Poverty Rates in New York City (7)

Almost Half of the New York City population is living in either poverty or near poverty conditions. Despite the rising employment rates, this problem has particularly hit minority groups the hardest. The most severely impacted group is the city's Asian population, which has surpassed Hispanics as the poorest group living in New York City.

A new study conducted by the Center for Economic Opportunity revealed many new statistics about poverty rates and the cities ethnicities that have changed in the past 4 years.This study revealed that 45.6 percent of New Yorkers are barely making ends meet, even with more adults working full-time since the recession. A combination of low wages, rising rents, a lack of benefits, and a severe language barrier for many minorities is largely to blame.

The annual study also showed shifts within racial/ethnic demographics. As the report reveals, the poverty rate of Asians and Hispanics was practically identical in 2008, at 22.4 percent and 23.5 percent. But by 2012, the rate surged to 29 percent for Asians, more than 3 percent higher than Hispanics.

The data paints an image of the city's Asian population and specifically non-English speaking members in the Asian immigrant community, many of whom struggle to gain access to basic government-funded programs that aim to provide economic relief. More than half of the city's Asian community lives in Queens, the racially diverse borough experienced the highest jump in poverty in the city from 2008 to 2012.

One of the greatest reasons behind these startling statistics is the language barrier experienced by the minorities of the city. Asians and Hispanics that learn our native language would have less trouble finding a job or even applying for government aid. So a simple solution could be that they learn the English Language, while living in a country that the native language is English. That being said, could that statement be seen as racist? Do we, as americans, believe that if someone enters our country they must learn our language? We may not be flat out saying it but clearly it is implied. By not learning our language these people are suffering, they cant find jobs and they struggle to apply for basic financial aid. Being seen as the greatest country in the world, and New York being seen as one of the greatest cities with the most opportunity(and one of the most diverse), is this how we want to be portrayed? That if you do not learn the native language, you simply can not be successful in one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world.

Source: huffingtonpost