From an early age, hooks was taught in church to identify with the poor, learning that they were “closer to the heart of the divine because their lives embodied the wisdom of living simply” (39). Scriptures from the Book of Matthew emphasized that those who cared for the needy would be chosen to dwell among the godly, while those who ignored suffering would be cast out. This spiritual framework shaped her early understanding of class, instilling in her the belief that solidarity with the poor was not just an ethical duty but a sacred one. However, these religious teachings coexisted with an unspoken reality: while the poor were valorized in faith, poverty in everyday life carried stigma and shame.

Growing up in a working-class household, she did not initially recognize her own family’s financial struggle. Sharing resources—whether food, clothing, or assistance—was an unspoken norm in her community, especially among women, who found discreet ways to support one another. Yet despite this communal ethic, no one openly discussed capitalism, unemployment, or the systemic forces that perpetuated poverty. The threat of communism was acknowledged, but the mechanisms of capitalism remained unexamined.

As she entered college, hooks encountered class differences more starkly.