Comments on: Non-Profit Workers and Food Stamps or What it Means to Me to be Black In AmeriCorps: By Jan Jugran

By: Myrtle

Myrtle — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:35:57 +0000

Jan I was informed of your site from a new acquaintance. I was faced with a similar dilemma close to 20 years ago and made the decision to get the stamps, head held high. Like my “white counterparts” many of whom were trust fund babies I came to view food stamps as my tax dollars at work. Since completing graduate school in the mid-1990′s I have been fortunate enough to pay many times over what I was paid during my early career in taxes. I look back and I am happy that I was able to swallow my pride and get the food stamps. We all must make our own decisions and mine was to visit the site and get the “stamps” something that generations of people in my family had NEVER done. Yes, I was embarrassed but I was blessed to be greeted by a young case worker, who was about my age, who applauded me for “getting what was due to me,” “what was my right.” I was truly eligible for food stamps, and was glad that I did not deny myself what I was due. Now it could have been my own reasoning to make myself feel better, but I feel as though the media’s negative protrayal of African Americans and food stamps is meant to discourage those who really need it from getting it, so as not to fall into the trope. Entitlement is now something I embrace, but I embrace entitlement with responsibility. I was entitled to accept the food stamps but for me that also came with a responsibility to do something that would make the price I paid to get them well worth it.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:00:10 +0000

Jan, Thank you for sharing this with me. As a white, I really hadn’t seen it that way. We whites are typically pretty arrogant and can use some education from black folks. I like and need to be humbled. Hey and come over and eat Easter evening if you don’t already have plans. That should save you a little bit on the food bills! -Sheep in Wolf’s Clothes

By: Courtney

Courtney — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:32:55 +0000

Jan, you know me well enough to know that I try to be enlightened and unbiased and self-aware when it comes to matters of race… hell, I take pride in it!

But as a white person I am ALWAYS “unburdened by the weight of history, statistics, or stigma”… and I should never, ever forget that.

Great writing. Thanks for keeping me honest. And thanks for your service.

By: AM

AM — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:16:39 +0000

@Marquita: at least get a forbearance on your student loans! PLEASE?? That $200+ can make all the difference at the time you need it most. You can get up to 36 months of forbearance, 12 months at a time.

By: Marquita

Marquita — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:40:46 +0000

Jan this is a great article. I lost my job in Sept. and I’m battling with the same decision. unemployment definitely is not paying rent, bills, student loans and buying food. Sad to say I would rather mess up my credit than to let the cashier know that I receive food stamps..

By: jan

jan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:06:16 +0000

jeannette–somebody told me the same thing when i used this as a discussion topic in americorps, that because it’s not going to be a long-term or generational thing with me, i shouldn’t think anything of it. but if i break out the food stamps card in a store, it doesn’t have a label on it that says, “TEMPORARY RECIPIENT” or “IT’S JUST BECAUSE SHE’S IN AMERICORPS” or any other kind of exception. there might be lots of exceptions within the statistics, too–but nobody’s pointing that out, ya know?

i want to read your companion piece, ericka!

By: Ericka

Ericka — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:34:11 +0000

J – love your writing!!

I could write a companion piece for you: What it means to be black in research. My funding is provided by the National Institutes of Health (government-run) and my research is completely devoted to the betterment of mankind. I have three (one, two, three) engineering degrees so far and I bring home a small amount of money. It’s practically negligible when you add in the cost of living in New York. I am paid through a Fellowship. For some reason, NIH does not adjust the stipend for cost-of-living. My health insurance is not completely covered, I pay taxes, I pay my own tuition (my school sucks), I only get the major holidays, I get no summers, and I am expected to work at least 12 hours a day every day to graduate on schedule. I’ve often thought that doing doctoral research is a luxury for the few; generally, you see lots of upper- to upper middle-class people doing this in the City. If you look at the stats, there are very few blacks doing this. It’s probably less about recruitment efforts and more about compensation so we can eat, etc. Thoughts?

By: Jeannette

Jeannette — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:05:41 +0000

Good article….i got on assistance in college (food stamps, heating assistance)….before the age of the internet where you had to go to the office and apply in person. I felt that embarrassment of applying for assistance, hoping no one would see me. However, i felt that I was different from others because I used it as a temporary fix. That’s how you should view it as well….just something temporary.

By: Mark T

Mark T — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:16:25 +0000

Great article Jan. Please write more.