ECONOMIC INEQUALITY AND POVERTY

A young Hispanic male riding his bike across a red carpet in Van Nuys.  The social problem being depicted is the vast separation between the upper class and lower class. They occupy the same space while being separated by class and status. While one may cross the borders of class temporarily, the status is usually not held long.  

 

Two houses in Reseda, right next to each other, are significantly different sizes. One was obviously renovated; added rooms, a second floor, stylized/decorative exterior, etcetera.  The other is an average size similar to most houses in the neighborhood.   Again, the social problem being depicted is the economic differences even between families in the same neighborhood; economic inequality

A van in Reseda is run down with flat tires, cobwebs, a busted roof, and other internal damages. I was told it has been sitting there for about a year. The reason for the dismay is that the owners do not have enough money for new tires, new transmission, and other expensive repairs.  For now, a family of four shares one sedan which will also be needing repairs soon.  Having the second car would bring in more money as the owner is a plumber.  The social problem being depicted is the hole that poverty seems to land people in.  Without more money the figurative hole gets deeper and harder to escape.

Two motorcycles in front of a house in Reseda.  After this family’s car was totaled, they could not afford a new car so they invested in two used motorcycles. This image depicts economic inequality because depending on what kind of insurance you have, a car gets “totaled” at a different price than the wealthy.  Depending on the circumstances of the accident, an insurance company might pay for almost the entire cost of the totaled car.  Lower and working class people cannot afford the insurance that would truly insure your vehicle.  Hypothetically, the worse your insurance is, the more you personally have to pay in the event of an accident. Those you can afford to pay for their car’s damage, don’t because their insurance covers it. And those who cannot pay for the damage must live with a malfunctioning car.

A homeless man sleeping in Reseda Park with the END street sign in the background.  For many, homelessness is seen as the epitome of poverty.  Being homeless isn’t seen as an opportunity to succeed it is seen as the end, like the image depicts.