Who Are the "Have-Nots," Really?

Affluence separates people. Poverty knits 'em together. You got some sugar and I don't; I borrow some of yours. Next month you might not have any flour; well, I'll give you some of mine. – Ray Charles

This quote from the late, great Ray Charles really speaks to us – in part because it does such a good job of reminding us of the importance of not viewing people who may seem different from us with a deficit mentality.

Working with low-income children and families, it can often be tempting to focus on what people do not have – and on how they might be more successful academically, socially and emotionally, if their lives looked a bit more like ours.

But the truth is, we will be far more effective if we can recognize the strengths that exist in these families and communities and then empower the people there to build upon them in ways that work for them.

An example: One of the most admirable qualities we often find in low-income neighborhoods is exactly what Charles describes here – an amazing support network of people who are willing to help each other through times of need.

Really, it is not surprising that such a network is not as easily found in middle and upper class neighborhoods, because in those communities, people can more easily pay for things like childcare and transportation.

In lower income neighborhoods, valuable support networks often evolve through informal barter and trade systems, where one person provides a service for another individual or family and gets something in return when needed.

This is seen, for example, with car repairs.

In middle class neighborhoods, people are more likely to pay for a mechanic to repair a car. And if the car becomes too unreliable, it is replaced with a new one. But in low-income neighborhoods, people recognize that they may not be able to go to work or take family members where they need to go without transportation. And so they come to rely on each other, helping each other with repairs.

This sort of support network is an enviable one, especially to middle and upper-income families who may have made numerous moves in order to secure a better job or to gain new experiences.

So, next time you are in a community or with individuals who are different from you, we hope you will see the assets of the community – it is never really as simple, after all, as simply being a “have” or a “have not.”