Policies of Opportunity Dr. Shakita Brooks Jones, DSW

A traditional Polygram (P-O-L-Y-GRAM) is “a figure consisting of many lines”. The Poli-Gram (P-O-L-I-Gram) that I created is a ‘figure connecting many
lives’. My Poli-Gram uses a family’s history to demonstrate how, what I like to call ‘policies of opportunity’, can impact generations of a family’s trend toward
education and economic empowerment. It also allows for individuals and families to see generational factors through policy that may have directly
impacted the wealth and social well-being of their family.

Policies of opportunity are laws that allow for people to reach their fullest potential in our society without systemic barriers related to a person’s national
origin, race, color, religion, disability, sex, and familial status. By synthesizing my family history and the policies that both positively and negatively impacted us,
I am helping all of us to understand the ‘haves and the have-nots’ in our society, as well as the systemic factors through governmental policy that have
directly impacted our lives.”