Why work on joy when there is so much poverty?
People often ask us: “Should joy be a priority when there is so much poverty?”
A partial answer: we haven’t solved poverty and economic hardship by not focusing on joy. Could a joy lens advance anti-poverty work?
As we started this Social Centers community joy work, some people were concerned we might try to support staff joy instead of investing in desperately needed salary increases for our front line early educators, school age teachers, and transportation and receptionist staff.
But, as we have emphasized, this isn’t a binary choice. The Social Centers prioritizes investments in staff pay and in fighting poverty and material hardship in our communities[1], and we are working to significantly increase joy.
My belief in the importance of focusing on joy in the midst of poverty and other challenges comes from my lived experience in foster care.
I was fortunate: my social workers, birth and adopted family, and teachers didn’t see in me what the media too often portrays: a victim who had had a tough time who needed to be kept out of jail and away from other negative outcomes.
Instead, they gave me what we want for all our children (and adults): our five pillars of community joy. I had more relationships, including more parents and siblings — in the US and in England — because of my experiences.
My birth grandfather[2] always asked “Justin, are you still the head of your class?” and I always said yes, even when not sure; I didn’t want to let him down. My adopted father saw my potential purpose and his purpose of supporting me in achieving it. He told me I probably wouldn’t make it as a singer because “you need to have talent for that”[3], but lived into the parenting belief that he could be raising a future happy, fulfilled adult who might be a surgeon or President or Pope.
My cross country coach: Coach Puckerin trained us all for fitness and introduced us to the contemplative practice of meditation (advising us “meditate, so you don’t have to medicate”).
My adopted mother always told me to go out and play and have fun — she saw me as a normal child and encouraged me to be one.
The Social Centers has the same relentless strengths-based spirit my loved ones brought to me. Many of our community members have endured traumatic, dangerous immigration journeys. Many are living in overcrowded homes with a full family living in each bedroom. Many are raising children with complex emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs — and working across language and cultural barriers to get their children the supports they need.
In collaboration with our funders, community partners, and community members, we support families in meeting the resulting needs (and we recognize reducing hardship and increasing income significantly increases happiness for families with low incomes). But we can’t and won’t stop there.
Our community experiences and shares joy now in the midst of poverty, trauma and challenge. Our community joy movement is democratizing joy: saying everyone, regardless of wealth or background, deserves connections to joy; saying joy can’t just be for people who can afford products from the happiness industrial complex. It is recognizing joy is experienced across race, class, and income.
When I was in foster care, I needed help (as all people do). Some days were hard, and I recognize there are many hard days for our community members. Community joy meets people where they are; it doesn’t expect or ask people experiencing poverty or hardship to be happy — or sad. It recognizes people’s existing joy, resilience and agency, and helps cultivate increased joy and resilience over time.
Community joy isn’t a distraction, but rather can play an important role in addressing poverty and hardships. Increased joy, and the pillars of community joy, are associated with increased lifetime earnings. The joyful spirit of many dedicated Social Centers staff and board members has helped alumni overcome challenges, achieve great success and give back. And our future alumni will do the same.
We know — I personally know — people don’t want to be seen as a collection of needs and deficits. We want and need to be seen for the strengths we have and who we dream of becoming.
So yes — we will continue to work to address (and eventually end) poverty.[4] And at the same time, we will continue to build a joyful community. Both are important — and we can and must do both.
Please join us.
We featured another story of resilient joy in the face of hardship with a post about my birth mother who recently passed away.
This is the thirteenth of a series of posts about significantly increasing joy the only way we can: in community. Whether you’re seeking the best ways to increase your joy; making your community the next Finland; seeking to save democracy; or just a friend reading along, this column is for you. If you like it, please share it. To join our movement, please send me an email or support East Boston Social Centers: https://www.ebsocialcenters.org/support
[1] With great thanks to our generous funders. If you are interested in supporting this important anti-poverty work, please let me know or donate at https://www.ebsocialcenters.org/donate-today
[2] Here I say “birth” or “adopted”. My family is all family and I don’t generally use these modifiers, except when needed for clarity.
[3] He’s been right so far. The radio stations and record companies didn’t seem to do anything with those tapes I recorded and sent them when I was a child.
[4] Reducing poverty and inequality is not only a moral imperative, but also will increase joy for all of us.
