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Waging a Living (2006)

By Roger Weisberg

In this Case Study
The Film
Strategy & Goals
Resource Materials
Outcomes

The Film

One in four American workers — more than 30 million people — are stuck in jobs that pay less than the federal poverty level for a family of four. Roger Weisberg's alarming and heart-wrenching documentary, Waging a Living, puts a human face on the growing economic squeeze that is forcing millions of workers into the ranks of the poor. Shot over a three-year period in the Northeast and California, this observational documentary captures the dreams, frustrations and accomplishments of a diverse group of people who struggle to live from paycheck to paycheck. By presenting an unvarnished look at the barriers that these workers must overcome to escape poverty, Waging a Living offers a sobering view of the elusive American Dream. The film was produced and directed by Roger Weisberg and is a production of Public Policy Productions in association with Thirteen/WNET New York, with funding provided by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Ford Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Waging a Living had its national broadcast premiere on PBS' P.O.V. series on August 29, 2006.

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