Community Independence Initiative

Today most poverty experts, of any color, have a very shallow understanding of life in poverty and they promote a view of low-income families, mostly people of color and women, as somehow deficient. These experts highlight only the data or stories that backs a deficit view of low-income families. This view bolsters racist’s stereotypes.

The global approach to social change has to be flipped. Currently Community Independence Initiative is helping system for the poor is based on charity, on well-meaning outsiders saving the poor. But stories, data, and research shows that the paternalism of charity slows progress and promotes racial stereotypes. It is actually a barrier to its own mission. A focus on weaknesses hides indigenous talent and potential. There are embedded solutions and leaders in the very communities these experts seek to help. If, instead, outsider efforts focused on the strengths of low-income families we would all see they are important contributors to society and as such we should invest in their talents, much as society provides means of investment to the rich.