INTERVIEW WITH AN AMERICAN SINGLE MOTHER WHO DESPITE HAVING SEVERAL JOBS, FINDS IT HARD TO PROVIDE FOR HERSELF AND FOR HER KIDS
Interviews with Real Working Class/02
Kayla Kirsch, a 34-year-old white Caucasian single mother who lives in Pittsburgh with six children, finds it hard to survive in the "land of free" and the land of "opportunities." She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jennifer, Kayla’s mother left her father when she was born. He was on drugs. She had a stepfather who left her and Jennifer during the housing crisis in 2008. He also got "strung out" on drugs, and crack cocaine. At the age of 12, Kayla was put "into the system" by her mother for being an "unruly" and "out of control" child. She ended up in the juvenile at the age of 13. She was a part of the millennial generation in "Amerikkka" [1983-1996]. She is deeply concerned about the "extreme" housing crisis as "every city is seeing an influx of homelessness" despite "so many abandoned buildings or vacant buildings." Kyla believes that CAPITALISM is the real threat to the oppressed people in the US. I asked for an interview with Kayla Kirsch and she was kind enough to give me one.
Here is my interview with Kayla:
Rumi: Thanks for taking the time from your busy and miserable schedule to talk to me [Deeply moved].
Kayla: Of course, I appreciate you [With a smile].
Rumi: What do you do for a living?
Kayla: Right now I am political canvassing. Usually, I cook at restaurants.
Rumi: How much time do you work in a day?
Kayla: Every day 11 am until 10 pm Eastern time.
Rumi: 11 hrs [Did I hear it right?]. How do you keep up with it?
Kayla: My shift is actually 8.5 hours, but the commute takes so long. Some nights, I don’t get home until 11 p.m., and I leave at 10 a.m.
Rumi: [Almost in awe] Do you feel like giving up and doing something else?
Kayla: I have no education and no time for education because it is not paying me to be there.
Rumi: If the state provides free education, would you like to return to school?
Kayla: Yes, but I would still have to make money to survive.
Rumi: Do you think you can’t do both?
Kayla: Possibly, I am not sure. I know other people who do both and still raise their families. So it is possible.
Rumi: What subjects would you like to study and why?
Kayla: Honestly, helping people or children. Maybe even unionizing jobs and workers. Helping the most vulnerable communities.
Rumi: But they don’t teach you all this at school, right?
Kayla: Not at all. They try to deter us from this.
Rumi: What’s your definition of a perfect school?
Kayla: Honestly, a school should be centered around the children and what each child needs. Here in the US, the school teaches obedience. My daughter calls school "a prison." School should teach you how to sustain life for all of us. We should be taught about plants and how to care for growing crops. We should be taught about community and how to care for each other. Even life-saving things like CPR, how to stop severe bleeding, and how to perform simple medical procedures. Even with animals and wildlife, we should be taught how to co-exist and help each other mutually.
Rumi: Do you think the system is scared to teach all the things you mentioned to students and they are only interested in teaching them to follow and obey the US-based world order?
Kayla: African Americans here have teaching their young kids [Between 8-10 year old] about police interactions. For dacades, they call it "the talk." Meaning if you have an interaction with a cop always be aware that they may try to cause you harm. Also as an African American growing up in this country could get you killed. But in white culture "the talk" is about sex. I am white Caucasian but have grown up in these communities. Even still I find myself back in this community trying to help. My children are mixed, they are white, African, American, and Pacific Islander.
Rumi: You think other races are treated very differently than the whites in the US?
Kayla: Yes, unfortunately. Especially women who are treated differently as well so
Rumi: As the 2024 presidential election is coming, I want to know who you support and why. Or you don’t support anyone? And, do you think any of the candidates would solve the real crisis in the US?
Kayla: I don't believe any candidate is going to change what is happening locally for me, my communities, or my family. I left the democratic party 8years ago. I will vote for the Green Party this year because I have been involved with them for 7 years now.
I don't think Jill Stein is the best option, but she is better than Kamala or Trump.
She was arrested at a pro-Palestinian rally, so I feel at least she's standing up for the Palestinian people and what is happening. The biggest decider for me in this election was Gaza.
Rumi: Do you think Israel is committing genocide in Gaza? And the US is complicit in it? And if Green comes to power they will stop the genocide and stop sending arms to Israel?
Kayla: Yes Israel is committing genocide, they have been for decades. We just weren't so educated on the topic. But now a lot of us are. The US helped create Israel. It wouldn't be the superpower it is without the help of the US. And the US has interests there because that's as close as they will get to the Middle East. A lot of Americans are waking up to this [especially the children and younger generations]. I believe times are changing, but not fast enough though.
The greens do not support war at all. Unless it's a means of defending yourself against oppression. Unfortunately, The Greens will never win a presidential election, the Greens get no funding bc we get less than 5% of the vote.
Rumi: What would you tell some people who would ask you what’s the point of supporting a party who are never gonna win?
Kayla: Because I don't support genocide or ethnic cleansing.
I will also never vote for a cop or a cop state. When we sent Defund the police, we meant that. Under Kamala or Trump, it will still be imperialism regardless of who wins. The atrocities Amerikkka commits will continue, as it did with Biden.
