presents
Poverty in America It’s not what you think.
A Discussion Guide
Length of film: Approximately 40 minutes • Language: English
Sojourners is excited to share this film discussion guide with you
as a way for churches, friends, and individuals to engage with various
issues surrounding our national discussion on poverty in America.
Many Christians are already involved in caring for their neighbors
who are struggling economically, but have questions about how to fix
the system.
Sojourners’ short documentary The Line highlights different pieces
of this complex issue to help spark conversation, discussion, and
reflection about why and how we should work to end poverty in
America.
The Line documents the stories of people across the country living at
or below the poverty line. They have goals. They have children. They
work hard. They are people like you and me.
From Chicago’s suburbs and west side to the Gulf Coast to North
Carolina, millions of Americans are struggling every day to make it
above The Line.
To learn more about The Line, please visit thelinemovie.com.
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
thelinemovie.com
Dear friends,
While millions tuned in to the Republican and Democratic National Conventions and more will
watch the presidential candidate debates, I want to introduce you to a film that just might be
the most important thing you watch this month—or this year, for that matter.
Lots of significant things will be said during this campaign season about how to build a stronger
middle class and how to produce jobs. But Matthew 25 doesn’t say, “As you have done it to the
middle class, you have done it to me.”
Instead, in the gospel Jesus says, “As you have done it to the least of these, you have done it to
me.”
Chances are that this will never be the central message of political conventions during election
years.
But every four years for the last 40 years (even before we were called Sojourners), our
community has done what we can to lift up the issue of poverty during presidential elections.
While political party platforms have changed, our commitment to the least of these has not.
So with that spirit, I am proud to present a new short film called The Line.
Written and directed by Emmy award-winning producer Linda Midgett, it chronicles the
very real stories of four real people struggling with real poverty in America today.
You’ll meet a banker in the suburban Midwest who used to earn six figures a year and now,
after the economic collapse, must go to a food bank to feed his three kids; a fisherman on the
Gulf Coast of Louisiana who has watched his livelihood and his culture wash away in the wake
of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (see page 8) and a devastating off-shore oil spill; a blue-collar
guy in North Carolina who worked hard his whole life but lost his job, became homeless, and
started over as a restaurant bus boy; and a single mom in Chicago who battles daily to ensure
that her son is safe, healthy, and has the opportunity to go to college.
The idea of the film is simple: People living in and struggling with poverty telling their own
stories. They are beautiful, inspiring, challenging, and full of grace. In a word, their stories
are powerful. The kind you never forget. The kind that make you not only feel something, but
compel you to do something.
My Sojourners colleagues and I want to share The Line’s stories and message with as many
people as we can. That’s where you come in. We need your help. The first thing you can do is
—2
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
thelinemovie.com
watch the trailer at thelinemovie.com. As soon as you’ve seen it, I’m sure you’re going to want
to share it with everyone you know.
Next, I invite you to join us. The Line premieres at 8 p.m. (EDT), Tuesday, Oct. 2—the night
before the first presidential debate. With your help, I believe we can make sure both candidates
understand they will need to address the issue of poverty during that debate.
If you’ve already signed up to host a screening—thank you!
Sojourners and our partner, World Vision—as well as the other supporters, Oxfam America,
Bread for the World, and the Christian Community Development Association, MacArthur
Foundation, and The Annie E. Casey Foundation—thank you for taking this step and putting
your faith into action.
We hope this discussion guide we’ve created to accompany The Line will spark lively
conversation and forge a faithful way forward to ending poverty in America.
In Christ,
Jim Wallis
Jim Wallis, CEO of Sojourners, is the author of Rediscovering Values: A Guide for Economic and
Moral Recovery. Follow him on Twitter @JimWallis.
—3
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
thelinemovie.com
What’s in the Guide?
How to Host a Screening
This film guide highlights Sojourners’
new short documentary release,The
Line—complete with a recap of the film’s
sections, discussion questions, and helpful
information for small groups. You can find
more information about how to host a film
screening and how to share this powerful
film with your church, family, and friends at
thelinemovie.com.
