The Fuckery of Poverty

I am exceptionally tired.

But screw that. Let’s unpack this bullshit.

I’m currently homeless. As in, “I live in my damn car with two cats” homeless.

Living while poor sucks. And the way, this trash ass country is set up, it's designed to keep folks poor and to penalize them for it as well.

I’ll use myself as an example.

My credit is trash. I wasn’t taught financial literacy because my single mother was more focused on keeping me fed than FICO scores.

Ways the system fucks over poor people:

🚫 High Interest rates

I financed a seven year old Honda civic for $21,000 at a 21.5% interest rate. It was the only car loan I was approved for. This should be illegal. In case you missed it, 21.5%.

🚫 We are locked out of the housing market

Fuck a home loan, I can’t even rent. When I offer to pay in advance, they still say no. And lol, I can’t do that. I just like to hear their half assed excuses. If money isn’t the issue, then what is? Ah yes, I see you’ve tied my credit worthiness to my worth as a human...

🚫 We’re penalized if we can’t pay

Hospital bills, court fees and student loan debts can ruin us. If we’re unable to pay, we’re penalized with wage garnishments, excessive late fees and even jail time.

When folks don’t have money, we charge them more money. Make that make sense.

This garbage is systemic and ON PURPOSE.

Generational wealth in this country is stolen wealth. If you are white then know that you have benefitted from the unpaid labor of Black people. And if you come at me with “I’m white, poor and made it on my own” then sit your privileged ass down and Venmo a Black person.

Stop that. Go read a book. Start with The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist.

Poverty isn't a state we can free ourselves from by working harder or budgeting better. Under resourced folks are some of the hardest working people I know and we can budget down to the penny to make sure everyone is cared for. KNOW US.

All that to say, the next time you see a person struggling to exist in this capitalist society and you judge them, I'm gonna invite you to not.

Instead you can:

Help someone.

Ask them how you can be most supportive.

Find ways to advocate for systemic change in our society.

Don't talk shit, take action.