Single-Parent Women and Welfare

In "Black and on Welfare," Sandra Golden tells her experiences with raising a child and needing government assisatance in America. Golden speaks about the judgement and humaliation she suffered based upon the stereotypes of black women and welfare. Sandra Golden, and educated woman, found herself categorized with some people who were"unskilled, unmotivated, uneducated, or undereducated, and responsible for bringing fatherless children into the world" -the stereotypical welfare dependent American (28). Being an educated black female woman, Golden became frustrated with the treatment of people under government assistance. She noted the judgemental attitudes of the workers, the inconsiderate manners of the Welfare's office procedures towards "help", and the assumptions that everyone seeking assistance was the same. Sandra Golden talks about how it is critical to actively HELP those in welfare situations, she says that there should be better steps taken for each individual. Steps to find that persons talents, ablilities, background and intircately place them into society, instead of giving them whats convienently available.

This relates to literacy because  Golden says women in welfare systems and thier literacies are often not recognized. This is important because Sandra Golden also argues that literacy expounds past literature, but there is also home, family, and community literacy as well. As a single parent you already know how to use your family and community as resources to help you and  your family get by. This is a form of understanding how your community works or learning how to be a parent by yourself all contribute to the know-how of that individual. Golden uses these facts to foundate her recommendation that within the welfare system there should be a place for people who are not literate to learn. She says that the ways in which these  people have become communally and family literate are evidences that these people are capable of learning and applying.

Overall, Sandra Golden calls for a reform for the Welfare system, where the welfare system does not just bypass the cases, but investigates how they can better the family, whether that require education or the implementation of  education already recieved. Sandra Golden highlights an important flaw in our government. In order to help people we need not judge them upon arrival. This discourages people to do better because they think everyone is jugemental and degrading and that ulitmately scares them from trying to progess. It is a cycle. It is our job to take these people and help them where they want help in order to truely nurture those struggling in our society. It makes me wonder of how many instances may have occured where an individual wanted my help but felt uncomfortable? I wonder what the outcome of thier situation was? How often does this happen in America daily? How can we change it?