The Immersion Experience

800 Bank St,Cincinnati OH 45214

09 March, 2023

Description

So, why a simulation?The Immersion Experience helps break down stereotypes and bridges the gap from misconception to understanding. This is an interactive experience meant to sensitize participants to the realities of poverty and how our clients navigate services on a daily basis. Poverty is often portrayed as a stand alone issue - but this simulation allows individuals to walk a month in the shoes of someone else and realize how complex and interconnected issues of poverty really are. The simulation is not a game. It is based on real individuals and their lives. The Immersion Experience exists to: Promote Awareness: During the simulation, role-play a month in low-income families’ lives.Increase Understanding: After the simulation, you will unpack your learning and brainstorm community change.Transform Perspectives: The goal of the Immersion Experience is to shift the paradigm about poverty away from being seen as a personal failure and toward the understanding of poverty as structural, a failure of society.So, what happens during the Immersion?Meet Ann. Like many people in poverty, Ann faces the daily struggle to keep a roof over her head and her children fed. Ann is just one person in the up to 26 families part of the Immersion Experience. During the Immersion, you will take on the identity of someone like Ann. You will work together with your “family” to live a month in poverty. Your simulated “community” is a large room. You and your neighbors’ “homes” are chairs in the center. The services you need like banks, schools and grocery stores are tables that line the perimeter of the room. Like real life, you need transportation to work or school. You need food on the table. You might struggle with a chronic illness. Throughout the month you will face the daily stresses and challenges a person in poverty faces. Again, this simulation is not a game. It is based on the stories of real life individuals. Take a step to help close the knowledge gap surrounding poverty by participating in our upcoming immersion on Thursday, March 9th from 5-8PM at CityLink Center. This event is at no cost to you, and is open to anyone who would like to participate. Dinner will be provided.