Over 42000+ Palestinians are dead bc of voting for the "lesser evil". Every presidential election is the same, vote for the lesser evil without even supporting your candidate’s platform. Because at least they are not as bad as the other guy. I don't want that blood on my hands. I want to be able to say I did not support that, and by voting for either it makes me complicit.
Rumi: Do you think the US citizens should only consider Israel’s genocide in Gaza as the only issue for the upcoming election?
Kayla: No. There are many issues. But genocide is always a top issue.
Rumi: Would you tell me what are the other issues that you are talking about?
Kayla: For me education and the housing crisis. But everyone here is so divided and has different issues. I also think women's rights and abortion access is a big issue for me as well.
Rumi: And you think Green is doing well in those areas?
Kayla: Yes I do, the problem is though... the greens as a party fund themselves where whereas DEMS and Republicans get PAC money any corporate interest money.
So we are limited as to what we can do and how we can do it.
Rumi: How do you manage to campaign for the Greens while having several jobs and the kids to look after?
Kayla: I currently am working for a company campaigning for Kamala. I can't name the company. But I canvass going door to door. They pay me 30/hr to do so. When I meet undecided voters or people who are tired of the hate politics back and forth [there's a lot]. I direct them to the Green Party. In unions, we consider this salting. Not everyone I talk to is going to join. And some people are big supporters of Trump or Kamala, I don't waste my time on those people. The company wants me to flip undecided voters to democratic supporters or people who will vote for Kamala. I left the food industry temporarily to do this. The pay is very well and I feel I can flip some Democrats to vote green this election. After the elections, I will go back to cooking for a living.
Rumi: Do they have any knowledge of what you are doing behind their back?
Kayla: Not at all. That's why I can not say the company.
Rumi: Did you set out to do it before joining the company? Or was it an afterthought?
Kayla: I have worked for the company in the past. They wanted me to do elections again and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity. Especially, since I was still getting paid but also salting has been one of my dream jobs. So yes, I took the job with the hopes of getting people to vote outside the two-party system.
Rumi: And what are the responses from the people you are getting? Are you hopeful that the change is coming?
Kayla: I am hopeful that change is coming yes, bc like I said the youth sees it for what it is.
As for reactions at the door. Some people tell me they'll consider and some just say they are still not voting at all. But yes I'm hopeful.
Rumi: You mentioned you became a stripper at the age of 18. I am just curious about your views on stripping. Was it something chose to do or you were forced to do it?
Kayla: Kind of both. I had friends in the business who were making a lot of money.
And again with no education, it was pretty much my only option being the latter would be 200-300 weekly.
Rumi: Would you consider doing it again if situations turned out to be worse for you?
Kayla: Yes, but I am older now. So it's different.
Rumi: You wanna expand on that?
Kayla: In this country, men usually only pay for young girls, I'm considered too old now.
Rumi: Are you satisfied with your life right now?
Kayla: No, not at all.
Rumi: What are things that make you feel miserable?
Kayla: Always working. Not being able to spend much time with my kids. I have to tell my kids no, or they have to wait for simple or little things other kids here have.
Being in poverty here all the time. Not being able to help others here that are in poverty. Seeing people in the communities around me struggle. And even on a global scale. It’s like waking up every day to more bad news.
Rumi: Being working class makes you more compassionate for others?
Kayla: Not necessarily, because I've seen working-class people who don’t give a shit.
For me is seeing children struggle, or even be killed for just being children. I guess I can still remember being a child and I just don't think it's right. No child should go hungry, and no child should be homeless or without a family that cares for them. Also, no child should have to grow up in war-stricken communities.
Rumi: Can someone in your position- the struggle you have with jobs/children, change society, especially in a society where so many are “brainwashed”?
Kayla: It’s hard, especially when you know some of these people are the reason why and are complicit.
Rumi: Complicit in what ways?
Kayla: Supporting the systems that oppress others.
Rumi: And you don’t think you can ever change that? I mean change their minds about the systems to oppose it and not support it for its oppression.
Kayla: Some possibly but a lot of these people have no compassion and can be very selfish.
Rumi: So what would you advise people who have the desire to change society?
Kayla: To do something. Organize within your communities and get involved.
But honestly, I believe it's past that, I believe we need a revolution.
Rumi: The revolution that will overthrow the system?
Kayla: Yes, precisely.
Rumi: Do you consider yourself an anarchist?
Kayla: No, years ago though I did follow some of the ideology. I’m more Marxist-Leninist now.
Rumi: What led you to shift from Anarchism to Marxism and Leninism?
Kayla: Reading theory. Works of Marx and Lenin. Also read about the black panther party, Huey P Newton, and Fred Hampton. I also have to mention the works of Chairman Mao Zedong have helped me a lot too. So I'm possibly a Marxist Leninist Maoist.
Rumi: Would you work with people who have different ideologies, but do want to change the system?
Kayla: Yes, of course. But a lot of communists warn us of that too.
Like these other ideologies take on their agendas and could harm us in the end.
But I am still willing to work with them.
Rumi: And what are “those ideologies” that a lot of communists warned you to be careful of?
Kayla: Usually liberalism along with anarchism. Trotskyists as well. But I'm willing to unite with other left-leaning ideologies.
Rumi: But the overthrow of the system is the end goal?
Kayla: Possibly, decolonize at least.
Her political position isn't clear.