Louisiana has its share of problems.
Talking about problems and solving them are two different things.
The statistics are depressing -- bringing up the rear on the good and leading the way in the bad. Louisiana ranks 49th in the number of people living in poverty. Louisiana ranks 50th in healthy lives. We're No. 1 in infant mortality.
And what's the connecting factor?
Poverty.
People talk about Louisiana's problem with poverty all the time.
But two English teachers at Carencro High decided to do what they could to change the cycle of generational poverty.
Jessica Grogan and Gretchen Donham studied for certification in Ruby Payne's fundamentals of understanding poverty -- and are using the so-called "hidden rules" to change the lives of their students, fellow teachers and the community at large.
By listening to their students, even the most hardened cynic would have to believe something right is happening.
"I brought all my grades up because of her -- and it made me feel good about myself. Some people might say I'm bragging, but it made me feel very, very ecstatic," says 16-year-old Shelby Schexnayder, with a little smile of pride at the use of the word "ecstatic."
The smile is not lost on her teacher.
"Good word choice," says Grogan.
Schexnayder is a student in Grogan's 9 a.m. English class. "Last year, I got all F's. When you don't have a lot of other people who care, a teacher like Ms. Grogan gives you hope."
The class is small -- only eight students. They're eager to share.
"You can still be generational poverty, but when you come to school, you leave the generational poverty at home," 15-year-old Phillip Lewis says.
Anthony Solomon wants to put in his 2-cents worth.
"You got to make a switch. You've got to leave the stuff of home at home," he says.
Delvin Shillow, an 18-year-old senior in Donham's class, says he sees the difference knowing the hidden rules has made in his life.
"Some of the things we've talked about have changed my whole life. It was never broken down for me before. I didn't even know what class I was in or what class I'd like to be in. It's opened my eyes," Shillow says.
He rattles off some of the things he's learned.
"Yelling is not cool. And the middle class is definitely the hardest working class. They don't have all the money, but they know they can be proud of what they do," he says.
On Oct. 30, about 50 community leaders -- including City-Parish President Joey Durel, Chamber of Commerce Chairman-elect Robbie Bush, United Way's Angela Morrison, past Chamber chairman and attorney Gary McGoffin, LEDA's Brett Mellington and many others -- gathered in the 12th floor board room of Iberia Bank to hear Grogan and Donham's presentation on understanding poverty.
The irony of the setting and the topic of discussion was not lost on some attendees.
The event was sponsored by The Bridge Ministry of Acadiana. Connie Sanders, executive director of The Bridge, introduced Grogan and Donham and their presentation on understanding poverty. The teachers use personal anecdotes, Payne's material, a PowerPoint presentation and video to get their points across.
The basic idea: Payne's theory depends on understanding the three distinct classes of Americans -- generational poverty, middle class and wealth. The teachers take time and energy to explain that the characteristics of each class relate to socioeconomic problems -- not race or ethnicity. The idea behind the hidden rules is that each class values different characteristics and operates using a different set of rules.
Nelson Warner says the concept is used by volunteers at The Bridge to help better understand the community they're working in.
"You come into the value clash -- and you don't understand it and they don't understand it," Warner says. "They're looking at you thinking, 'You don't get it.' You're looking at them and thinking, 'You don't get it.'"
Payne's ideas are helpful in providing common language so people from different classes can communicate more effectively and avoid misunderstandings.
For example, in generational poverty, entertainment is greatly valued. Clearly, people living in generational poverty are looking for something to take their minds off their troubles. They highly value family members and classmates with strong senses of humor. They generally live in a small home with a large and loud television and entertainment system -- that's almost always on. When they speak to each other, they speak in loud voices to be heard over the television or music -- or both.
When they come to school, they use the same voice level.
And that's part of the problem.
Schools and workplaces operate on middle class rules.
"Yet, the majority of our students live in generational poverty," says Donham.
So the English teachers have set out to teach their students -- and train other teachers to do the same -- how to navigate the ropes of achieving outside their socioeconomic level. Yet, they stress that in doing so, they're not asking students to forget the rules that work for them at home.
They're two of 25 Louisianians who have been certified in Payne's training since 1998. These two teachers are doing what they can to teach their students an additional skill to improve their lives.
"You need to learn this or do this so that you will be in control, will be smarter, will win more often, won't be cheated and will be safe when you are old," Grogan explains. "Heroes in poverty are people who beat the system."
For some people in the room, the concepts aren't necessarily new -- but the conglomeration of thoughts and common vocabulary are powerful.
Tony Gordon, vice-president of Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, says the presentation was enlightening for him.
"I am a product of poverty, but I never knew I was poor because there were people around me in worse shape than we were. I could relate to a lot of what those teachers were saying. I've never had a book summarize some of the things you already know," he says. "What they're doing needs to be replicated. While they're doing a lot, there needs to be more."
He was particularly impressed with the work The Bridge is doing.
"I didn't know those people were doing those things in the Four Corners area," he says. "And they're actually doing things. Not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. I was impressed and have already begun to help get additional funding for The Bridge."
At one point in the presentation, a slide appears that reads: "Two things help one move out of poverty -- education and relationships."
"If they don't have a relationship with someone, they will not get out of poverty," Donham says.
Greg Davis, executive director of the Cajundome, says he was impressed with the presentation and believes the school system needs to give Grogan and Donham the capacity to affect more lives.
"I think they are on the money," he says. "That needs to be incorporated into professional development training in public education throughout Louisiana. About 84 percent of students in the public education system in Louisiana are children of poverty."
But he says Acadiana's problem doesn't lie only in a lack of understanding.
