Poverty is a complex thing to talk about.
There are so many stereotypes associated with it, so many examples of people depicting poverty in ways that diminish the humanity of people with that experience.
And yet, it’s a reality for so many people and a root cause of so many problems we need to talk about it. So many people have shared with me their challenges while living in poverty because they want other people to know about them. Sensationalizing poverty is not ethical storytelling, but neither is omitting it entirely, or romanticizing it.
You’ve got to be humble about this, because no amount of research or travel can give you the full insight that comes with lived experience.
Remember that poverty isn’t a fixed condition. People, communities, even entire countries have shown us that living with insufficient resources is not an inevitable condition.
Put poverty in its proper context. Pay attention to where issues like climate change or colonialism have created the conditions for poverty or insecurity. Places don’t have widespread poverty just because.
But most of all, don’t lose sight of the human being in the story. Don’t conflate someone’s personhood with their problems.