The Journey Out Of Poverty
Poverty due to illness, job loss or other changing circumstances is often temporary. Generational poverty – two or more generations living in poverty – is by definition long term and encompasses a wide set of all-too-often ignored or discounted issues. People born to poverty face physical, emotional and sociological challenges to literacy, education and employment. In addition, childhood life-lessons differ greatly from those of the prevailing middle-class and often lead to misunderstandings and missed opportunities in professional relationships later in life.
On June 12, City Club welcomes Donna Beegle who will discuss what it means to grow up poor, the challenges to joining America’s middle class, and how to help move people out of poverty. A child of generational poverty herself, Donna Beegle left school for marriage at 15. By 25, she found herself divorced, homeless and raising two children. After earning her GED, she continued her studies and ultimately earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership at Portland State University. She is currently president of Communication Across Barriers, which works to improve communication and relationships across class, race, gender, and generational barriers.
