Tajah, this is such a good and important piece. Please consider sending an abridged version as an OpEd to several news papers.
My first book, FREEDOM, was my version of your story… please know that you are not alone.
Every person who has the courage to share the truth about the struggle helps change things for us all.
Did you read the book MAID (or see it on Netflix)? It’s another true story about how many of us are dependent at one time or another on several forms of government assistance just to survive— and how the systems are set up to keep us poor by the caps they set.
No amount of jobs could cover the high cost of our medical expenses— but in order to have governmental medical assistance— people have to be at or below the poverty line. “Governmental Assistance is one hand reaching out while the other pushes us down.”
Keep telling your story! I lovingly encourage you to write a 150 word version of this to submit to publications with a focus on your skills and education versus your assistance needs. Until we can make Congress understand how “the average cost of living is greater than the average living wage”— I don’t think things will change.
They have no clue as to what our expenses versus income are— how no longer having pensions has changed the financial security bubble that made homeownership possible. We have to teach them and educate them on how to create a country that cares for its citizens.
And congratulations to you for all you’ve accomplished in spite of the struggles. ❤️🩹
Thank you!! I'll work on condensing my message and seeing if it gets picked up elsewhere. I have managed to find an incredible community. But I know that there are others out there that do not have that support and my worry is truly for them. In order to protect more vulnerable people, we do have to change these incredibly oppressive systems
God yes. Thank you. So lonely. The fact that American society is totally happy to treat this as a failure of “personal responsibility” rather than system failure is so brutal, especially as you get older. I’m about a year into the process of crawling out from under the rock of worrying about money all the damn time. It’s just so fucking exhausting.
These conversations are critical. It’s so easy for those that have never gone without to paint pictures of those on assistance. And the shame surrounding it prevents their friends from sharing that hey! The person you’re speaking down about on assistance- is me. So it perpetuates the stigma and the silence. Thank you for your vulnerability
This is such a beautiful essay on financial precarity, how it happens (so easily), and what it feels like. Thank you for sharing your story of both money and family meaning. Reading it has been a great part of my morning 🫶🏻
Tough read, important read. I love the title “reluctant activist.” I get that. Thanks for this honest peel into financial abuse & financial insecurity.
These are tough times for America. Many people don't earn enough to live on, yet earn too much for assistance. This is wrong.
Today the middle class is almost non-existent and the 1% now dominate our society. With the reelection of T things are much, much worse as he cares so little about we the people.
There is no shame is asking for benefits whatever they may be.
I like the advice Sage has given about writing op eds and sending them out to media outlets. The world needs to know how we borderline folks are living here in the land of the brave.
Tajah, this is such a good and important piece. Please consider sending an abridged version as an OpEd to several news papers.
My first book, FREEDOM, was my version of your story… please know that you are not alone.
Every person who has the courage to share the truth about the struggle helps change things for us all.
Did you read the book MAID (or see it on Netflix)? It’s another true story about how many of us are dependent at one time or another on several forms of government assistance just to survive— and how the systems are set up to keep us poor by the caps they set.
No amount of jobs could cover the high cost of our medical expenses— but in order to have governmental medical assistance— people have to be at or below the poverty line. “Governmental Assistance is one hand reaching out while the other pushes us down.”
Keep telling your story! I lovingly encourage you to write a 150 word version of this to submit to publications with a focus on your skills and education versus your assistance needs. Until we can make Congress understand how “the average cost of living is greater than the average living wage”— I don’t think things will change.
They have no clue as to what our expenses versus income are— how no longer having pensions has changed the financial security bubble that made homeownership possible. We have to teach them and educate them on how to create a country that cares for its citizens.
And congratulations to you for all you’ve accomplished in spite of the struggles. ❤️🩹
Thank you!! I'll work on condensing my message and seeing if it gets picked up elsewhere. I have managed to find an incredible community. But I know that there are others out there that do not have that support and my worry is truly for them. In order to protect more vulnerable people, we do have to change these incredibly oppressive systems
God yes. Thank you. So lonely. The fact that American society is totally happy to treat this as a failure of “personal responsibility” rather than system failure is so brutal, especially as you get older. I’m about a year into the process of crawling out from under the rock of worrying about money all the damn time. It’s just so fucking exhausting.
Such good writing and message. More people need to see this. Many people live paycheck to paycheck. One job loss and then…the reality stings.
I resonate so hard with this. Thank you for sharing your story 🙏
These conversations are critical. It’s so easy for those that have never gone without to paint pictures of those on assistance. And the shame surrounding it prevents their friends from sharing that hey! The person you’re speaking down about on assistance- is me. So it perpetuates the stigma and the silence. Thank you for your vulnerability
Your courage, resilience, determination, and strength are commendable. You’re not alone in your struggles. Thank you for sharing your story.
This is such a beautiful essay on financial precarity, how it happens (so easily), and what it feels like. Thank you for sharing your story of both money and family meaning. Reading it has been a great part of my morning 🫶🏻
Tough read, important read. I love the title “reluctant activist.” I get that. Thanks for this honest peel into financial abuse & financial insecurity.
These are tough times for America. Many people don't earn enough to live on, yet earn too much for assistance. This is wrong.
Today the middle class is almost non-existent and the 1% now dominate our society. With the reelection of T things are much, much worse as he cares so little about we the people.
There is no shame is asking for benefits whatever they may be.
I like the advice Sage has given about writing op eds and sending them out to media outlets. The world needs to know how we borderline folks are living here in the land of the brave.
Wishing you better days ahead.
Thank you for sharing this this beautifully written and honest piece, Tajah. ❤️
I can relate to this in many ways. It is a worthwhile read and I plan to share it on my FB Feed.
Quite an odyssey. Love the Maiden shirt. Up the Irons!
To be poor,it's an extremely difficult life.
Thank you for writing this, @Tajah.