“I’ve always tried to find my way,” says Adrian, a mother of three in Jackson, Miss., “and now I just want to be present—for them and for me.”
Front & Center is a groundbreaking series amplifying the voices of Black women navigating poverty—highlighting their struggles, resilience and dreams as they care for their families, build careers and challenge systems not built for their success. Now in its fourth year, Front & Center is a collaboration between Ms. and Springboard to Opportunities, a nonprofit based in Jackson, Miss., working alongside residents of federally subsidized housing as they pursue their goals. The first-person accounts in this series are available for reprint. Find additional guidelines at the end of this story.
My name is Adrian. I’m 33 years old, and I live in Jackson, Mississippi. I’m a proud mom to three boys: My oldest is 15, my middle son is 12 and my youngest is 10. They get along pretty well, and I feel lucky for that.
We love to travel together. I try to take them to different parks and places whenever I can. A lot of our family is from Daytona, Fla., so we visit there every once in a while, but most of our time is spent here, where my dad’s family is, and their dad’s family, too.
We eat a lot—trying new foods is something we all enjoy.
My oldest, D, runs track and helps out with the football team at school—he’s like the manager, I guess. I’m still learning about sports, trying to be a “ball mom.” The younger two are more into video games and prefer to stay inside, but they’re good kids. They don’t cause trouble.
D already knows he wants to go to college, out of state if he can. It makes me a little sad to think about him leaving, but I want him to have whatever opportunities he wants. I haven’t started saving for college yet, but I’m thinking about it. I hope to be in a better financial position by then, I’m planning to be earning more at that point. I want to provide for him, and his dad helps where he can, but I’m the one who tries the hardest.
I work in leasing for a self-storage company, covering Mississippi, Alabama and Atlanta. Right now, I’m an assistant manager. Before this, I was a general manager at Dollar General.
I’ve always tried to find my way, and I dream of opening my own business one day. I’d love to own a salon—maybe even three! I want to sell hair products and rent out chairs to other stylists. I’ve wanted that since I was a little girl. If I open a salon, I’d call it Beauties, for all the beautiful women; or maybe Rose, after my mom’s middle name. My sister is a chef and wants a food truck, so we dream about having a beauty salon and a restaurant next to each other, maybe with a boutique upstairs. We’d call it Sisters.
Money is always tight. My income covers the basics, but sometimes unexpected expenses come up, and then things get hard. Some months are good, some aren’t. I do make more than minimum wage, but it’s not always enough. The boys are expensive—just getting them the basics for school and clothes can cost $300 or $400. That’s why I was so happy when I got the call that I was accepted into the Magnolia Mother’s Trust. It felt like a weight was lifted. The extra help means I can maybe take the boys on another trip this summer and save a little, too.
Mostly, I want to spend more time with my kids. I’ve worked so much, and now that they’re getting older, I want to be present. I want to be in their business, know what’s going on in their lives. My youngest lets me, but my middle one is more private.
My support system is small. My mom is a big help, especially since my dad passed away five years ago. It’s mostly just me, my mom and my sister now. Childcare was always a struggle. I was told I made too much money to qualify for help, but it never felt like enough. My dad used to help with the kids when they were little, but now they’re old enough to take care of each other.
I do have healthcare coverage through the state, and that’s a relief. I haven’t had to deal with medical debt, thankfully. Having a bit more cash coming in through the Trust has helped my mental and emotional health—I feel like I can breathe a little easier.
My income covers the basics, but sometimes unexpected expenses come up, and then things get hard. Some months are good, some aren’t.
If I could tell the governor or the president something, I’d say there’s a lot that needs fixing. It’s not just about giving help; I think women like me work hard and have to prove ourselves every day. We keep our heads high and stay positive, even when things are tough.
My biggest dream is to own a home—a big house for me and my boys. I’ve tried before, but it didn’t work out. In apartments, you can’t do what you want. There’s the noise, worrying about neighbors, and never really having peace. I want a place that’s ours, where no one can take it from us.
If I could give advice to another mom, I’d say: Stay positive and don’t give up. Sometimes you help everyone else and don’t get the help back. I wish I’d had more support from friends, but I had to let some people go. My joy comes from being with my kids, having peace of mind, and just being here for them. My biggest fear is not being with them, so every day I’m grateful for them—they are my pride and joy.
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