Hosting a screening of The Line provides
an opportunity to discuss a politically
critical issue in a nonthreatening and fun
environment. Hosting a discussion after the
film, which allows people to process, share,
and act on what they saw, is a great way to
educate yourself and your community about
the need for changing the story on poverty in
America.
Why Movies?
Screenings can be held in your church
fellowship hall or with a group of friends in
your home. Think about your resources and
comfort level and design a screening that
works for you.
Few experiences can expose us to dynamic,
complex issues as films do. Vivid images
and narrative enable us to share a person’s
story, connecting us to other humans in a
way that public policy articles cannot. Talking
about politics can be difficult, but watching
a film can provide opportunities to discuss
important social, biblical, and political issues.
The Line will expose you to the brokenness of
our current economy and the need for a better
understanding of how people can be poor
through no choice of their own. Currently,
we are in the worst economic crisis in
generations, and the federal budget process is
broken, with too much attention being paid to
partisan politics and too little attention being
paid to the 46.2 million Americans living
below the poverty line—including 16 million
children. All the stories you’ll hear in The Line
are true. Together, a faithful response can help
move our nation’s leaders to pass just and
fair economic policies for all of God’s children
created in God’s image.
We invite you to be a part of educating
Christians about the realities of those who are
poor and our broken economic system—and
about our biblical mandate to pursue a just
economy.
Where Can I Get The Line?
You can order The Line at thelinemovie.com/
get-dvd or by going to the Sojourners Store at
store.sojo.net.
Getting Started
1. Choose a date and time. Keep in mind
the church calendar and other regularly
occurring events.
2. Advertise and invite. Get the word out to
folks you would like to attend.
3. Share leadership. Consider inviting staff
from a local nonprofit organization to
help lead the discussion. Ask for help
from friends and colleagues in setting up,
hosting, and cleanup.
4. Dress rehearsal: Be sure to test all the
equipment you are planning to use
(DVD player, speakers, projector, screen,
microphones, etc.).
—4
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
Unpacking The Line
Here’s the good news about poverty in America:
We know it doesn’t need to be this way.
While millions of Americans are experiencing
poverty at rates higher than we’ve seen in
50 years, it is a problem we can fix. It won’t
happen overnight, but with commitments from
individual people, communities, businesses, and
government, this reality can change.
We have cut poverty in half in our country
before, and we can do it again.
But, it will take the smart use of resources and
strategic partnerships between nonprofits,
business, and government. No one person or
institution can tackle this problem on their own.
More than ever before, we know what it takes to
reduce poverty—what works and what doesn’t.
The stories you’ve just heard in The Line are
real. So are the people and their struggles with
poverty. Through John, Sheila, Ronald, and
James you now have faces, names, and stories
of hardship, hard work, and hope that will stay
with you for many days to come.
The author Frederick Buechner once said, “The
story of any one of us is in some measure the
story of us all.”
Perhaps you heard something in The Line that
resonated with you—an experience or feeling
that you’ve had yourself or that someone you
love has had.
thelinemovie.com
Let’s talk about the film. Together, let’s unpack
the challenges, hopes, and fears that it brings to
the fore, with the hope that we will understand
poverty—what causes it, what it looks like in
the United States today, what we can do to help
alleviate its often devastating affects, and how
we can intervene to stop its injustices—and
make ourselves better.
A Note to Group Facilitators
Begin by intentionally creating a sacred place for
discussion to unfold.
Let participants know that they are in a safe and
confidential space. Encourage those present to
honor one another by promising to keep what’s
shared during the discussion within the confines
of the room.
Emphasize the importance of trust and a humble
spirit. Caution participants against harboring a
judgmental spirit against others whose opinions
and experiences might differ from their own.
Next, ask everyone in the group to introduce
themselves—give their name, what it is that
they “do” (as a career, as a calling, as a vocation,
or for a living), and where they live.
As you open the floor for a conversation about
poverty in the United States, we’ve provided the
following conversation starters that we hope will
help facilitate an open and honest exchange of
ideas and experiences.
