Poverty in Orlando

When considering social justice issues in Orlando Florida, one of the major concerns I have encountered is the number of people living in poverty.  The current Orlando Florida poverty level sits higher than the national average at 15.9% (Sebelius, 2013).  Recognized as The City Beautiful, Orlando has left many of its residents on the streets due to the cost of living and other socioeconomic factors.  Median rent in Orlando is $971 a month, which is 21% higher than the national average (Area Vibes, Inc, 2013). 

Minimum wage in Florida is $7.79 an hour (United States Department of Labor, 2013).  Simple math will lead you to the conclusion that a person who makes minimum wage and works a full 40 hours a week, every week out of the year, will make less than $15,000 annually before taxes.  If this said person is paying the average rent for an apartment in Orlando Florida, they will have a mere couple thousand dollars left over to cover the cost of transportation, food, child care, clothing, and other living expenses. 

Unemployment contributes to the number of people living in poverty.  As of August 2012, unemployment in Orlando was 8.7% (City Data, 2012).  Lack of education is also a contributing factor to low income households.  Roughly 82% of people aged 25 and older have just a mere high school education (City Data, 2012).  Lack of education contributes to the number of people who are forced to take minimum wage jobs.  Education is the key to economic self-sufficiency and breaking the cycle of poverty (Fight Poverty, 2006). 

Poverty increases the likelihood of crime, drug/alcohol abuse, and mental illness as well as a variety of other related factors (Poverties.org, 2013).  The cycle of poverty suggests that these issues are interrelated and do not normally occur on their own, making it hard to ever get out of poverty (Poverties.org, 2013).  The people who are impacted by poverty in Orlando are the men, women, and children who are unable to meet their basic needs due to various factors. 

So, who benefits by keeping people poor?  Political, economic, and social forces all contribute to the idea that there are benefits to having poor people.  It is said that poor people are less likely to vote to implement economic changes, are more likely to take dirty jobs, and are an important part of this society, which focuses on hierarchical order and the ability to compare individuals based on socioeconomic status (Gans, 2012).    

The goal of social work is to help people address their problems and match them with the necessary resources to function in a healthy way in this society, as is the case with individuals who are living in poverty.  According to the social work philosophy, “Peace is not possible where there are gross inequalities of money and power, whether between workers and managers, nations and nations or men and women” (National Association of Social Workers, 2013). 

In order to end poverty in Orlando, it would be beneficial for individuals to seek the support of local social service agencies.  Social workers need to address and assess the issues of crime, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and mental illness on an individual basis in order to eliminate the cycle of poverty and implement changes in this society.  I believe the most effective way to do this is by helping individuals overcome their personal obstacles rather than tackling poverty as a macro issue.  Helping one person get out of poverty can break the cycle and increase the likelihood that generations to come will avoid living in poverty. 

References

Area Vibes, Inc. (2013). Orlando, Fl Housing, Homes & Rentals. Retrieved from http://www.areavibes.com/orlando-fl/housing/

City Data. (2012). Orlando, Florida. Orlando: CityData.com.

Fight Poverty. (2006). Causes of Child Poverty: Lack of Educational Attainment. Retrieved from http://www.fightpoverty.mmbrico.com/reasons/educational.html

Gans, H. (2012). The Benefits of Poverty. Challenger Magazine, pp. 114-125.

National Association of Social Workers. (2013). Social Justice. Retrieved from NASW: http://www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/features/issue/peace.asp

Poverties.org. (2013). Causes and Effects of Poverty on Society, Children, and Violence. Retrieved from Research for Social and Economic Development: http://www.poverties.org/effects-of-poverty.html

Sebelius, K. (2013). Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines. Retrieved from Federal Registrar: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/01/24/2013-01422/annual-update-of-the-hhs-poverty-guidelines#t-1

United States Department of Labor. (2013). Wage and Hour Division. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm

Struggling with social work reality

Continually learning and maintaining a sense of cultural competency is crucial in culturally grounded social work, as I have been learning throughout my coursework in this graduate program.  Being aware of my own emotions and feelings and how they can be triggered by certain comments, situations, or actions is also important in determining how I interact with my environment.  Identifying what triggers my emotions, thoughts, and feelings will help to understand how I will act/react in any circumstance.   

One specific trigger that has impacted the way I interact with my clients and colleagues is the use of racial microaggressions.  In the past few months, the use of microaggressions in social work practice has become increasingly evident to me.   I find these microaggressions to be backhanded compliments which contribute to internalized oppression and continued stereotypes. Coming into this program, I expected a certain level of respect and cultural competency from my colleagues and peers, but this has not always been the case.  I have found that using these racial microaggressions is a way to display racism and is influencing the clients that get services.   I have also found that the language I use does not always take into account the feelings and emotions of others and how my words may trigger a reaction in another person.  I am beginning to understand the importance of monitoring the use of language in order to create an empowering environment for myself and my colleagues.  I am also speaking out when I hear something that is offensive.  I am also acknowledging that learning how to use language appropriately is a lifelong learning process and I am only at the beginning of my journey. 

When I hear someone using a microaggression, I become stressed out, angry, disappointed, and annoyed.  When I have encountered this situation, I have become angry with the person for being so offensive.  I have a hard time understanding why individuals choose to use the language they do, knowing that their words are not empathetic and they are contributing to continual systems of oppression.  I then become annoyed and disappointed with the person and stop listening and placing any value in what they have to say.  Overall, the whole situation stresses me out and makes me frustrated. 

I think I react in an unhealthy way because I set my expectations for every person the same and don’t always take into consideration their environment and upbringing, which influences the way they interact with the world.  My own experiences influence my interactions with people and sometimes when triggered, it is easy for me to forget that each person carries their own personal experiences and biases. 

These reactions certainly get in the way of how I interact with my clients and colleagues.  It is not healthy or realistic to shut down and ignore a person because I do not agree with what they are saying all the time.  Becoming annoyed and discouraged will destroy the healing environment that I seek to maintain in my practice setting.  I know these incidents are opportunities to learn and grow and I should not let my emotions cloud my thinking to the point where I shut down. 

I first need to manage my thoughts and emotions by acknowledging them.  Understanding what triggered an emotion or feeling in order to change my thought process and not get offended.  Becoming offended is just a defense mechanism and is not an adaptive way to handle a trigger.  Being mindful of the situation and taking into consideration my place of privilege and how that impacts the way I view the world will help me to lessen the effects of reactions to any trigger.  I also need to acknowledge that being sensitive is okay, but managing those emotions is critical.  If I put these changes into practice, I can excel in social work.