With the flint water crisis so popular in the news, I can’t help but wonder what effects it will have on our economy in the future. The impacts of pbb disaster here in Michigan in 1973 is still effecting people 40 years later.

After reading An Intellectual Road Map, I think you are spot on about the difficult challenges a country faces, and how we deal with this issues. The theory of raising people out of poverty sounds great, however, first we all need to understand poverty and the people that live in it. While I’m not saying it’s always a choice, some, especially those victim to generational poverty, don’t know how, or have to tools necessary to get out of poverty. A great book to read in your free time that will give you an inside look at people who ‘choose’ this lifestyle is The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

I have always taken an interest in government, politics and economics. I am familiar with how other forms of government operate in various parts of the world, however, I hope to gain a better understanding of economics across the board. My perception on politics and economics are mostly biased information presented by whatever news station is presenting the information. Often we only hear what the news “wants” us to hear, without further research we never really see the whole scheme of things. I work with impoverished families everyday, I think this class can help me help my clients.

Hi everyone. My given name is Samantha but please call me Sam. I’m a Community Health Worker for a Health Department in a very rural community. Being a CHW I see poverty first hand on a daily basis. I have been with my agency for 8 years wearing many hats there, public health is my passion. Aside from my 40 hour a week job and my current part time status as a college student, I am married and have 2 beautiful children, both boys. One is 8 and is very active in sports, the other is 16 months old and I suspect he’s getting an early start to the terrible twos. We love to be outdoors, camping, fishing and anything else we can do to get our hands dirty. Needless to say, I keep myself very busy and I like it that way.