—5
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
thelinemovie.com
Part I
The New Face of Poverty: Behind the Picket Fence
John introduces us to the new face of poverty in
America.
He lives in a nice house in a well-to-do suburb
of Chicago. He earned six figures a year working
for a bank. He had a wife and children.
But the financial collapse became a landslide in
his own life.
He lost his job. Financial worries strained his
marriage. His wife left and the couple divorced.
Now a single dad, John struggles to put food on
the table.
In an effort to better the situation, he went back
to school to become a teacher, but so far, his
efforts have not resulted in a full-time job.
Did you know?
Medicaid
guarantees
health services
to 38 million
children a year.
Between substitute teaching and tutoring,
John manages to bring in only about $12,000
annually. Still, he doesn’t qualify for food stamps
and must depend on public charities and
governmental partnerships to provide food for
his family.
Discussion Questions
1. What stereotypes do we have about what
poverty looks like? How does John’s story
challenge those stereotypes?
2. Suburban poverty is outpacing urban poverty.
Does this surprise you? Why? What are the
reasons for and implications of suburban
poverty?
3. John slipped beneath the poverty line because
of one thing: he lost his job. How close are any
middle-class Americans to “the line”? What
would happen if you experienced a car accident,
divorce, illness, or unemployment? How close
are you to “the line”?
4. What emotional and spiritual effect might
needing to rely on a food bank or other
charitable/government assistance have on
someone who is used to being “successful”?
What effect might it have on you?
5. How can we be more aware of and
understanding of poverty in our midst?
Suburban poverty now is growing at a higher
rate than urban poverty.
—6
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
thelinemovie.com
Part II
The Trauma of Poverty
What might it feel like to believe you will always
be poor?
Sheila grew up amid the trauma of poverty—
apathy, scarce educational opportunities, gang
violence, the drug trade, hopelessness.
She says people in her Chicago neighborhood
are lucky to make $10,000 to $12,000 a year
with government assistance.
Sheila tells the story of her sister who was shot
and killed in the neighborhood where she grew
up. Her family, she says, never fully recovered.
Did you know?
Three out of
four workingage adults who
live in poverty
have jobs. Millions more are
looking for
work.
Living in poverty can already be a traumatic
experience, but it also often means living in
neighborhoods where you and the ones you
love are more likely to face even more painful or
traumatic experiences.
The 1 in 4 young children now living in poverty
in the U.S. are often surrounded by a world
in which they don’t see much hope and
opportunity to succeed.
Discussion Questions
1. Where are the neighborhoods or communities
like this near you? What are they called? What
do you know about them and their residents?
How have you learned about these areas? TV
news? Newspaper reports? Church?
2. How is violence—in a city, neighborhood, or
other community—connected to poverty? Why?
3. How is education, or lack thereof, connected
to poverty? Why?
4. Outside influences and influencers might
offer a real solution to the problems of poverty
in communities. Who and what are they? What
would they do?
5. What can be done at the local level to
address the underlying issues of education and
violence in areas battling endemic poverty?
The Rev. Julian DeShazier sees things differently:
Poor is not who you are. Poor describes your
circumstances—and circumstances can change.
—7
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
thelinemovie.com
Part III
The Nature of Poverty
God gave us a lot … but we didn’t know
how to take care of it.
What do you do when the one-two punch of
natural disaster and poverty threatens an entire
culture and community?
Such is the case along the Gulf Coast of
Mississippi and Louisiana, where residents were
struck twice—once with Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita and again with the Deepwater Horizon BP
oil spill.
The two events (and other environmental
factors) have led to the demise, not just of
the fishing trade—a profession handed down
generation to generation—but of the Gulf Coast
culture writ large.
Did you know?
The Earned
Income Tax
Credit (EITC)
kept 5.7 million
people above
the poverty line
in 2011.
Ronald has seen miles of coastline disappear.
Some of the spots he used to fish and hunt
physically no longer exist. He doesn’t make
enough money from his shrimping boat to stay
in business and says it will be at least three
years before some of the marine life—shrimp,
oysters, fish, and the like—returns.
