FRANCHESCA RAMSEY (HOST): Myth 4: Most poor people are “the blacks” in the “inner city.”
TRAE CROWDER: OK, no. Most poor people in the U.S. aren’t black. Actually, most poor people in the U.S. look, and a lot of them sound, like me. It’s true that the rate of poverty for black people in America is disproportionately higher, but the actual number of poor people -- way more white people. Part of the reason the stereotype persists is because any time poor people are presented in the media, it’s usually poor black people in the cities, and this stereotype sucks for everybody. Black people are made out to be something that they’re really not, and poor white people aren’t cared about at all. The only time a camera ever shows up in places where I’m from is if they’re there to film an episode of Cops.
RAMSEY: So basically, the media is racist and classist, what else is new?
