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Ruby Payne to Address Council
Building “Capacity” to Live
W
hen a mom in a low-income family
cooks for friends and family, her
question at the end of the meal is,
“Did you have enough?”
When a mom in a middle-class family
cooks for friends and family, her question at
the end of the meal is, “Did you like it?”
When a mom in a wealthy family cooks (or
hires a caterer to cook) for friends and family,
her question at the end of the meal is, “Was it
presented well?”
That scenario is only one example of the
disconnect between the classes that often
results in their misreading each other, main-
tains Dr. Ruby Payne, author, educator, and
keynote luncheon speaker for the 106th An-
nual Diocesan Council.
Why would anyone worry about presenta-
tion, thinks the low-income mom, who has
too-often seen her children go hungry. It
confirms her culture’s belief that all wealthy
people are snobs.
All cultures, says Payne, have “hidden
rules” that can create barriers that prevent
persons from moving from one culture to
another, especially to move from poverty to
middle class. A person raised in poverty may
bring his culturally-based work ethic into a
new job. He may not understand –or value
– the middle-class rules about showing up
for work consistently and on time. When he
breaks that “hidden rule,” he is fired; and the
boss’ stereotypical belief that all poor people
are lazy is reinforced.
Overcoming these class- and culture-based
obstacles is Ruby Payne’s life work; she calls
it building “human capacity.” By human
capacity, Payne means the ability to be self-
8 January/February 2010
sustaining, to have choices, to know how
to negotiate an environment different from
your own, to give back to others, and to grow
spiritually.
The extent to which a person has resources
determines that person’s ability to take care
of himself and others. A middle class shop-
per may become frustrated in a grocery store
when she see individuals with food stamps
spend them on prepared, expensive foods.
But to cook from scratch requires pots and
pans, utensils, electricity, refrigeration, and
knowledge about preparing foods. If you
have moved three times in the past month,
you are not likely to have these things avail-
able to you.
“Money does not build human capacity,”
says Payne. “And money does not change
thinking.” The things that do change think-
ing are relationships with people different
from you; emotional personal experiences;
education; spiritual awakening; and employ-
ment.
As well-meaning as are such church pro-
grams as food pantries, Payne says they do
not build human capacity. She suggests add-
ing an educational component: invite the
food recipients to come half an hour before
the food distribution and teach them some
nutritious recipes that use beans and rice.
Invite members of your congregation to par-
ticipate.
Payne cites, as an example of an effective
program, a church in East Texas that began
a ministry for very young mothers several
years ago. When a child in the larger com-
munity was born to a mother under the age
of 21, someone from the church called the
mother and asked if they could bring a gift.
When the church woman visited the home,
Features
she talked to both baby and mother. Then the
church woman asked if she could come back
the next week, and she continued to come
once a week. In three years, the babies who
had been visited were significantly higher
cognitively than babies who had not had the
intervention, and the young mother had a
mentor and a friend. “Both the mother and
the baby had developed human capacity,”
says Payne.
Payne suggests that churches are in a
unique position to help those in poverty be-
come self-sufficient. The faith community
has a huge pool of individuals who have
incredible resources of knowledge, talent,
language, and understanding, she says. “The
faith community has the potential, if the hu-
man capacity development model is used, to
provide the cognitive, spiritual, and emotion-
al tools for individuals in poverty to become
resourced,” says Payne.
Payne will bring her ideas about build-
ing human capacity to Council during the
customary Friday luncheon and again at the
beginning of the Council Friday afternoon
session, when she will take specific questions
from clergy and delegates about how to es-
tablish programs in their own churches. The
luncheon will be held at the Omni Bayfront
Hotel beginning at noon. Seating is limited
to 550, and visitors are welcome to attend
along with clergy and Council delegates. The
Friday afternoon session is open to registered
visitors. Registration for both events is being
done online at www.council-dwtx.org.
Find us on the web at www.dwtx.org