Louisiana’s wetlands are disappearing at the
rate of roughly one football field per hour.
Historically, the culture along the Gulf Coast has
been known for its easy joyfulness and lack of
anxiety—not worrying about the future. Ronald
says that has changed, perhaps forever.
The whole culture—life as it has been known for
generations—is just ... gone.
Discussion Questions
1. How are environmental threats and disasters
related to poverty?
2. Louisiana ranks among the worst states in
the U.S. for economic growth and sustainability.
What does this mean for people struggling to
stay above “the line”? What does it mean for
people of faith? What does it mean for you?
3. When people have worked in one industry
their entire lives and the industry disappears,
what happens next?
4. How does the loss of the Gulf Coast culture
affect the rest of the country?
5. What does it mean for society as a whole
when able-bodied, intelligent, hard-working
people cannot find any work?
But Ronald’s misfortune is not just a story of
job loss; it’s one of a loss of hope. Ronald says
he’s lost all confidence in his ability to make a
living the way he and generations before him
have, living off the land and the water, off the
abundance of creation. He is worried for his
children and future generations.
—8
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
thelinemovie.com
Part IV
The Cycle of Poverty: Food for Thought
Life can be unfair. Unexpected and unjust
circumstances can shape the path of an entire
life. Such is the case with James.
As a child in New York, he was injured badly in
an accident and spent nine months in a coma.
He received a substantial court settlement for
the accident, but when it came time to collect
the compensation money, James’ father tricked
him into signing it over to him, leaving James
and his mother with only $500.
Did you know?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP,
formerly
known as food
stamps) kept
3.9 million
people out
of poverty in
2011.
Discussion Questions
1. James said he and his mother would not have
survived without welfare and governmental
assistance. What should the role of government
be in helping people like James? Why?
2. James says that if you’re not living in poverty,
you don’t see it, and you don’t think about it.
How do we shield ourselves from having to think
about poverty?
With the assistance of welfare and food stamps,
James and his mother struggled to make ends
meet.
3. How does it affect our idea of the “American
Dream” when someone works as hard as
possible and still falls below the poverty line?
But James kept working—he walked horses at a
race track for 22 years.
4. What are the benefits and the limitations of
nonprofits such as The King’s Kitchen, where
James works?
James left New York City for North Carolina,
where the unemployment rate is 9.4 percent.
With a limited skill set, he found a place at a
faith-based, nonprofit restaurant called The
King’s Kitchen. He volunteered first and the
restaurant—impressed by his hard work—
offered him a full-time position on the tablebusing staff.
5. Even in the face of poverty, James has a
positive attitude. What lessons might we learn
from his work and dedication?
James works as hard as he can and through
persistent effort was able to move out of a
homeless shelter, rent an apartment, and live on
his own. And yet, even through diligent work,
James brings in just $11,000 to $15,000 per
year.
His best efforts still leave him below the poverty
line. Try to climb the ladder sometime. It’s not
easy.
—9
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
thelinemovie.com
Part V
The Face of Hope
“I’ve done everything that I can do to make
myself better.”
When Sheila realized her son, Javee, was at
risk of falling into the drug culture of their
Chicago neighborhood, she found a way out.
She moved into her parents’ house in a different
neighborhood and secured scholarships for her
children to attend better schools.
But even our best laid plans can fall apart
through no fault of our own. Sheila fell down a
flight of Chicago Transit Authority stairs and
suffered grave head injuries. She’s had multiple
surgeries and has not experienced a pain-free
day since.
Did you know?
In 2011, Social
Security kept
21.4 million
people out of
poverty including 14.5 million
seniors.
Sheila didn’t want to go on disability. She had to
accept government assistance just to keep on
going. Even while disabled, she didn’t stop trying
to make her life—and her children’s lives—
better. She went back to school. She wrote a
book. She volunteered to help others in need.
She even recorded and released an inspirational
CD.
Sheila and Javee are the faces of hope in a
seemingly hopeless place.
