Voices and Reactions

“Uncle Sam has been my husband for 22 years. I used those welfare checks like a security blanket.”

--Mary Alice Macias

welfare recipient/student

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“I do appreciate the welfare system and I try not to disrespect it because it’s free money. But I personally would not rely on it forever.”

--Jill McDonald

welfare recipient/student

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“Sometimes I want to scream and run out. But I know I can’t. I’ll do whatever I can to provide for my family. I’ll give 100% of myself to get that job.”

--Martha Cantos

welfare recipient/student

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“I’m not going to say it’s not frightening. Let’s face it--we don’t know what tomorrow might bring.”

--Lino Cantos

husband of Martha Cantos

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“I’m not going to lie to you, I’m scared as hell. But I have no choice; I have to get a career.”

--Mary Alice Macias

welfare recipient/student

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“The nursing program takes three years. The challenge here is to create courses that can be completed within 18 to 24 months. The objective is that they must become employable.”

--Ruth Irussi

A Calworks program manager

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“They will have to get a job and go to school too. A lot of people do it. I did. Even single parents can work and go to school.”

--Randy Feltman, deputy

director of welfare

reform implementation

for the county

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“The toughest thing you find in education is getting people on the campus in the first place. People who have never been on a campus say, ‘I can’t do that.’ People will be on campus and our hope is to direct them into classes.”

--Philip Westin

Ventura County Community

College District chancellor

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“It’s going to be tough. Especially when some of these people have led a tough life already. But this will lead them to a better life.’

--Supervisor John Flynn

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“This whole welfare reform has been a scapegoat against poor women. . . . People are entitled to these [health care] very basic human rights. The reform does not address any of these issues.”

--Paige Moser of the Simi

Valley chapter of the National

Organization for Women