The Civil Rights Conference will host its Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020.
Poverty is an issue that often goes unrecognized in rural areas like Martin, Tennessee. According to <em>datausa.io</em>, Martin has a poverty rate of 33.1%. This may appear to be just a small part of our population, but this percentage includes both permanent residents and UTM students.
It is difficult to imagine what it is like to live under the constraints of poverty; day-to-day living is overrun by stress-inducing decisions, fears and frustrations for those living in poverty. These aspects can create barriers between family members, which only adds to the situation.
CAPS promotes poverty awareness through hands on, interactive sessions that place participants in the role of someone living in poverty. <em>Povertysimulation.net</em> says that each simulation is based on the stories of real people who have lived in poverty and were clients to Community Action.
Participants will role-play a month of living in poverty that is represented through four 15-minute sessions. Each session represents one week in which you would have to provide for your family and work with them to take care of your home.
Campus and community members may participate in the CAPS. This program is an opportunity to increase awareness of poverty as an issue both on and off campus.
“The poverty simulation is a worthwhile experience to take part in. After participating in and volunteering for the simulation, I have a new outlook on the world we live in as well as poverty as a major issue. I think this event is a great opportunity for students as well as our faculty to be a part of,” Hannah Mangrum, Social Work major from Burns, Tennessee, said.
Registration for the CAPS simulation is now open. The simulation will be held on Thursday, Feb. 20 from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the Boling University Center Ballroom. Leaving early or arriving late is not permitted.
