and my potential.
The New York Times published an article today that takes a hard look at our nation’s poverty and the chance of someone being successful. It follows a new study that breaks down the best and worst places to group up in the United States–and depending on where you live, you might see financial success or hardship. (Note: There’s an interactive map that shows your current location and your child’s chances of income mobility.)
Based on the research, as a Baltimore native, I’m screwed.
While the study doesn’t focus solely on Charm City, given recent news, it does make sense why it’s highlighted. Growing up in Baltimore, I experienced first hand what frustrates many in the city. Yes areas like the Inner Harbor are lovely, but once you start heading away from tourist attractions and into local neighborhoods–particularly low-income–it’s a night-and-day situation. Many homes you see are condemned, there are more liquor stores than grocers, and children find other ways to entertain themselves with a lack of nearby resources. As much as I love my city, life was and is not always pretty.
One of the things I appreciate about studies like this is how it forces us to have a conversation about life in the United States and inequalities. It’s pretty obvious location can determine who can and will most likely achieve the “American Dream.” For the most part, low-income families are struggling to put food on the table and try to find ways to provide better opportunities for their children.
Should folks really be that surprised if those in a less fortunate situation aren’t able to reach certain heights as someone from a more privileged background?
Yet in the same breath, I don’t think people from these “worst places to grow up” should allow a study to define who they are and their potential. After reading this article, it easiest solution seems to be simply to move. “Every extra year of childhood spent in a better neighborhood seems to matter,” notes Harvard economist Nathaniel Hendren. Moving to a better location with more resources and a bigger income potential sounds great, but what happens when that’s easier said than done?
Even if we aren’t able to change our environment, we can make the choice to keep on fighting for a better life. This was something my parents instilled in me at a young age and still resonates with me today. Sure I might not be the next Oprah (maybe I will be!), but I have a really great life thus far with dreams accomplished and more on the way.
Thinking about this article makes me think about my younger sister who’s finishing up her sophomore year in college. Our mom started to experience an avalanche of financial hardships around the time she started middle school. There were months when we had a roof over our heads and times when we had to share a home with another family. Regardless of the blows sent our way, she kept a positive attitude and worked hard to do what she could to see better days. Now, she’s enrolled in the honors business program at Morgan State University and will graduate with no debt as her college is paid (tuition, books, and room and board) thanks to academic scholarships. This summer she has an out-of-state internship with a Fortune 500 company.
My husband and his family are also an example as they’re first-generation immigrants from a third-world country. Doing everything they could to save, his parents were able to save and help send each of their three children to colleges in the U.S.
Sure there will always be an “exception to the rule,” but at the end of the day, we only have one shot at this life to do and achieve the things we want. The question is not just where you’re from, but where you’re going.
