Changing the way we talk about poverty

How can we overturn the toxic poverty narrative that stigmatises and shames the most vulnerable in our society?

What does it mean to be poor in Britain and America? For decades the primary narrative about poverty in both countries is that it has been caused by personal flaws or ‘bad life decisions’ rather than policy choices or economic inequality. This misleading account has become deeply embedded in the public consciousness with serious ramifications for how financially vulnerable people are seen, spoken about and treated.

Award-winning author and journalist Mary O’Hara is the co-founder of Project Twist-It – a two-year multi-platform initiative focusing on the power of storytelling to flip the script on poverty in the UK and US.

In a special event at the RSA, to launch her new book The Shame Game, Mary is joined in conversation by writers Mahsuda Snaith and Natasha Carthew to ask: how we can overturn this divisive and pernicious portrayal once and for all?