"Even more disheartening than that, there's a substantial amount of apathy," Davis says. "It's going to closely undermine the quality of life here in Lafayette Parish -- as it's doing in Baton Rouge and has done in New Orleans. What's very disheartening to me is the amount of apathy in our community about the very serious problem of poverty."
Davis says the presentation demonstrates "that if there's a will, it is possible to address the problems of poverty. To the extent that we choose not to do so and ignore it and shove it in our communities so that it's out of sight, out of mind, it's going to undermine the quality of life for everyone in this area. I offer up New Orleans -- even as it was pre-Katrina -- as the shining example."
At the end of the two-hour presentation, Patrick Trahan, Iberia Bank's vice-chairman for the Lafayette market, takes the podium.
"Just imagine if we ever got this right. If we got it even half right, think what we could change," he says. "What these ladies have taught me is it's not so much reading, writing and arithmetic, it's the rules. We've been talking a long time about the same stuff. ... Let's try something different."
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About Bridge Ministry
The Bridge Ministry of Acadiana does not have a fancy office. "You've got to go where the problem is. To have a service organization outside of it -- they're not going to go to it," says Nelson Warner, one of The Bridge founders. "Your pronouns change. Instead of them, it's ours."
The Bridge is located in a small wood frame house on the other side of the tracks -- literally. The tracks are a child's stone throw from the front door.
"We offer tutoring and homework help, youth and adult Bible studies, one-on-one mentoring, Boy Scouts, a men's group and more," says Connie Sanders, executive director of The Bridge.
The faith-based non-profit was formed five years ago. Warner says he and other organizers traveled around visiting different groups attempting the same goal, in search of a model that worked. They found their model in the Christian Community Development Association.
"What we found basically was you've got to move into the neighborhood," Warner says. "The model we copied began by a man named John Perkins. It began in Mendenhall, Miss. They had the same dropout rate that we have. They've started a school and have a 95 percent graduation rate now."
Warner says The Bridge organizers have not ruled out the possibility of starting a similar school.
"We're working on our five-year plan. We definitely haven't shut the door on that. We're probably going to be moving there in years to come -- probably will take two to three years of planning," he says.
Warner estimates that about 125 people volunteer each semester in one capacity or another at The Bridge. He laughs as he explains his current role in The Bridge.
"I quit working in geology to do this. I'm on staff full-time unpaid. They get a lot of bang for the buck, but it's hard to fire me, too," he says. "What's my motivation? Originally, it was fatherless boys. I just can't stand it. They don't have the role models to grow up and become men."
His original motivation remains a part of his personal mission at The Bridge. He says the Wednesday night men's group offers occasional affirmations from the community The Bridge serves.
"The older guys -- they get it. But the younger ones," and his voice drifts away. "These inner city kids didn't have men in their lives. That just really gets you in the game of life -- that holy discontent. It wasn't a black and white thing."
And why does Warner continue to devote his life to doing what he can to improve the lives of others?
"I don't want to get too religious -- the holy discontent got me in the game, but the real reason I stay is love. I knew I needed it, but I didn't realize I needed to love others instead of criticizing," he says. "It all has to end in love, or we're just wasting our time. We're getting so disconnected in society now that we just don't know each other. As those disconnects happen, trust goes down, and crime goes up."
-- Jan Risher
Community Solutions 2007 Online:
United Way and Louisiana Association of Non-profit Organizations have partnered together to present Community Solutions 2007.
"Until we look at the stark reality of what it means to be poor in Louisiana, and work to end poverty, we will never have the state that all our citizens deserve," reads their Community Solutions 2007 newsletter.
Margaret Trahan, United Way of Acadiana's president and CEO, says the community conversation prompted by the open Community Solutions meetings has changed her perspective.
"I think the term working poor has a new meaning for me," she says. "I think too often the programs we have are flawed. They're not necessarily designed for the poverty mindset."
Trahan says the three biggest areas to address to change the cycle of generational poverty are: Education, health and financial stability. But Community Solutions is not about talking about the problem of poverty -- it's about getting to the root of it and doing something about it.
"Until we address the real issues of poverty, we're stuck," says Angela Morrison, United Way of Acadiana's chief programs officer.
From her work in the region and the Community Solutions conversations, Trahan says she's learned that there's a practical connector keeping many from getting out of poverty.
"Transportation is the No. 1 issue. There's a workforce out there, but they can't get to work," Trahan says. "We absolutely have to address our transportation problems as a region. It's not just about Lafayette. It's also about making sure the people in Breaux Bridge and Crowley can get to where they need to be."
The other barrier is information.
Morrison says the 211 call for help could make a real difference in helping get information to people who need it.
"When your house is on fire, you call 911. After the fire is put out, you call 211 to find where you go next," Trahan says.
In essence, 211 connects people to hundreds of services available to them -- services many people have no idea are out there or that they qualify for.
"211 is the link between a person's crisis and the rest of the service sector -- any kind of personal crisis, that's where you go. A family who has faced suicide -- whether adult or child -- can call. They'll ask questions to find out what the person really needs," Morrison says. "211 needs to be available 24/7, and now it's not."
A lack of information perpetuates the cycle of poverty. Trahan and Morrison believe 211 could assist in the process of getting information to people who qualify for earned income tax credits. Many who qualify for earned tax income credits don't take advantage of credit that could mean real money in their pockets -- especially in Lafayette Parish.
A tax credit is a dollar for dollar reduction in the amount of taxes a taxpayer owes. LANO is pushing for Louisiana to adopt a state EITC, available to everyone claiming a federal EITC.
--Jan Risher
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