POV: Waging A Living

Airs Sunday, July 11, 2010 at 10:30 p.m. on KPBS TV

Jerry Longoria, a security guard, one of the more than 30 million Americans - one in four workers - who are stuck in jobs that do not pay the basics for a decent life.

Above: Jerry Longoria, a security guard, one of the more than 30 million Americans - one in four workers - who are stuck in jobs that do not pay the basics for a decent life.

The term "working poor" should be an oxymoron, but more than 30 million Americans - one in four workers - are stuck in jobs that do not pay the basics for a decent life. "Waging A Living" chronicles the day-to-day battles of four low-wage earners fighting to lift their families out of poverty.

Shot over a three-year period in the northeast and California, this observational documentary captures the dreams, frustrations and accomplishments of a diverse group of people who struggle to live from paycheck to paycheck. By presenting an unvarnished look at the barriers that these workers must overcome to escape poverty, the program offers a sobering view of the elusive American Dream. A co-presentation with Thirteen/WNET New York.

Watch an interview with filmmaker Roger Weisberg.

Video

Video Excerpt: POV: Waging A Living

Above: "Waging a Living" chronicles the day-to-day battles of four low-wage earners fighting to lift their families out of poverty. Shot over a three-year period in the northeast and California, this observational documentary captures the dreams, frustrations and accomplishments of a diverse group of people who struggle to live from paycheck to paycheck.

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