No Welfare Escape

While watching the movie Legacy, I saw more closely how welfare has no escape. Seeing four generations in one family suffer from poverty is what was most hurtful.
While Alaissa was Nicole's mother was a high school drop out, minimal education and no skills for a "good job" she showed a sense of self defeat when faced with obstacles that kept her from moving forward in life. During this time of the film minimum wage was between 6.25-7.00 so providing for a family on that wage was almost impossible. Alaissa struggled to find a job that would first accept her lack of skills and education along with still being able to keep her welfare, which was the bulk of her assistance. Along with struggling to find a job maintaining a household was a major concern as well because Nicole attended a private school, although the majority of her tuition was paid through scholarships. Ensuring Nicole would pursue a post secondary education was the main focus for Alasissa as she didn't want her to face the same struggles she did.

This story was a clear depiction of how once you're in the system your chances of escaping are far and few. You're faced with the decision of getting a job that will barely pay bills and struggled tremendously, or you can allow yourself to receive welfare and struggle to break the cycle once you are in. Alaissa was just one of the many who was just defeated and didn't know what other options to take. Being a mother she knew that giving up was not an option because she had mouths to feed, but she also knew she needed to set an example if her family were to ever not be on welfare

This documentary displayed how once one is in the system while already within poverty its more than difficult to break the cycle. We saw how Alaissa could risk losing her check, food stamps and housing if she sought out a job because she'd be acquiring income, but if she hadn't she'd still in the cycle of a welfare recipient. However there was hope left, Nicole provided hope for her family by her persistence and determination to not be apart of the welfare cycle. With the help of guidance counselors from school and her own will she managed to graduate from high school and continue on to college.

Although welfare is designed to help restore a family when they are living with low income and and need assistance, we've seen how this system is broken. It doesn't allow one to just get off welfare when they overcome their obstacle, because majority of the cases they are already within poverty. This just allows the cycle to keep going generation after generation and providing a small sense of revival.