LDS scripture tells us that the people of Zion will have “no poor among them,” (Moses 7:18) and exhorts members to “succor the weak [and] lift up the hands which hang down” (D&C 81:5). Yet the church often preaches a form of prosperity gospel wherein faithfulness is rewarded with material wealth and those experiencing poverty are shamed and denigrated. We are deeply communitarian in our theology and provide sometimes extraordinary help to those in need, yet we also talk about self-reliance and work ethic as individual virtues, ignoring the structural barriers that prevent economic mobility.
When have you been lifted by your ward community during a personal financial challenge? When did that community fail you? What does it look like to be a Mormon woman on church or government food assistance? Have the church’s self reliance programs helped you? Are those programs complicated by a culture in which economic prosperity is sometimes equated with righteousness? When has the church felt like it was acting out a culture of scarcity? When has it operated out of abundance? Have you been indirectly impacted by poverty, such as when the fear of there being not quite enough passes down through generations? We want to hear your stories of struggle, power, and cooperation.
Exponent II believes that narratives are a powerful asset for moving hearts and minds. Creative work connects us to one another while simultaneously lifting up storytellers and inspiring the community. As feminists, we care about this issue not just because poverty inordinately affects women, but because we stand with all communities who are structurally distanced from positions of power. Tell us your stories.
Send submissions to exponentiihttps://exponentii.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/IMG_5173-scaled-2.jpg AT gmail DOT com by April 1, 2019. Submissions should be 800-2400 words and in Word or Google doc form.
