The BW's Guide to Escaping Poverty

It's no secret that Black people know what struggle is. We've been struggling since we were brought to this continent and continue to do so. We have the freedom our slave ancestors didn't have but many of us aren't taking advantage of this freedom. I believe part of it is their is a system to keeping us down, in low paying jobs so we can fry the burgers and mop the floors that other people use. But among the Black community, especially the African-American community, there is a system to keep each other down! There is a theory called "crabs in a barrel". It's defined as a syndrome where a group of people hurt those in their community attempting to get ahead. The collective community becomes jealous so they find ways to pull others down so they can all stay at the bottom.

This applies to both genders but to Black women, we are ridiculed more for getting out of poverty/the hood because we are seen as the backbone. We are expected to birth Black babies, to take care of BM emotionally, sexually and financially and everything else. The community's problems are on our backs! Our girls are neglected and left to fend for themselves while we make excuse after excuse for BM, instead of teaching them to be real men. How many times have you heard someone accuse someone else of "trying to keep the Black man down" or letting a BM get away with doing horrible things by saying we can't "lock another brotha up"? How many times have you seen BM or even other BW defend a Black woman's femininity or her civil rights? How often do you see the Black community protecting our girls from rape, harassment and abuse? It's always our fault! 

It is time for Black women to take care of ourselves first. It's not our responsibility to solve all of the community's issues by ourselves. For the Black community to thrive, there needs to be equal effort from both sides and that's not going to happen soon. Trying to pull BM along on the rise is like pulling dead weight. There are good BM out there but it would be THE WISE THING TO DO WOULD BE TO FOCUS ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEPEND ON HANDOUTS, THE GOVERNMENT OR EVEN YOUR OWN HUSBAND. Being a strong, independent woman doesn't have to be a bad thing. It's good to be emotionally strong and financially independent.

*IF YOU ARE YOUNG, UNDER-EMPLOYED, AND/OR NOT MARRIED, HIGHLY SUGGEST NOT HAVING CHILDREN. THEY ARE EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING IF YOU AREN'T ALREADY FINANCIALLY STABLE. BY STABLE, I MEAN MAKING ENOUGH TO NOT WORRY ABOUT HOW TO MAKE ENDS MEET. ITS NOT SMART TO BRING CHILDREN INTO THIS WORLD IF YOU CANNOT EVEN TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY OR ESPECIALLY FINANCIALLY. BEING A SINGLE MOM IS NOT EASY SO DO NOT DO IT TO YOURSELF. YOU WILL BE SETTING YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILD UP FOR "THE STRUGGLE" AND THAT'S NOT FAIR TO THAT CHILD. BIRTH CONTROL IS FREE!!!!!*

STEP #1: Decide that you deserve better!

The BW's relationship with the inner city is like one of domestic violence. It mistreats you, degrades and abuses you yet you still stay. It could be that some women think that's where they belong! No one belongs somewhere that doesn't suit their needs. Or it could be that you are comfortable there. That's not a good excuse though because if you have not experienced different, how do you know where you belong? How do you know there's not a better place out there? I promise you there is. This is a big world filled with interesting places, people and things. Google "the wanderlust project". It's a blog ran by a black woman who teaches abroad in Asian countries. She is gaining life experience, learning and trying new things as well as meeting new people she would have never met here in America! BW like her are inspirational, not the cast of the RHOA! Lol You can do whatever you put your mind to and I know for sure BW are creative, resourceful and intelligent so there's no reason why you can't accomplish your goals if you put your heart into it.

STEP #2: Leave toxic situations/relationships.

It can be dangerous leaving people behind if they were doing you no good. There are countless stories of women leaving abusive relationships and getting murdered. Not just from romantic relationships but from family and friends. When I decided to go to college, my own family members tried to convince me not to; they wanted me to work and help pay bills while my brothers and male cousins lived at home (free of cost) and chased women and worked on their dreams to be rappers (I'm being dead serious). When I refused, I was tossed away and left to fend for myself at 17. It was a tough road doing it myself but I made it and so did many other BW. So can you!

Here are some resources:

Housing

http://coabode.org/ <---- Check this out if you are a single mother. You can share a living space with another single mother and save money/put your resources together to get out of your current situation.

http://www.thehotline.org/ or 1-800-799-7233<----for domestic violence victims. Please don't be afraid to get help. Your life (and children's lives) depend on it. There is help for you.

https://www.onecpd.info/homelessness-assistance/resources-for-homeless-persons/ <----resource for homeless or people at risk of being homeless

Also, local churches (mainly Catholic) help those in need, whether it is rent, food, shelter, etc. You do not have to be of faith but from what I've seen, some do expect you to attend church if you are living in their housing.

For young women, I highly suggest looking into programs like:

Jobcorps (http://www.jobcorps.gov/home.aspx) <--- housing, job training, helps with finding employment after training and will even pay for a year at community college (some campuses, not all)

Youth Build (https://youthbuild.org/) <--- I'm not sure if they provide housing but they work with low income youth so they probably have resources to seek housing for participants

California Conservation Corps (http://www.ccc.ca.gov/Pages/default.aspx) <--- they house and pay you to do environmental work. The pay is not the best but you get to gain job experience, knowledge of the environment, housing and a stipend.

 STEP #3: Obtain legal employment.

No matter how sucky the pay, you need money. An hourly job won't get you completely out of poverty but it could keep you off the street, keep your belly full and help you while you pursue a higher education.

