Students at Gateway Community College were getting a lesson in what it’s like to live in poverty.
The poverty simulation role-played the lives of low income families, such a single parents trying to care for children and senior citizens attempting to live on social security.
This allowed students to gain appreciation and understanding for different living conditions.
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“So for those who don’t live in poverty, what some of their counterparts may be experiencing and increase that level of wellness and empathy. And for those living in poverty, they are being heard and their experiences acknowledged,” Licella Arboleta explained.
Some of the barriers people had to deal with involved food, shelter and other basic needs.
The event was done in partnership with Southern and Western Connecticut State Universities.