The True Cost of Equity: Understanding the Financial Value of Lived Experience
Welcome to a deep dive into the lives of four people - Marc, Eddie, Khalia, and Josie - each working as Community Engagement Specialists at "Empower Communities." Their mission: to foster equitable opportunities and build sustainable communities for all. But beyond this goal there is a more personal story, one that speaks about the real-world implications of systemic inequities and the personal challenges faced by those on the frontlines. As we read their stories, we'll discover how their experiences, both personal and professional, reflect broader societal issues and how these affect them in unique ways.
"Empower Communities," a social impact organization’s mission is to "Foster equitable opportunities and build sustainable communities for all." They've just received a $2 million grant and are eager to put it to good use. To do so, they hire four new Community Engagement Specialists—Marc, Eddie, Khalia, and Josie. Each is offered an annual salary of $60,000.
The Bottom Line:
Come payday, they all find $3,750 in their bank accounts—what remains of their $5,000 monthly salary after a 25% reduction for taxes and benefits.
The following is the story of four (4) people. Marc, Eddie, Khalia, and Josie. Two have direct lived experience with the systems they are trying to impact with their work, and two do not have lived experience with the systems they are hoping to impact.
Marc's New York Struggles, Advocacy, and Community Impact
Marc, originally from New York City, has a life story that reflects both struggle and resilience. His early years were spent in the tumultuous foster care system, where he was shuffled from one home to another. Without any familial support, Marc had to become self-reliant at a young age, working full-time job while pursuing his education. He managed to graduate but at the cost of accumulating $80,000 in student loan debt, which now translates into a monthly payment of $367.
Despite his hardships, Marc's love for New York City is unwavering. It's the only place where he feels at home, even if it means paying $2,000 a month for a cramped studio apartment in a less-than-ideal neighborhood.
Unique Economic Position: Financially, Marc's life in NYC is a balancing act. Between his loan payments and steep rent, he spends $2,367 per month, leaving him with a meager $1,383 from his initial monthly salary of $3,750.
Community Interaction: Marc's contributions go far beyond his job description as a "Community Engagement Specialist." He's deeply involved in outreach programs for foster children and their families, providing them with the resources and support systems he never had. His advocacy has garnered him a strong relationship with the Mayor, board memberships related to child welfare, and even an invitation to the White House. Despite his limited means, Marc lives as modestly as possible to support his community directly.
Eddie’s Southern Comfort and Community Engagement in Louisiana
Eddie grew up in a loving family in Louisiana. His parents covered all his expenses, allowing him to focus on his academics. Thanks to this support, he built an excellent 800 credit score. Leveraging this advantage, Eddie bought a three-bedroom house with a two-car garage, incurring only $1,000 in monthly mortgage payments.
Mission-Driven: Eddie's life took a transformative turn during a college church mission trip. This experience ignited a passion to work with refugees. Deeply involved in his local church, Eddie dedicates much of his free time to faith-based community service and family activities.
Reality Check: Eddie initially thought that working with refugees in America would mirror his mission trip experience. However, he found the situation to be quite different. Despite his best intentions, Eddie felt his efforts were not as appreciated as he'd hoped, leading to a growing sense of apathy.
Unique Economic Position: Financially, Eddie is comfortable. His mortgage is his sole major monthly expense, costing him $1,000 and leaving him with $2,750 from his original monthly paycheck of $3,750.
Khalia's Family Life and Community Commitment in Kansas City
Khalia has always lived in the same house in Kansas City with her loving parents. They completely financed her college education and even offered to buy her a home. However, Khalia cherishes the comfort and support of her family home, including her mom's home-cooked meals and laundry services. Her financial plan is to save her entire salary to eventually buy a house in cash on the same street as her parents.
Passion Turned Profession: Khalia's college years were a turning point for her. After reading about the plight of migrant children being held in detention centers, she felt compelled to work towards a more equitable future for these young lives. Although she attempted to volunteer directly with these children, language barriers made it difficult for her to communicate effectively. Instead, she focused her energies on outreach activities that involved communities more similar to her own background. While this wasn't her initial vision, the positive feedback from her outreach activities reassured her that she was still making a meaningful impact.
Emotional Strain and Intentional Coping: Despite her financial stability and supportive home environment, Khalia often finds herself entangled in emotional complexities. The weight of not being able to directly impact the lives of migrant children gnaws at her. One evening, she shared these frustrations over dinner with her parents. Her mother, a retired nurse, and her father, a school principle, listened intently and offered some sage advice: "Khalia, your job is incredibly meaningful, but remember, it's not your entire life. You're doing the best you can within your role."
This conversation was a turning point for Khalia. She took her parents' advice to heart and adopted a mantra: "I'm doing the best I can, and that's enough."
Proactive Self-Care: Khalia decided it was time to implement some concrete self-care steps. She started by examining her employee benefits package and was delighted to find that it included six free counseling sessions per year, monthly life coaching webinars, and even a nutrition and exercise program. She promptly scheduled her first counseling session and signed up for a weekly yoga class.
Boundaries and Balance: To further protect her emotional well-being, Khalia took a hard look at her work-life boundaries. She started by blocking off two hours every Wednesday afternoon for "Focused Admin Time," a period she'd use to catch up on emails, plan her tasks, and breathe. She also set up an automatic email responder that informed colleagues and partners not to expect replies outside of work hours and during weekends.
Unique Economic Position: Financially, Khalia is in a unique position. With no monthly expenses due to living with her parents, she retains her full monthly salary of $3,750.
Josie's California Challenges and Lifelong Commitments
Josie grew up in LA but relocated to San Quentin, California, to be closer to her husband, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence. Coming from a family where the men have often been incarcerated, Josie adheres to the family rule: stand by your man, no matter what. She's a mother of three, one of whom has special needs, making her daily life a delicate balancing act. She needs the job for the health benefits for her kids.
Academic Struggles: Josie earned her degrees from Ashwood University, an unaccredited institution that has since shut down. This has left her saddled with $120K in student loans. While she hopes these loans will be forgiven due to the school's closure, her loan company hasn't given her any reassurances (systemic inequity). In fact, they're currently garnishing her wages to the tune of $300 a month. Fortunately, thanks to changes in student loan policies during the Obama administration, this is an amount she can manage. Additionally, her employment at a nonprofit offers a path for loan forgiveness after ten years, though the complex paperwork and unresponsive loan company make this an emotionally draining process (systemic inequity).
Unique Economic Position: Josie ends up with nothing, and has to depend on her side hustles to get through the month.
Emotional Toll: Juggling her job, her family, and the constant stress of financial and emotional burdens means that Josie is often stretched thin. Despite the opportunities for loan forgiveness associated with her nonprofit job, the intricate and draining paperwork has kept her from taking steps to alleviate her financial burden.
These folks aren't just names on a page; they're living, breathing reminders that when we talk about making things better for everyone, it’s about real people with real challenges. As we wrap up their stories, let’s not just walk away; let’s take a piece of their journey with us.