Poor U.S.: Reimagining a Path to Prosperity

Through a series of short videos, we will share stories that depict an economy that leaves many to struggle, and the people who are working to reinvent the economy in a way that ensures people can find a path out of poverty through quality employment.

Poor U.S.: Reimagining a Path to Prosperity Short Film (Released Feb. 9)

The short film includes interviews with a variety of economic and market influencers — activists, educators, investors, philanthropists and corporate executives — all sharing actionable steps to change the economic status quo that will help people and communities help themselves out of poverty:

Poor U.S. – Reimagining a Path to Prosperity from Human Pictures Film on Vimeo.

The film was produced by Human Pictures, which is “committed to work exclusively on projects that contributed to the struggle for justice and social change, striving always to create truly complex work; and embracing complexity above notions of objectivity and neutrality.” Viewers are invited to participate in the reinvention by using #economicreinvention, and #untoldstory on social media.

Chapter Five: Not Just a Quantity of Jobs, but a Quality of Jobs (Released Dec. 29)

Nancy Pfund, Founder and Managing Partner, DBL Partners discusses the role that investment firms can play to bring the benefits of the economy to neighborhoods that have historically not had them.

Not Just a Quantity of Jobs, but a Quality of Jobs, Nancy Pfund from The Heron Foundation on Vimeo.

“The way that venture capital can play a role is to bring the benefits of the entrepreneurial economy to neighborhoods that have historically not had them. Those benefits include not just a quantity of jobs but they are a quality of job, as well.” – Nancy Pfund, Founder and Managing Partner, DBL Partners

Chapter Four: Employing New Sources of Talent (Released Dec. 22)

National Organization on Disability President Carol Glazer and Jacob Waltuck, who has autism, discuss the importance of giving people with disabilities the opportunity to be gainfully employed.

Employing New Sources of Talent, Carol Glazer from The Heron Foundation on Vimeo.

“There’s something for everybody to do in our economy and our economy has a use and a benefit for what everybody can bring to it.” – Carol Glazer, President, National Organization on Disability (NOD)

Chapter Three : Good Employers Make Money (Released Dec. 15)

MIT business professor, Zeynep Ton, explains the value of investing in employees and how good jobs can be profitable for employers.

Good Employers Make Money, Zeynep Ton from Human Pictures Film on Vimeo.

“Customers, votes with your wallets…investors, put pressure on companies, invest in those that are taking care of their employees and that way that makes sense for their business.” – Zeynep Ton, Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management

Chapter Two: When the Poor are Not at the Table (Released Dec. 8)

Essayist and activist Linda Tirado discusses how frustrating it is to work hard and stay poor in America.

When the Poor are Not at the Table, Linda Tirado from Human Pictures Film on Vimeo.

Stay tuned for more videos and learn more about how you can help #economicreinvention by working with our partners.

“We have poverty hearings on the Hill about welfare programs and these people don’t know how the programs work, they don’t know how our lives work and none of us are at the table to tell them.” – Linda Tirado

Chapter One: The Hidden Poor (Released Dec. 2)

An intimate, first-person account of the Murphy family’s struggle to make it in a broken economy. The short documentary challenges traditional myths around what it is to be poor in America and sheds light on the structural nature of current day U.S. poverty.