Upstate Tea - The Missing Class

An episode of the Frogmore Stew podcast, hosted by The Alliance Coalition, titled "Upstate Tea - The Missing Class" was published on February 4, 2026 and runs 28 minutes.

February 4, 2026 ·28m · Frogmore Stew

Summary

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

Episode Description