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PBS News Hour - Segments

Hardworking Virginia family struggles to achieve American dream

PBS News Hour - Segments

PBS NewsHour

News, Daily News

4.11K Ratings

🗓️ 11 September 2025

⏱️ 6 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Headlines have recently been dominated by news that directly affects people’s lives, from the new tax cut and Medicaid law to near-daily economy updates. But those headlines don’t always capture the everyday reality for millions of Americans just trying to get by. To better understand that reality, Lisa Desjardins went to Virginia’s Blue Ridge region, where one hardworking family is struggling. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Transcript

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0:00.0

In recent months, headlines have been dominated by news that directly affects people's lives,

0:05.8

from the new tax cut and Medicaid law to near daily updates on the economy.

0:10.2

But those headlines don't always capture the everyday reality for millions of Americans

0:14.6

who are just trying to get by.

0:16.7

To better understand that reality, our Lisa Desjardin traveled to Virginia's Blue Ridge region,

0:21.6

where one hardworking family is struggling to make ends meet.

0:28.6

Currently, I work full-time as a factory worker.

0:31.6

When I'm not at the factory, I work full-time as a farmer here.

0:34.6

There's no days to not take care of your animals.

0:39.4

They need you.

0:40.4

Zero degrees outside every day.

0:42.6

When it's pouring down rain every day.

0:44.6

When I'm not doing that, I'm trying to be a father.

0:46.6

I'm trying to be a partner.

0:47.7

I'm trying to be, you know, something that my family can be proud of.

0:51.6

I'm trying to, you know, be a provider.

0:55.0

Yeah, I mean, I've always wanted to do this

0:58.6

and get my own little place and my own little farmhouse.

1:01.5

What Andrew Tate and his partner, Hannah Coogan,

1:03.6

are trying to do seems simple, but often is a struggle.

1:07.5

Build their five-acre farm in Virginia.

1:09.8

Excuse me. Excuse me.

...

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