Sandra Golden was a member of the welfare system and pursued more than just a temporary check. Motivated by her family, Sandra advance in the welfare system to earn two masters degrees. Being a victim of the welfare system she was influenced to effectively evaluate the welfare system by examining single parent women on welfare. Although welfare is designed to help the people get to better places in life for their families by providing job training, there lies so many stereotypes within the system that strays it away from fulfilling it purpose. The women in Sandra study all had the same feelings about the welfare system, especially the case workers. Each woman felt disrespect because of the education level and never recognized for their other literacy’s. As Golden states in her piece more focus should be placed on the individual that is on welfare and be placed into jobs and programs that can give them progression in their life and sense of self worth. Many people stereotype the welfare system as those simply taking advantage and being lazy which causes discomfort for those who actually need the help and who are trying. Because of their lack of education, their social literacy’s are never recognized. Many of these women are leaders in their community and home. The ability to manage a household, budget and articulate well with others like their children’s teachers are other forms of literacy not recognized by the welfare system. If more time was put into the individuals, they could be more affectively placed into the proper programs applicable to them. Reform to the welfare system is needed. Most importantly the reform should come from within the people not concentrating on their weaknesses and not their strengths. An improvement on the individuals’ academic skills is mandatory. Targeting employers like hospitals, college and universities, banks, insurance companies, or programs that will help with furthering education and a career. If a system is corrupt and discouraging, those who are forced to be within the system will be discouraged. Especially for African American women, our self worth and self esteem in the work force should be re-evaluated.
-Courtney Sykes
i agree completely! YOU COULDNT HAVE PUT IT ANY BETTER! we need to figure this out soon or people are going to keep getting over on the system and that is absolutely unacceptable. our country does not have enough money as it is - we definitely dont have enough to be giving it to ppl who dont really need it!
ReplyDelete-Ashley Sims
I agree. The stereotypes that follow black woman and welfare are unacceptable. I understand that some people do abuse the system but all black woman should not be looked at as welfare abusers. Not only do we need to reform the welfare system, we need to change the stereotypes that surround black woman in the program.
ReplyDelete-Courtney Stewart