Discussing the Issues

It’s International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of empowered women! The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality. This is an issue important to everyone. The role women play in their communities has a massive impact on economic development, poverty rates, and sustainable development. One woman earning a promotion, landing an interview, becoming a homeowner is changing the trajectory of her family for generations. She is also improving her community in big ways. Like Sara, whose progress towards a better life is transforming her child’s future. At Live

After four years on the waitlist, Ella received a Housing Choice Voucher Housing Choice Voucher Program — Housing Authority of Maricopa County (maricopahousing.org). Issued by the Housing Authority of Maricopa County, the Housing Choice Voucher Program allows low-income families to rent apartments. “When I first got the news, it was an amazing feeling, like after all I’ve been through, it’s going to be okay. This voucher means that I can give my daughter a home and I can go back to school.” However, Ella’s optimism quickly faded. In the three months since receiving her voucher, Ella has not been able

A central pillar of the Live & Learn program is to help women experiencing generational poverty begin professional careers. Each year, about 33% of Live & Learn women choose to pursue a career in healthcare. This is a prudent option for many women because it offers a fast track to employment with plentiful opportunity for advancement. Yet, there is another, larger-scale benefit achieved when the diverse women of Live & Learn enter the healthcare workforce. By building a diverse healthcare workforce in Maricopa County, Live & Learn combats the profound inequalities in healthcare that exacerbate broader social inequalities. Healthcare careers

Covid-19 Deepens the Digital Divide in Arizona When schools moved online, Covid-19 deepened the Digital Divide in Arizona almost overnight. With the possibility of school continuing online for the fall 2020 semester, the digital divide threatens to become an even bigger obstacle for low-income students. Live & Learn women enrolled in Maricopa Community Colleges and local universities have overcome significant obstacles to get to a position of pursuing post-secondary education. Many had dropped out of high school as teenagers. Many had never known anyone who went to college. When college classes moved online mid-semester due to Covid-19, most of these

Low-income college students face incredible obstacles to earning their degree, obstacles that have nothing to do with their intelligence, motivation, or work ethic. One of the primary obstacles? The Digital Divide, the disparity in technology access and skills between low-income students and their peers.  What is the Digital Divide? Over 85% of low-income college students lack the necessary technology to complete their classes. The numbers are even higher among first-generation and minority low-income college students. This Digital Divide is not just a lack of technology access, and it is not easily corrected by providing laptops or affordable internet access. Instead,