Katrina Exposes Need For Legislative Policies That Make A Difference For All Classes



When Hurricane Katrina blew in it washed away more than homes, neighborhoods, and livelihoods. It also washed away the illusion of a classless society and left standing the stark fact that poverty continues to be a reality for more and more U.S. citizens; the numbers have shown growth for the fourth straight year. And, it exposed the ineffective ways we create and implement policies on poverty.

According to Philip E. DeVol, author of Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities, Hurricane Katrina serves as a metaphor for all people in poverty in the United States. 's8220;People in poverty weren's8217;t at the table there, and they aren's8217;t at the table in other cities and towns's8221; says DeVol. 's8220;To rebuild communities where everyone can do well we need an accurate understanding of poverty, a new definition of poverty and prosperity, and new principles for change.'s8221;

The lesson to be learned here is that we need the involvement of problem solvers from all economic classes at the table when working on community problems. 's8220;Each class has something to offer,'s8221; says DeVol. People in poverty are problem solvers who use sensory, concrete, and reactive skills to survive in an unstable, vulnerable environment. They are forced by their environment to live in the moment, but they are the experts on their own neighborhoods and use relationships to pull together the resources to get by. They can be very creative and ready to think imaginatively.

People in middle class, whose lives are more stable, use proactive skills, look to the future, and are skilled at planning and organizing. Schools, businesses, and government are run on middle-class rules and by middle-class people. People in wealth, whose environment is the most stable, are positioned to see the big picture, are problem solvers on a larger scale, and have ready access to the legislative process. They can influence change and set direction most effectively.

According to DeVol, 's8220;If we's8217;re going to survive hurricanes, create economic prosperity for everyone, and build sustainable communities, we must learn to understand each other.'s8221; People from all classes must learn about our differing economic environments, then learn the hidden rules of class that arise from those environments. Hidden rules are those subtle cues and habits of a group that let us know that we belong or not's8212;the rules that help us successfully navigate social and business situations. In so doing we can bring a broad understanding and mutual respect to the table.

It is equally important to understand the causes of poverty. Without that, our policies swing back and forth with the political winds. We need a comprehensive set of strategies that cover all the causes of poverty. DeVol notes that this research must factor behaviors of the individual, human and social capital in the community, exploitation of people in poverty, and political/economic structures. Research on the behaviors of the individual draws a correlation between poverty and issues such as single parenthood, broken families, addiction, language experience, and the lack of a work ethic. Human and social capital in the community draws a correlation between poverty and the quality of schools, job opportunities, wages, middle-class flight, social connectedness, and social coherence. The exploitation of people in poverty draws a correlation between poverty and unfair hiring practices, drug trafficking, and the many forms of predatory lending. And finally, political/economic structures draws a correlation between poverty and deindustrialization, economic disparity, the decline of the middle class, and corporate influence on legislators.

Community organizations and local, state, and federal officials must focus on all causes and effects of poverty, or we's8217;ll simply be repeating strategies that haven's8217;t worked. Victims of Katrina have the opportunity to develop a new future story for themselves and their community. If they don's8217;t get to the table to make sure that people in poverty are heard, the disaster will simply extend to another level.

Strategies that DeVol feels legislation needs to address are:

> Creation of stabilized communities that effectively addresses the day-to-day environment in which people in poverty live. And which allow those living in poverty to educate themselves so they can take responsibility for their lives.
> Providing affordable housing, accessible transportation and ready access to healthcare and childcare.
> Greater assistance and resources for people who are actively making the transition out of poverty..
> Assist community organizations to design systems that foster education and understanding of the hidden rules of class.
> Effective legislation to reduce and prevent predatory practices that exploit victims of poverty and disaster.
> Strengthen communities's8217; ways of defining, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on the quality of life by creating a Social Health Index that is given equal status with leading economic indicators and attended to in exactly the same way, with the same transparency, frequency, public exposure, and value.

's8220;Bringing together people from all classes to solve problems will be difficult and challenging's8221; says DeVol, 's8220;but it holds this promise: It will be a transforming experience for everyone who participates.'s8221;

Philip DeVol is a consultant for aha! Process, Inc. and co-author of Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities and Getting Ahead in a Just- Gettin's8217;-By World: Building Your Resources for a Better Life. To learn more about aha! Process, Inc. visit www.ahaprocess.com.





Katrina Exposes Need For Legislative Policies That Make A Difference For All Classes