The whole idea behind the living stipend and the disallowance of a second income is so that VISTA members “understand what it’s really like” to live in poverty. But the thing is, there are different levels of poverty—or I guess, more accurately, there are different levels or factors that go into one’s class status.
First, there’s the obvious—capital. Of which I am severely lacking.
Then there is your social network—so much of the job market is focused on your network, and 70% of recent college grads get their first job through somebody they know. When you have a social deficiency, such as Asperger’s, this pretty severely affects your job prospects.
Finally, there’s education—technically, I’m privileged in this area, because not only am I intelligent, I also have a degree from a prestigious college (even if it hasn’t gotten me anywhere). But along those lines, I also have a staggering amount of student debt, to the tune of $70,000. I’m having to pretty seriously consider declaring Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
The system is rigged and it’s totally unfair. The wealthy stay wealthy by circulating themselves and their progeny through expensive, exclusive private academies, and they’re always well-connected. If someone from the lower echelons, such as myself, tries to rise above their lower class background, they are inundated with debt, and that’s even WITH extensive financial aid. I come from an armed services, blue-collar, lower middle/working class family, and I grew up in a single-parent, female-headed household. Because I lacked the capital to move to a different city directly after graduation, and because I was not able to intern for free or for peanuts, I had no relevant work experience in an economically depressed town that’s rapidly becoming known as “Little Detroit.” I was living in relative poverty because of my loan payments, despite the fact that I lived at home and did not have to pay for housing. I also was not eligible for any kind of assistance, so I racked up credit card debt by buying luxuries such as groceries and health care services. I worked 50+ hours a week, sometimes seven days a week, at a high-stress, low-paying job that took gross advantage of my naiveté. I saw VISTA as my out from an oppressive, unhealthy environment. Had I been forced to say, I can say with a degree of certainty that I would probably have attempted suicide, or at the very least, seriously contemplated it. I didn’t need therapy—I needed out of an incredibly detrimental situation.
Unsurprisingly, VISTA was and is not a cure-all. In some ways—really, in a lot of ways—I’m actually worse off. I make $800 a month, and have $75,000 in debt. My rent is $550, my car is $150, and my phone is $40. These expenses are my first priority, which leaves me a paltry $60 for every other expense. I get $200 in food stamps a month, which means I eat a lot of cereal and over processed foods. I also have past medical bills, current and future medical bills (being sick and poor is the worst), two cats, and the absolute worst luck with automobiles.
But we wouldn’t want me to have a second income—because however will I understand what it is like to struggle?
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