Some places still use paper applications but technology is taking over. Here are some websites that posts vacant jobs:

craigslist.org

indeed.com

snagajob.com

monster.com

*Also, some companies don't post that they are hiring because they don't want to sort through a bunch of applications. Cold calling works too. Look up what companies are in your area, call to see if they are looking to hire or even go in and ask yourself.

Here are a list of companies that I know hire at 16 and up:

McDonald's

Forever 21

Panera Bread

Baskin Robbins

Marshall's/TJ Maxx

Papa John's

JcPenney

KFC

Boston Market

Einstein's/Noah's Bagels

Burger King

Arby's

Chick-fil-A

Jamba Juice

Walmart

Target

and many other fast food, retail places.

I'm not sure if these programs below provide housing but they are still FREE programs that provide work experience and a paycheck. They all have experience working with people from low-income backgrounds. There is an age limit, though. If you don't qualify they will most likely point you in the direction of some place that will help you with your trade, education, employment goals.

Americorps (americorps.gov)

City Year (cityyear.org)

Student Conservation Association (thesca.org)

STEP #4: Learn a trade!

Not only will having a certificate and/or an AA degree increase your pay but you can also work for yourself. You can get a certificate at a trade school but beware that for-profit schools are usually expensive and can be a scam. A local community college or apprenticeship can give you a certificate or AA at little to no cost. Chances are, if you are using this guide, you qualify for some sort of financial aid.

Here are some ideas/examples:

Cosmetology certificate-can be attained by attending a trade school, community college or through apprenticeship. With this certificate you can work in a salon, work from home or work for a cosmetics company at a beauty counter or store like MAC, Salon Centric, MACY's or Nordstrom. This trade has a stigma but there is a lot of money to be made in the beauty industry. After you gain some experience you can even own a beauty supply store (check your state's requirements for business licenses) or start your own hair care company. With social media nowadays, there are many ways to solicit customers.

Construction-this can be attained by community college or apprenticeship. I know what you are thinking: "A man's job?" It doesn't have to be! The labor union in the city of San Francisco encourages women and minorities to apply for the apprenticeship. So as a BW you definitely have a chance of getting it. It starts off at $22/hr and 40 hours a week and you get paid weekly. A friend of mine did it and even though she was capable of pulling her own weight on the work site, they trained her to be an elevator electrician. Her small size and flexibility (due to being a woman lol) helped her as an elevator electrician and she makes over $60/hr. She is is only 23!

Real estate-local community college or classes at Adult School. Lot's of people attempt this and fail. It's not for everyone but the information is useful to know. There's a lot of money in real estate, especially commercial real estate! After you finish your classes, I highly suggest seeking a mentor who works in a higher end market.

Here are some others:

Dental hygienist

Medical secretary

Paralegal

Web Developer

Court stenographer

Administrative Assistant

Notary

Insurance Agent

Bookkeeper

STEP #5: Set goals!

Now that you have gotten out of your current situation, it would be wise to ensure that you are never in the poorhouse/hood again. Saving money, no matter how small, is important in case of emergencies. Also, seeking higher education is very very important. Having an AA degree/certificate is good for getting a non-minimum wage job or starting a business but having at least a bachelor's or masters will not only increase your pay and employability but a college education helps you to become a well rounded person. If you like the current field you work in, you can obtain a degree in that field.

For example, you are a bookkeeper and love your job but want to move up. You can go to college and major in Finance or Accounting. That degree will widen your options, career wise.

If you are in the labor/construction field, you can get a business degree and own your own construction company. Or you could major in civil engineering and build communities in undeveloped areas or even move to a different country and work there!

The possibilities are endless with a college degree! It takes a lot of time and money to get one but it's possible. Don't stress yourself out. If you cannot afford to go full time, then you can attend class part time after work or take some of your classes online. Progress is progress. For help paying for it, there are scholarships, grants and even loans you can take out to help you.

Visit:

fafsa.gov

fastweb.org

STEP #6 Invest and save!

When you are living paycheck to paycheck it is impossible to save. Even people who have five or six digit incomes have a hard time saving because of the necessary expenses like rent, food, car notes, insurance, etc. Start off slow, like adding $1 to your savings account. Next week, $2, then $5, then $10.

Here are some tips:

-live with roommates. With the right people it will be more affordable. The extra money you have left over you can save or invest in other things, like going to college or buying reliable transportation or paying off a debt

-coupon. There are a myriad of resources available online. Just google "how to coupon" or "couponing for beginners"

-turn your hobby into a side job. If you are skilled in something, you can use it as an opportunity to make extra cash. Good with babies? Babysit on the evenings or weekends? Can you do makeup? Make a facebook page of your work and network for birthday, prom and wedding gigs. Get creative

-shop at discount stores and never pay retail price. If you must have it, buy it online and use websites like ebates.com or ebay.com or look for online coupons

-buy clothing at thrift stores in wealthier neighborhoods. They will have name brands like J. Crew or even designer clothing. I've found some brand new clothing that still had the tag on it

-look up consumer testing in your area. You can test snack as well as video games and receive payment for your participation. I have taste tested iced coffee, strawberry shortcake ice dream, granola and energy drinks for $50 each as well as playing video games for $75 gift cards. Be wary of skin products, though.

Currently, interest rates on savings accounts are at the all time low but it would be wise to research your options for savings accounts. I will do a post on this later but it won't hurt to take a trip to the library and read books about investments.

I hope this guide was useful for those of you looking for a way out of poverty. If you know someone who needs help, please send them this post. If you have any more ideas, leave a comment and I will add it to this post. Thank you!!!