The missing class is working hard and still falling behind. This conversation digs into new research from Spartanburg County that shows how thousands of working families live just above the poverty line while remaining one crisis away from losing everything. Sociology professor Colby King explains why wages, housing, childcare, and policy choices are pushing the working poor further from stability, even in fast growing communities. The discussion centers dignity, lived experience, and what it really means when work no longer guarantees economic security.

00:00 The Missing Class Explained

04:29 The Missing Class in Spartanburg

07:08 Working Students and Economic Strain

11:58 Poverty Lines and the Near Poor

15:25 Wages, Politics, and the Safety Net

24:16 Community Advocacy and the Cost of Poverty

27:32 What Comes Next