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I live in the America that people don’t want to see.

I live in the America where almost 30% of all housing units are vacant.

I live in the America where people are afraid to go.

I live in the America where the term flash mob describes a group of dangerous teenagers—not organized dancers.

I live in the America where median household anual income hovers around $16,000

I live in the America where move than 50% of families with children under the age of five live below the poverty level.

I live in the America where there is a 22% illiteracy rate amongst adults age 16 and oder.

I live in the America where our public health professionals must issue condoms to 11-year-olds.

I live in the America that needs public health. I live in the America that reminds me of our field’s purpose every day. I live in the America that is raw and real. I’ve received feedback before about describing “typical” low-income situations on my blog, and I get it. I know not everyone is in that situation and that is not what this is about. This is just about us—as a nation—acknowledging the existence of these communities as a step toward the creation of programming focused on communities helping themselves improve. When I was younger I had an odd attitude about poverty. I did not care about poverty in America because I too believed the hidden perception of the American dream: that every man must fend for himself. I focused on global health and never dreamed of working in the states. Today, I can hardly imagine NOT working with my current community.

Today, I work and live in the real America. The America that I just want to acknowledge as existing. This post ins’t so much about portraying any part of Philly in a negative way. Its about admitting faults in hopes of making changes that can accentuate the already existing beauty in these communities—because there is plenty of that too.