Poverty: What's Marriage Got To Do With It? with Marc Payan (Payan Development Group)

[Charles Lee]

Multiple research studies show that marriage is good for society, but there is a wide gap in minority marriage rates and no easy answers on what actions to take to help marriages. Many of society's ills we rally around have root in family breakdown. Nearly a third of births in the United States are now attributed to unmarried mothers, and the rates are astronomically high for Hispanic women - 76 percent, and African American women, with 70 percent. Children in single-parent homes are more likely to grow up in poverty, more likely to fall prey to drugs and more likely to be exposed to family violence. Rather than just accept family breakdown as inevitable, research has shown specific practical ways that make positive impact. Come share and explore how strengthening marriages and healthy relationships makes a difference the well-being of children in neighborhoods across America.

Marc Payan is a community organizer and director of Payán Development Group, which provides consultation to organizations in areas including: project management, resource development, and evaluation. Over the past four years, he has worked closely Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Initiatives projects throughout America. His blog, http://marriagetweets.com and its twitter counterpart @imarriage have quickly become the premiere source of news, research and global trends on marriage & relationships.

[Marc]

AU Govt White Paper: Most common causes of homelessness are domestic violence and family breakdown. | http://bit.ly/14sxkR

[kim]

people are all crazy about the wedding, but who helps strenghten the marriage?

[Marc]

yes, much time, money, planning goes into the wedding and somehow taking a 'premarital' class that focuses on teaching communication and conflict management skills is lost or rushed into a 2hr meeting with a pastor a few weeks before the wedding date. research is clear about the link of taking a marriage education class before tying the knot to higher satisfaction and commitment in marriage, less conflict and reduced chances of divorce, regardless of couples’ race, income or education.

-not cool to be going through a divorce and still paying off your wedding...well, that's another story!