This article is a condensed version of Josiah's first-place winning essay. Josiah lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Poverty is a persistent issue. What is needed is a new look at poverty in America. The connections between poverty, race and gender are quite clear.
Households headed by a female are below the poverty line at over twice the overall rate.
Hispanic households have seen a small drop in their poverty rate, but it is still far above the norm. The poverty rate for black households has held at about 26 percent, far above the national average. If we are to assess what policies and activities can work towards the elimination of poverty, we must first explore the history of past attempts. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal marked a new era in American domestic policy. For the first time, government declared itself responsible for the well-being of its citizenry.