Nov 19 2024 62 mins
Dr. Donna Beegle's remarkable journey from the depths of generational poverty to achieving a doctorate in educational leadership offers a powerful narrative of resilience and hope. Through her story, we unravel the systemic barriers that perpetuate poverty and the transformative power of education and community support. Dr. Beegle's insights challenge us to rethink our approach to poverty, highlighting the critical need for poverty-informed communities and improved communication across social classes.
Join us as we explore the transformative power of language and empathy in dismantling poverty barriers. Through Dr. Beegle's work with the Poverty Immersion Institute and insights from successful initiatives like Amarillo College's poverty-informed mindset, we uncover strategies for fostering a culture of caring and empowerment. From training community leaders to equipping non-profits with evaluation skills, this episode provides actionable insights for creating supportive environments where individuals and communities can thrive.
Guest Bio
Donna Beegle grew up in generational, migrant-labor poverty and was essentially homeless the first 26 years of her life. She is the only member of her family who has not been incarcerated. At 15, she left school to get married and start a family. She had six pregnancies and—with emergency rooms as her only access to health care—only two survived. At 26, she found herself with two children, no husband, little education, few marketable job skills, and no affordable housing. With the help of Community Action and a pilot project, she received stable housing and was able to achieve her GED and—10 years later—her doctorate in Educational Leadership—studying poverty, communication, and education. Dr. Beegle brings an insider perspective of poverty as a health determinant combined with 34 years of working with health providers in all 50 states to increase access to health services and break poverty barriers.
Since 1989, Dr. Beegle has across the nation with people and organizations who want to assist people in moving out and staying out of the war zone of poverty. As president of Communication Across Barriers, a consulting firm dedicated to building poverty-informed communities, Dr. Beegle has designed models and curriculum to directly impact people currently in poverty, as well as professionals who want to make a difference for our neighbors. She has authored four books and training curriculum kits, including See Poverty...Be the Difference, An Action Approach for Educating Students in Poverty, Breaking Poverty Barriers to Equal Justice, and If Not Me, Then Who? Empowering Our Neighbors.
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Music by Zach Price: [email protected]