The co-optation of discourses related to oppressions by the rich has proven to be a salient tool in dismantling poor or working-class solidarity. The endorsements of Michael Bloomberg, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, and Andrew Yang for presidential candidate Joe Biden is an act of class solidarity. However, when Elizabeth...
Tag: poverty
Post
“Checking On Your Friends” Isn’t Enough to Prevent Suicide
Our current systems are unjust, cruel, and harmful. As individuals, we can support our friends in crisis. But there are so many other factors that must be part of the conversation. TW: suicide, mental illness, police interaction, threat of sexual violence By Nylah Burton In November 2019, after months of struggling with intense suicidal ideation...
Post
In The Saturated Space of Food Writing, We Have Lost That Food is Political
Colonialism, caste, and capitalism are essential to understanding Indian food. Not only with regard to what is eaten, but also who gets to eat it. By Madhuri Sastry Food is having a real moment — from documentaries to memoirs to artfully curated Instagram accounts. It even found its way into Kamala Harris’ campaign strategy, when...
Post
Poor People Deserve Nice Things
Poor people are expected to wake up, grind as hard as possible, spend as little money as possible, complain about nothing, and go to bed. Amidst the holiday shopping sales and frenzy, I decided to treat myself to a necklace I’d been eyeing for a while. It was $180 — normally a cost that is...
Post
PARASITE, The Horror of Poverty and The Importance of Class Solidarity
Parasite is a visceral, realistic lesson on the importance of class solidarity, commenting on the cyclical violence of poverty, and demonstrating why we must rise above the scarcity myth. CW: This article contains spoilers for the film Parasite By Roslyn Talusan It took me a couple of days to recover after seeing Parasite last week....
Post
Billionaires, Bill Gates and The Scam That Is Philanthropy
Masquerading as a form of benevolence, philanthropy continues to be a useful form of tax evasion for the mega-wealthy actively fighting against true equity. Philanthropy is an anti-democratic institution that exists as a smokescreen and as the elite’s preferred private market mechanism to supposedly save the world from a variety of evils, in particular, poverty. ...
Post
From Lebanon to Chile, Protesters Are Uniting Against The Ruling Class
In Chile, Iraq, and Lebanon, people have put aside their sectarian and ethnic differences to fight back against corrupt, capitalist systems of oppression. CW: mentions of police/ government brutality, mentions of sexual violence, death “Thawra! Thawra! Thawra!” As you watch videos of the Lebanese uprising, you can hear protesters call for revolution in the streets...
Post
Mo’Nique’s Integrity Throws A Spotlight On Steve Harvey’s Lack Of It
Harvey has shown us time and again his investment in Black capitalism, in catering to the white gaze, and his disdain for Black women Yesterday, a clip from Steve Harvey’s talk show went viral. In it, he overtalks and chastises Mo’Nique for the way she has spoken out about being disrespected and blacklisted in the...
Post
I Do Not Have The Same 24 Hours As Beyoncé
For those of us who live below or at the poverty line, our 24 hours are very different from the wealthy. You may be learning increasingly about capitalism and the ways in which it touches every aspect of our lives, especially with regards to student loan debt, healthcare and stagnating wages. There are efforts around the...
Post
I Adopted Someone Else’s Kid When I Was 24
When I took her in, it was only supposed to be temporary. But then her mom became homeless, and I was able to give her a stable place to grow up. (The author of this article wishes to remain anonymous) This is a true story about motherhood, so naturally it will not be about me....