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It is not always apparent in the context of the workplace or school, but many people, including students, faculty, and staff at the University of Utah, come from lower-income backgrounds or currently have lower incomes and have difficulty providing for basic needs like housing and food, or paying for their education. That said, it's important not to equate having a lower income with not being able to secure basic needs. They are not synonymous.<\/p>\n

The ways in which we talk and write about people who are considered lower-income should convey compassion, inclusion, and sensitivity. Writing about poverty and those who do not have the money they need is a sensitive matter and sometimes a source of shame and stigma.<\/p>\n

Being in a lower socioeconomic bracket is not a reflection of a person\u2019s abilities or ambition, the individual is not to blame. Instead, it is indicative of a systemic problem. Many people who experience lower socioeconomic backgrounds can\u2019t access work or basic needs because of policies and laws that have made it difficult for them to do so. For example, the enslavement of Africans in the United States has had ripple effects that still affect descendants today.<\/p>\n

Remember that participation in programs such as Medicaid, \u201cfood stamps\u201d (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs, SNAP) and Pell grants for students are often considered proxies for \u201clow-income.\u201d However, these categorizations are not necessarily equivalent. Similarly, be aware that terms such as \u201cpoor\u201d or \u201clow-income\u201d have been used as proxies for communities of color, perpetuating an inaccurate stereotype.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>