Feminization of poverty

Dear, Neighbor:

Today, Mothers must actively take the lead in the movement against poverty inflicted violence. We must organize, lobby, march and demonstrate against violence, we who are mothers must be willing to appeal for multiracial unity. We must proclaim: we do not draw the color line when it comes to homicide.

 The only line we will draw is one based on our political principles.  We as mothers must become activist in our communities to stop senseless homicides. We must speak until our voices become hoarse. There is a need for federal and local laws to defend the unnecessary loss of life in poverty stricken communities.

Despite the obvious fact that the burden of poverty is borne by women of color, much of the public discussion regarding the “feminization of poverty” has concentrated on the “Nouveau poor” that is middle class white women whose poverty is a function of martial separation and divorce in typical fashion, the phenomenon of poverty was not recognized as a legitimate issue among women until it began to affect well-to –do white women.

I want to suggest to all women of color that we raise our voices about the triple oppression we suffer. If we unite with no color lines drawn, then we will not repeat mistakes of the past. Two out of every three poor adults are women, and one out of every five children is poor. Women head half of all poor families and more than half the children in female –headed households are poor. However, 68 percent of Black –Latino children in female –headed households is poor.

We must be aware of succumbing to the media’s propagandistic attempts to regulate young single mothers as a stigma for our community’s impoverishment. I want to suggest, that we link our grass roots organizing, to our involvement in electoral politics, and our concern as mothers to the long range goal of transforming socioeconomic conditions that generate and persistently nourish the various forms of oppression that women suffer. Our agenda must encompass a wide range of demands, with solutions; and effective strategies for the reduction of teenage pregnancy as needed.

We must not be afraid to adopt a revolutionary stance – if we wish to see radical changes, then we need to get to the root of our oppression. Let us forge a new agenda that addresses socioeconomic disparities so that the quest for political monetary profit will never be permitted to take precedence over the real interest of human beings.

I am a woman who has learned directly – and most profoundly what it means to attempt to survive in a society that determines its priorities as a function of corporate profits. 

This is not to say that our problems will dissipate, however, it will provide a platform to further extend our struggles, to help redefine the basic elements of oppression as rhetoric of the past. Mothers must take the lead in securing legislation declaring that homicide is a secondary affect of poverty.

Sandy Hook was not the only community affected by gun violence.

Martha Hood PhD