"Bridges out of Poverty," Norman, OK

Today was the first of three full-day "Bridges out of Poverty" trainings, presented by one of the authors, Terie Dreussi Smith, to become a facilitator for our community.  I arrived in Norman, OK, after flying into the Will Rogers International Airport, Oklahoma City, OK, yesterday (Sunday).  My home for the next three days is at the National Center for Employee Development (NCED) for the United States Postal Service.  Only in the most recent years has the center offered the opportunity for other trainings to use their space to generate additional revenue.  I've met postal workers from all over the country, including Alaska, and my closet includes complimentary envelopes and mailing boxes!
At my training table, I sat amongst a parole officer from Kansas, an assistant for a Circles Initiative from Oklahoma, and an employee of a social service agency in Texas.  A few of the 90 trainees are also facilitators of the "Getting Ahead..." Initiative. 
Our training discussed a multitude of modules to understand the continuum of economic class and examples to effectively teach to community members, most importantly, those sitting at the decision-making table, the effects of poverty. 
An example illustrated the businesses that exist in the midst of poverty: pawn shops, liquor store, corner store, rent-to-own, laundromat, fast food, check cashing, temp services, used car lot, dollar store.  How many of these are located in Pottstown?  In walking distance of downtown? 
Tomorrow and Wednesday the training is more customized for the individual, institution/agency, and community we are reaching by "bridging the gap" for understanding. 
The training is similar to the information Ryan and I facilitate in "Getting Ahead.." to people who live in poverty and transform the message of the same concepts to teach it to professionals whose economic lens originates from middle class or wealth.