Sheila’s positive attitude and hard work haven’t
ended with bettering her own life. Now she
spends much of her time spreading her message
of hope to others living in similar situations.
“I pledge to be the change you see in my home
and my community, because I am a light,” she
says.
Discussion Questions
1. Sheila was able to find a way out of a violent
situation because her parents lived in a safer
neighborhood. Unfortunately, not everyone in
the community has that kind of opportunity.
What are other ways to address or escape that
type of situation?
2. Sheila could not work because of her
disability and received less than $1,500 per
month to sustain herself and her three children.
Discuss how easy or difficult it might be for four
people to live on that amount of money. How
would you budget $1,500 a month for a family
of four? What would you spend it on? What
would you have to go without? How would you
be able to save for the future?
3. Sheila says there is a stigma that she—and
thousands of others like her—bear because they
receive government aid. How are we guilty of
this type of judgment and stereotyping?
4. Sheila is able to be a positive witness in
other violent communities because she’s lived
it herself. How might we better understand
poverty so that we can be effective and
trustworthy influences in our communities?
5. Despite her many struggles, Sheila has found
a way to help others. What can we do to help
others? What can we do to help support folks
like Sheila who strive to give back, even from a
place of scarcity?
— 10
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
Part VI
Drawing a Line
If we tell people that they are better than
they think they are, they will do better than
they think they can.
Rev. Julian DeShazier’s ministry in Chicago
helps young people living in poverty tell their
stories and claim their experiences. Julian
says once you can tell your story, you own
your life.
The young people who can tell their stories
no longer define themselves according to
how the rest of the world might see them.
“Though I am poor, I do not consider myself
poor,” says one of the teens.
Discussion Questions
1. What unites each of the stories in the film?
Did you know?
From 1949 to
1959 America
cut its poverty
rate from 40.5
percent to
22.4 percent
(almost in
half) and from
1959 to 1973
we cut the
rate from 22.4
percent to 11.1
percent (more
than half).
thelinemovie.com
taking action
Be ready to act. If you want to
engage people who have been
inspired by the film, consider
providing an opportunity for
immediate action on the night of
the event. For example, you could
have a sign-up sheet for those
interested in joining a small group
for further discussion, or you could
have materials ready to send letters
to your member of Congress.
Sojourners is a Christian organization
whose mission is to articulate the
biblical call to social justice, inspiring
hope and building a movement to
transform individuals, communities,
the church, and the world. To learn
more, visit us at www.sojo.net.
2. What is the difference between being in
poverty and being poor?
3. How has seeing firsthand accounts
changed the way you view and understand
poverty? Can you picture yourself in any
of their shoes? How might you handle the
challenges and struggles that each of the
people profiled in the film has faced?
4. What are ways your faith community,
organization, or family can address the
issues of poverty in your own community?
5. How might we shine the spotlight on
poverty in this country, both during the
election season and beyond?
— 11
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
thelinemovie.com
The Line: A project from
With
Supported by
— 12
www.sojo.net • 1-800-714-7474
Poverty in America—It’s not what you think.
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If you liked this movie The Line from Sojourners, you may be
interested in these discussion guides available through the Sojourners Store (store.sojo.net). Perfect for Bible studies or small
groups, these study materials include everything you need to
generate lively and engaging conversations. Each discussion guide
includes Sojourners articles, questions to prompt conversation, and
ideas for further study.
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Christians and Democracy
Even when we must choose between imperfect options, it is important
to prayerfully examine what is at stake and seek to confess Christ
even in our political lives. (4 sessions, 9 articles, 38 pages)
Christians and Politics
The fledgling Christian communities lived under the thumb of the
Roman Empire. Paul addressed their conflict of allegiance to God and
government, helping us today to evaluate our social and political
actions. (4 sessions, 8 articles, 40 pages)
Christians and the Role of Government
What can we learn from the Bible about the proper role of government, including its role in fostering the common good and economic
justice? (4 sessions, 13 articles, 38 pages)
To purchase these and other
downloadable discussion guides
from Sojourners, visit store.sojo.net.
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