‘Chasing the Dream’ series explores poverty and opportunity in Arizona

Arizona PBS has released a series of special programs in collaboration with “Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America,” that explores the economic and structural inequalities found in Arizona.

Phoenix’s youth reconnect with their futures
A report in 2010 found that Phoenix led the nation in cities with “disconnected youth;” individuals ages 16 to 24 who were not in school and not working. Since then, different organizations have risen to the challenge to reconnect the city’s 100,000 youth with a path to success. Thanks to groups like Youth Build, the number of disconnected youth has dropped 27 percent.

After school program helping Guadalupe residents push back against poverty
Twenty-five percent of the residents of Guadalupe live in poverty and close to 40 percent of the children won’t graduate from high school. But this town of 5,500 largely Yaqui Indians and Hispanics is pushing back against the persistent poverty.

The ripple effect of Arizona’s minimum wage raise
In November, Arizona voters approved a proposal to raise the state’s minimum wage by nearly $4 over the course of several years, a decision that is receiving mixed reviews as time goes on.

Solar panels bring electricity to those living off the grid in Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation residents who have lived without power are looking to solar panels as a way to turn the lights on. The rising affordability of solar power allows homes off the grid to gain access to electricity for the first time.