Poverty? Your Problem.

Blame the Rhode Island Affordable Housing Bond for sending me officially over the edge. The referendum called for $25 million to fund the construction or renovation of about 600 affordable housing units statewide. It got approved alright. By the smallest margin of all the referendums. Why? Because no one gives a shit about poor people.

Barrington, Foster, North Smithfield and West Greenwich, thank you for proving my point. For those of you who don't call the Ocean State home, what these communities share is the luxury to be removed from the situation. In other words: Not my problem.

The percentage of people voting to reject the affordable housing bond in these communities was, respectively: 54.2%, 51.2%, 54% and 50.6%. (November 7, Providence Journal).  How does this compare with the child poverty rate? Pretty darn directly. According Kids Count, the 2006-2010 stats, per respective community, are: 2.4%, 3.1%, 5.6% and 9.3%. But in Providence? My  'hood? The child poverty rate clocks in at 35.6%. Let that marinate for a second. Over one third of the kids living in the capital city live under the poverty line. Here, the bond got approved by 80.5%.

Go figure.

Newsflash: This IS your problem. This is my problem. This is everyone's problem.

The mindset we've created in this state, where fake casinos have become the third largest source of tax revenue--your problem. (Trust. No one's going to confuse Twin River with Foxwoods. Ever.) The culture created where big money goes to a washed-up major league pitcher to create fantasy jobs--your problem. That the 'affordable' in-state university now costs $10K + for tuition alone--your problem. The fact that I've recently counseled four young people in my community about getting a GED--all your problem.

And what do these 'poor people' have in common with you? Humanity for sure. A desire to do better. And yes, economics. I was recently floored by a point made by Race 2012 on PBS that presented a concept that should change the tide of opinion, and needs to be re-broadcast. Loudly, even though it's strictly financially based and a sad commentary that money always commands attention, especially over social reform.

So, hear this:  Those uneducated young people that have no place in your world? Those 'poor, poor people' that you manage to avoid on the daily, so you won't catch something from them? Someday in the not so distant future, you're going to need them. That's right. This young generation, currently deemed as disposable, are someday going to be the ones to finance YOUR social security.

I repeat. Your problem.

The amazing thing about poverty is that it's just a symptom. It's not a lifestyle choice. It's not a grand aspiration. It's not a death sentence. And the solution? Shockingly easy. Education. For all. So can we just commit to doing our part to help?

As I was feverishly typing this, my husband recruited me for a mentoring opportunity at Rhode Island College, called Learning for Life. Its mission? To provide support to help first generation college students stay in school and obtain their degrees.

No accidents. I'm in.

And you?

March Madness

Gimme some stats University of Rhode Island.

Not the overall record of Jim Baron in his eleven years as head coach of the men's basketball team: 184-166. Not the times that Baron was awarded Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year: Three. Not the number of seasons that he coached his team to twenty plus wins: Six.

I don't want to hear about this year's losing record, during a time of complete and total team rebuilding: 7-24. And please don't bring up the amount still owed to Baron, to be paid in addition to the salary for an incoming coach: One million bucks.

What I want to know, as an alumni of URI, is the number of players that not only stayed in school during Baron's tenure, but graduated, you know, with a college degree.

Call me silly, but isn't that the true objective of an institute of higher learning? That all students, athletes or not, achieve a quality education? Coach Baron got it. He understood the importance of not only obtaining an advanced degree, but using basketball as a means to get it done.   

URI leadership? Not so much.

"Right or wrong, a Division I basketball program these days is judged on, 'Did you make the tournament or didn't you'," said University of Rhode Island athletic director Thorr Bjorn in Monday's Providence Journal.

Wow. So, with that, we'll be seein' ya, Coach Baron. Nothing personal. It's just business.

But it shouldn't be.

Coach Baron did a rare thing during in his tenure at URI; he conditioned his players to see hoops as a jumping off point for life. And in a culture based on instant gratification and impatience, yeah, much like that displayed by the URI top brass, ready to judge the success of their program on a single NCAA appearance, Baron showed true character.

It could have been a great moment for you, URI--an opportunity to change a bit of college sports culture.

But you, like so many before, blew the call.

In-State Tuition--No Green Card Required

There's certain things that I just don't understand in this life. The mass appeal of sit-coms. How an all white church in rural Kentucky recently banned mixed-race couples, then claimed they weren't racist. And why, in Rhode Island, there's so much anger towards a recent policy granting illegal immigrant students in-state tuition at our local colleges.

Seems to me, that our goal is to have an educated population. You know, so we can attract some industry and further tick down this ridiculous unemployment rate, which according to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, stands at 10.4 percent for October 2011.

I have lived in Rhode Island my whole life. Don't cry for me Argentina. I think that it's a pretty special place to call home, with miles of beaches, a creative capital city, dedication to historic preservation and outstanding eats. The sad part is that not everyone who wants to stay, can. And as the unemployment rate continues to climb, so does my long distance phone bill.

Part of the problem is that Rhode Islanders are very routed in tradition. This works when we're sipping a Del's lemonade along the sidelines of the Bristol 4th of July parade, but not so much when we're trying to keep our economy from completely tanking into Narragansett Bay.

Yes, the industrial revolution did start here, thank you Samuel Slater, for building the first successful water powered cotton spinning mill in North America on the banks of the Blackstone River in 1793. And, truth is, that industrial jump off carried us quite far, even through my early childhood growing up in Pascoag. The prosperity of the mills in my small hometown created a vibrant downtown with a jewelry store, clothing boutique, hardware store, paint and paper shop, a furniture store and two department stores.

But no more. My childhood Main Street? Partially demoed, with a tackle shop laying claim as the industry. We are one depressed state.

So why doesn't education seem like a good thing--for anyone who wants to work hard for it? There's no free rides here; the application process is the same as it is for native born students. First, you have to be accepted into college in order to attend. And once enrolled, all those requirements for success are the same: study hard, don't party too much and get up for that eight o'clock class.

The only difference for children of illegal immigrants next September, comes from the bursar's office, as they become eligible for in-state rates. And there are stipulations. They must have attended a high school in the state for at least three years and graduated or received a GED. Students must also commit to seek legal status as soon as they are eligible, or lose their resident tuition. Seems fair to me.

So, which part of this should make me angry? I can't help thinking that the real issue is one of keeping people in their place, because the truth is, there's a very real possibility oh, ye, of no degree, that you're going to be somehow edged out by this non-white immigrant population attending your state school.  A possibility? Sure. But, in your linear thinking, you're not considering two things: a) Is the solution really to keep everyone down together? and b) If it bothers you so much, how about you go out and get that college degree yourself?

Personally, I'm thrilled by the progressiveness of our state. I understand the gifts brought by diversity. I'm willing to bet that this small piece of kindness, offered up by the people of Rhode Island, will create a fierce loyalty to the state, by those it benefits.

Like Brian.

My husband met Brian during his work as a juvenile probation officer. Indeed, Brian was an illegal immigrant, but all things considered, he had a pretty decent reason. He was trying to escape his life serving as a teenage soldier in the Guatemalan army, with who he had fought at the age of fourteen.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Brian did well here. His probation? For a minor issue that was quickly resolved. He truly appreciated and took advantage of the limited opportunities available to him, graduating from high school, with an intense desire to go to college. Only he couldn't, so back to Guatemala he went. And guess what? I still hope that someday, he returns.

And while I'm sorry that Brian may have missed this opportunity to continue his education in Rhode Island, I'm certain that there are many students, with a story like his, that will make our state a richer place--way, way beyond any financial bottom line.