Race, Poverty, and The Second America

In his new book, Gang Leader for a Day, Sudhir Venkatesh who is a Sociology Professor at Columbia University writes about his days as a graduate student in the University of Chicago and his experience interacting with the African American community around the University in general and the residents of Robert Taylor Homes, a high rise affordable housing project on the South Side of Chicago. The book revolves around his interaction with the drug selling gang members, the tight knit community that has developed due of this trade and the documentation of the underground economy that flourishes as a result.
In one such interaction he has with one of the residents Mrs Bailey, Sudhir is discussing the 60% dropout rate from high school of kids from Robert Taylor. Below is the text of the conversation:
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"Research today says that if kids can get through high school, they have a 25% greater likelihood of escaping poverty," I said, as if giving a lecture.
Ms. Bailey interrupted, "If your family is starving and I tell you that I'll give you a chance to make some money, what are you going to do?"
"Make the money. I have to help my family".
"But what about school?" she said.
"I guess it will have to wait."
"Until what?"
"Until my family gets enough to eat."
"But you should stay in school right?" she said, sarcasm rising in her voice. "That's what will help you leave poverty."
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This discussion highlights the dilemma that many African American's experience. And when the choice comes between feeding your family to survive and basic education, the choice is very clear.
Reading this book opened my eyes to this "Second America", away from the glitz and glamor which is associated with America all over the world, which is poor, under educated an under nourished but still is a tight knit self sustaining community in itself.

Also read my previous posting Barack Obama's Speech on Race