You might have guessed by now that the podcast crew does not shy away from a good debate. And, we’re not afraid to ask tough questions. And no time in our short history of interviews have we proven that more, than during this week’s Jamboree interview with Jewel, Bonnielee, and Dominique; The Tiny House Trailblazers. Their purpose is to highlight the stories of tiny house people of all colors and walks of life and to share stories about the unique challenges they face. But, who’d thunk that our conversation would get so heated? (In a friendly kind of way, of course.) Is Michelle oblivious to the plight of the African American community, or naïve? Is a gesture by a neighbor, after a potential confrontation, laudable or justifiably dismissed? How do we engage and encourage diversity in the tiny house movement? Tune in this week and prepare to hear diverse engagement, in all its uncomfortable glory, in action.
Diversity in the Tiny House Movement Jamboree Special Edition #2
The white speaker at 33:00 clearly doesn’t get it. The time is past for “steps”. EVERYONE deserves equal treatment and equal rights NOW. No one should EVER be told, “wait your turn”.
A lack of racial diversity among atheist groups (most groups, not all) was a recognized problem. The solution was simple and effective: Invite, ask and encourage non-white people to speak, then shut up, get out of their way, listen and NOT be dismissive. It was not hard to do, and it worked.
Jewel, Bonnielee, and Dominique addressed many of the subjects I would have raised (inclusion, financing, past and present racism, etc.), so I will stick to what wasn’t mentioned. One of the reasons for income inequality is eductional inequality. Educational inequality in the US is directly related to past racism and the lack home ownership – and prevention of wealth accumulation – by black people. Tiny home ownership can help counter this.
US public schools are funded by property taxes. The decision to do this was made at the same time as the redlining of the 1940s and 1950s. It led to a gradual downward spiral of tens of millions into poverty – no home ownership leads to underfunded schools leads to low incomes and thus no home ownership. Home ownership by black people and other non-white people will increase and improve public school funding. Better schools will mean a better educated populace and increased incomes among adults. Spiral up or spiral down, your choice.
Of course, a reformed tax system in the US would be a quicker solution. In Canada, public schools are funded by income taxes – the rich pay more, the poor pay less. School districts are funded on a per-student basis, the same funding for both rich and poor communities. Schools in even the smallest, poorest or rural areas of Canada can still provide an education that will allow people to succeed in college. 51% of Canadian adults have a Bachelor’s degree or higher (the highest in the world) without the US’s crippling student loan debt. It’s one of the reasons the average and median Canadian incomes are now higher than the US’s.
Please show more pictures of Tiny Homes and where they’re located.