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Classism

Got Netflix and a Coffee? Classist and Clueless New York Times Readers Chime In

June 30, 2020 by Nicole Braun 2 Comments

by Nicole Braun “How in the world can you have no savings? At one time in my life I made less than $20k a year and was still able to save 3 months of living expenses. True…the 4th month would’ve brought challenges but I was still able to save. People (especially the uneducated) live WAYYYY […]

Filed Under: Class in the Media, Clueless classism, Online Classism, Poverty

The Nonprofit Inferiority Complex and Why We Need to Lose It Now

May 4, 2020 by Jonathan Spack Leave a Comment

Here’s a thought exercise you can use to test yourself for the dreaded Nonprofit Inferiority Complex, the internalized idea that nonprofit work is inherently less valuable than other forms of wage labor. How do you feel about the following statements with respect to community-based nonprofits?  1 = strongly disagree; 2 = disagree; 3 = maybe; […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Classism, Classism in Diversity Work, Classism in Everyday Life, Classism in Progressive Movement Groups, Classism in social services, Classism in the Economy

Are You Asking the Right Questions?

April 13, 2020 by Jonathan Spack Leave a Comment

A crisis may not seem like the most convenient moment to take stock, but it can be an opportune one – if we take advantage of the opportunity.  U.S. society will be profoundly different post-pandemic. What that new order will look like is up for grabs. Nonprofits are positioned to lead the way to a […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class cultures, Classism, Classism in Everyday Life, Classism in Politics, Classism in the Economy, Politics and Class

College Amplifies Advantages & Disadvantages

March 30, 2020 by Betsy Leondar-Wright Leave a Comment

Here’s some bad news for all of us who strive to get more working-class first-generation students into and through college: college is not an effective leveller. Class inequalities persist even among graduates of ‘good’ colleges. Expanding opportunities for higher education is ineffective if advantaged students graduate with even greater advantages, and if disadvantaged graduates still […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class in Higher Education, Classism, Classism in Everyday Life, Classism in the Economy, First Generation College Students, Internalized classism

Thoughts on Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope by Kristoff and WuDunn

February 7, 2020 by Will Meyer Leave a Comment

An essay adapted from Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope, the new book by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, appeared in the paper’s Sunday Review section on January 9th. Focusing on “deaths of despair” occurring in the Oregon county where Kristof has roots, the piece tries to square common tropes about how […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class in Literature, Class in the Media, Classism, Cultural capital, Dismantlng Classism

Noticing Inequalities: An Owning Class Student’s Journey to Class Awareness

January 31, 2020 by Class Action Leave a Comment

By Sophie Hatcher-Peters I grew up in North Carolina as a preacher’s kid. My maternal grandfather was a Presbyterian minister in the bible belt, and my mother is an ordained minister and religious studies professor. I was raised in a small, predominantly white Presbyterian church – I remember being a child, getting ready for church […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class cultures, Classism, Classism in Everyday Life

Celebrating Survival: The Experience of Being Working Class During the Holidays

January 31, 2020 by Class Action Leave a Comment

By Anastasia Lynge Anyone who knows me well knows that the two most difficult days of the year for me are holidays – specifically Thanksgiving and Christmas. I typically spend these days hiding away in bed, watching bad TV, and sleeping until I can rest assured that I’ve made it through another round of winter […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class cultures, Classism, Classism in Everyday Life

Untold Stories: Bringing Class into the Classroom

December 17, 2018 by Adj Marshall Leave a Comment

By: Adj Marshal and Betsy Leondar-Wright Students often respond with confusion to questions about social class—not surprising given the common assumption that the US is a “classless society.”  The fog surrounding class stratification makes it difficult to teach about economic inequality. Why is class so challenging to teach about? Compared with race or gender, class […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class in Higher Education, Classism, Classism in Higher Education, Classism in K-12 Education

Class, Race and the Trump Administration

August 9, 2018 by Class Action 1 Comment

A May 2018 report by Philip G. Alston, a U.N. special rapporteur, examines poverty in the United States. The report findings were based on 40 detailed written submissions and Alton’s in-person meetings with government officials at all levels; members of Congress; nonprofit and religious leaders; academics; indigenous people living in poverty in several U.S. states. […]

Filed Under: Class prejudice, Classism, Classism in Politics, Classism in the Economy, Clueless classism, Institutional racism, Internalized classism, Race and Class

Thank You for Being on Time

July 11, 2018 by Nicole Braun 2 Comments

A few months ago, I made an appointment at the low-income clinic to see their therapist. I was hoping to find someone to listen to me – so I could hear my own voice better. The nurse practitioner suggested this as an option since I don’t make much money teaching part time. When I arrived, […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class and health, Class prejudice, Classism, Classism in social services, Clueless classism, Health care access, Internalized classism Tagged With: classism, health care, stereotypes, working class

Happy Day Before Payday!

July 9, 2018 by Kari Fisher Leave a Comment

While summer 2018 has been a scorcher, the high for February 1st and 2nd made it to 11º in Kari Fisher’s hometown in Minnesota, and single digits reigned during both school days. I got the email from one of my son’s high school teachers while I was teaching and didn’t have a chance to read it […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Classism in Everyday Life, Classism in K-12 Education, Clueless classism, Internalized classism, Poverty, Your Stories Tagged With: class cluelessness, kids, low-wage jobs, money, public school

Why Do You Want to Be Poor?

