Struggling With Poverty In "The Other America"
(CBS)
My boss gave me the opportunity to travel anywhere in the country to look for stories that “we’re not telling." It was as assignment to explore how hard-working folks are struggling to survive. We’re calling it "The Other America.”
I decided to make Mississippi the first stop on my journey because there is a higher percentage of people living below the poverty line in this state than any other in the U.S. Once I landed in Jackson, I headed straight for the Mississippi River Delta – specifically Greenville – because it is one of the poorer parts of this state. The number of people living below the poverty line in Washington County, Miss., is roughly two and a half times the national average.
But where Greenville may lack in economic prosperity, it overflows in richness of culture and local hospitality.
I’d never been to this part of the United States and didn’t know anyone in Greenville, Miss. I knew I’d need a guide. The folks at a food bank in Jackson put me in touch with Greenville resident, Janette Garner. Janette took me under her wing and spent several days with me introducing me to people around town. Janette is a volunteer with St. Vincent De Paul’s local food pantry which is where I met Debra Locket, the mother of Jasmine Lafayette, who is featured in our piece.
(CBS)
Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror.
