A new limited series podcast underscores a difficult-to-swallow American reality: The economy isn’t working for millions of people who struggle every day to make ends meet.

The pandemic exacerbated economic hardships, but problems with America’s frayed social safety net existed long before it.

What can we learn from these Americans’ firsthand knowledge of adversity? What do their stories tell us about the complexities of poverty and about how society treats people in dire straits?

What solutions do they want to see? What changes could improve Americans’ financial stability in a post-COVID economy? What can be done to reduce society’s stigmatization of poverty?

What did the podcast host’s personal struggles teach him about prevailing through challenging times?

Listen to the full conversation on Texas Public Radio’s The Source here.