According to the Center for American Progress, 1 in 7 children fall under the poverty line and this was pre-pandemic. Over a year into the pandemic, 4 out of 10 children live in a family that struggles to meet basic needs and anywhere between seven to eleven million children live in a household with inconsistent access to meals from cost.

It’s safe to say poverty, especially generational poverty, is the root of thousands of issues that plague our nation. Today’s guest has dedicated her life to advising educators and employers about the effects of generational poverty.

Ruby Payne is a former lifelong educator, a Doctorate Recipient in Education and Development from Layola University Chicago, and the Founder of the aha Process! Inc, a group that informs schools, companies and other organizations about poverty.

Ruby has authored a number of books focusing on the effects of poverty, most notably “A Framework for Understanding Poverty,” which looks at the effects of poverty from both an economical and psychological perspective and has since sold over 1.5 million copies since it’s publication.

With 1 in 2 jobs considered sub-poverty line paying jobs, the work Ruby is doing is more crucial than ever, especially during a time when employers are struggling to find workers and many workers are struggling to make ends meet.

We can’t have a truly inclusive discussion about the workforce, without addressing poverty so...let’s bring it in!