I have an anecdote. I've been drinking so this won't be well typed out...
My dad was the oldest of three kids and was abandoned by his dad at aged 10 my aunt was 9 and my uncle was 8.They grew up in bullshit west Virginia by the border of Ohio (sucks), West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The now meth capital of the world. Grandma never re-married and leaned on family to take take care of everyone. My dad, aunt and uncle all went military route after high school. Army, and two Navy. All live great lives, never divorced, and worked what they could. They bitched, they hated life, but they never expected anything. my dad went to college, failed out Uncle went college, failed out. aunt is a fucking genius but has MS. We live middle class lives and now between the three of them they have 3 college graduates as kids, one military son, one business owner, and one who more than makes their way by. Class didn't keep them down, money didn't keep them down, or druggy friends. Family helped raised them up along with service. Can't speak to race cause West Virginia is Lily white. There are alot of ways out and pretending you can't go down some alternative way is bullshit.