Ideas worth spreading

The story we tell about poverty isn't true

2,064,894 views |

Mia Birdsong |

TEDWomen 2015

• May 2015

As a global community, we all want to end poverty. Mia Birdsong suggests a great place to start: Let's honor the skills, drive and initiative that poor people bring to the struggle every day. She asks us to look again at people in poverty: They may be broke — but they're not broken.

As a global community, we all want to end poverty. Mia Birdsong suggests a great place to start: Let's honor the skills, drive and initiative that poor people bring to the struggle every day. She asks us to look again at people in poverty: They may be broke — but they're not broken.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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About the speaker

Mia Birdsong

Family activist

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Mia Birdsong advocates for strong communities and the self-determination of everyday people.

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This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Sign up to learn more about Family Story, an organization that seeks to expand our understanding of what makes a "good" family to include a diversity of arrangements.