Dr. Donna Beegle Workshop on Generational Poverty

SEE POVERTY…Be the Difference!

That is the title of the book by Dr. Donna Beegle. On Oct 17, 2007, at the Grace Baptist Church in White Salmon, she presented a workshop on generational poverty and how to help people move out of it. There was a great turnout from many different social services and agencies, including Horizons. Donna heads an organization, Communication Across Barriers (www.combarriers.com). This site, and her book, explore common myths and stereotypes about people who live in poverty.

The workshop highlighted elements of poverty that people who are not poor often don’t recognize. One example is the world-view and concepts that poverty teaches, and how it is very different from that of non-poor people. An important component of understanding generational poverty is to recognize that the preferred communication and learning style is not the same as those of the middle class. Oral culture is most often found in poverty situations, and it emphasizes their interconnection with the environment and the people in it. They are highly attuned to their senses and pay much attention to the sensory information received from the world. This is the first and inborn preference of humans.

On the other hand, print culture is a learned way of relating to the world. It involves process and analysis – the breaking down of things according to parts.

The exercises we did at the workshop, particularly the Personal Socio-Economic Status, was very enlightening to us.

For more information about Donna and her work, check out her website, listed above, and consult her excellent book, also mentioned above.