July 5, 2018 by Alejandro Villa Vasquez Leave a Comment

Growing up poor on Long Island builds character. While trying to balance personal responsibilities with maintaining a GPA high enough to make myself a competitive candidate for scholarships and college admissions, I found that I could make several distinct dinner recipes from just adobo seasoning, week-old produce and recooked meat products. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was necessary. It […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class in Higher Education, Class prejudice, Cultural capital, Dealing with privilege, First Generation College Students, Poverty Tagged With: academia, class cluelessness, class cultures, classism, first generation college students, poverty, privilege, Rationalizing privilege, working class

The Case for the Maximum Wage

June 7, 2018 by Sam Pizzigati 1 Comment

For classist put-downs, a maximum wage just may be the ultimate antidote. How raw can class contempt get? Take a look at the venom that oozed out earlier this spring from Ronald Havner, the CEO of Public Storage, America’s biggest self-storage company. This year, for the first time ever, enterprises like Public Storage have had […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Building Economic Alternatives, Class prejudice, Classism, Workplace classism Tagged With: blaming the victim, classism, owning class, privilege, Rationalizing privilege, super-rich

The Prosperity Gospel and Classism

May 1, 2018 by Andy Pope 1 Comment

As a Christian and a formerly homeless person, I have seen how classism seems to run rampant in American Christianity. This is especially evident in what is often called the Prosperity Gospel. The Prosperity Gospel, in short, is a particularly inviting deception that equates spiritual blessings with material success. Of course, it is entirely conceivable […]

Filed Under: Class prejudice, Classism, Religion and Class Tagged With: consumerism, poverty, privilege, Rationalizing privilege

Janus v AFSCME:

February 24, 2018 by Bill Fletcher Jr. Leave a Comment

What the Supreme Court May Strip from Workers The roar of the approaching storm can be both heard and felt in workplaces across the United States. The prospects inherent in a much anticipated – and in many places feared – Supreme Court decision in the case Janus v AFSCME has the political Right giddy. Among […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class prejudice, Classism, Classism in Politics, Classist Corporations, Corporate power, Labor movement, Politics and Class, Workplace classism Tagged With: blaming the victim, labor law, low-wage jobs, privilege, teachers unions, union-bashing

Malnourishment: A Case Study on U.S. Food Insecurity

February 15, 2018 by Nicole Braun 2 Comments

The final report of the 1996 World Food Summit states that food security “exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture agrees – at least in theory. […]

Filed Under: Building Economic Alternatives, Class prejudice, Classism, Classism in Everyday Life, Classism in Politics, Classism in social services, Classism in the Economy, Poverty, Systemic Classism Tagged With: blaming the victim, budget cuts, low-wage jobs, poverty, public services, stereotypes

Addressing Food Insecurity on Campus

February 15, 2018 by René Franceschini Leave a Comment

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecurity at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) had been both poorly understood and oftentimes neglected until very recently. I think the overwhelming view of the administration was that students were, in general, […]

Filed Under: Building Economic Alternatives, Class in Higher Education, Classism, Classism in Higher Education, Cross-class alliances, Money Tagged With: academia, activism, community organizing, education, money

Mirroring Administrative Attitudes: One Year Into Trump’s Rhetoric

January 29, 2018 by Ashley May 1 Comment

Kalkaska, or Trout Town USA, is a picturesque northern Michigan town touting a population of just over 2,000. Located in the snow belt with its Trout Festival and Winterfest the area offers a modest place for a modest life. Growing up there and graduating in 2009, life seemed simple enough. Of extremely modest means, my […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class prejudice, Classism, Classism in Politics, Classism in the Economy, Electoral politics, Politics and Class, Religion and Class Tagged With: bullying, classism, immigrants, stereotypes, working class

Trump Supporters: Why Our Attitude Towards Them Matters

January 29, 2018 by Betsy Leondar-Wright 1 Comment

Not Stupid. Not Crazy. Those are the two most important things for progressives to remember about rightwing people, says Chip Berlet. He has tracked U.S. far-right populist movements for the past 30 years, including going to the events of white nationalist groups and the Tea Party. If you want to understand them, and even more […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Class prejudice, Classism, Classism in Politics, Cross-class Relationships, Politics and Class Tagged With: blaming the victim, classism, snobs, stereotypes, working class

Trump One Year Later: Most of Us Live in Dread

January 29, 2018 by Bill Fletcher Jr. Leave a Comment

I had a discussion with my doctor late spring 2017. I was having gastrointestinal issues, and I said to him that I kept wondering whether the anxiety that I felt about the Trump regime was affecting me physically. My doctor responded very seriously and with a straight face. He replied that many of his patients […]

Filed Under: A World Without Classism, Classism, Classism in Politics, Classism in the Economy, Dismantlng Classism, Labor movement, Politics and Class Tagged With: activism, budget cuts, bullying, classism, community organizing, owning class, super-rich, tax cuts, union-bashing, working class

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