Front and Center is a groundbreaking series of op-eds—published by Ms. and created in partnership with the Magnolia Mother’s Trust—which aims to put front and center the voices of Black women who are affected most by the often-abstract policies currently debated at the national level. The series highlights the success of Springboard to Opportunities’ Magnolia Mother’s Trust (MMT), which this year will give $1,000 per month for 12 months to 100 families headed by Black women living in federally subsidized housing.
What possibilities could open up for low-income families if financial survival weren’t always top of mind? What dreams would these mothers and families be able to pursue? What activism and community leadership might arise? The series will answer these and other questions, by placing one mother’s story front and center every other week. The first-person accounts in this series are available for reprint. Find additional guidelines at the end of this story.
Sequaya first shared her story with Ms. in 2021. We checked in with her recently to see how she’s doing.
My name is Sequaya Coleman and I was a member of the Magnolia Mother’s Trust 2020 cohort. Since last receiving funds in February 2021, my income has changed for two reasons: a job switch and having a baby.
It was challenging when the program came to an end. I lost my job a few months after. I knew having another child would impact my income because I would need to buy extra things like diapers.
I was shocked by how much the price of things had changed since having my first child nearly a decade ago. It started to feel like everything was falling to pieces—like I was trying to pick up a piece of paper and put it back together after it was torn. But I was determined, and in due time everything prevailed—thanks to skills I learned in the MMT program that helped me weather the storm. It’s safe to say that I’m now doing okay.
My favorite skill I learned in the program is meditation. I just never did things for myself before. Most parents know that you don’t even get bathroom time. My child will just bust right in—”mommy mommy mommy!” In meditation we learned to take that five, or even two, minutes of peace for ourselves. It’s something I still do to this day. Whether I have a babysitter, or it’s after the kids go to sleep, or even just in the bathroom. They know when the door is closed do not come in—especially during bathtime. If they hear the rain sound from the meditation app, they know I’m taking a mommy timeout, a wind down, a refresh, a regroup. And then I come back. The program helped me establish this practice and it’s truly what I value most.
One of the other surprising benefits of the program is that I found myself being more open to people. I’m an introvert. I love people, but I’d rather be in my own space. Springboard gave us a platform to share space and meals with other women who are going through similar things. It allowed us to be so open and to share whatever we wanted. I found that very helpful because it’s not something I would’ve normally done on my own. I mean, there are family members who probably don’t even know half of the stuff that I’ve shared with these other women. It really opened me up to being more social, and I feel like I gained a real family. I have long-lasting friendships with the people that I’ve met through this program—whether it’s high-powered people, or just regular people like me. I still talk to these people on a daily basis, like, “Hey girl, you want to go get a bite to eat or something to drink?” I never expected to make friends in this program.
If they hear the rain sound from the meditation app, they know I’m taking a mommy timeout, a wind down, a refresh, a regroup. And then I come back. The program helped me establish this practice and it’s truly what I value most.
Sequaya
When MMT started, I thought, “They’re gonna make us pay this money back.” I thought it was like a payday loan. But once it began and we learned how everything actually worked, I thought, “Maybe God sends people to you for certain reasons.”
At the time I was accepted, I was in a dark place. I was working seven days a week and paying a sitter to care for my daughter when school wasn’t in. It was a lot. This program boosted my confidence in knowing that as a mother I can provide for my children, rather than having to borrow or feel burdened down, or laying awake at night worrying about a bill due the next day.
I don’t receive TANF but I do receive SNAP. One of my biggest principles before I had children was I never wanted to rely on government systems. But then you have kids and have to be an adult. Reality hits and you have no choice.
There’s so much paperwork with these welfare programs. Every six months, you have to report this, sign this, recertify this. And what lawmakers and politicians don’t know is when you all have us doing all this extra paperwork for SNAP benefits, we’re just worried about eating.
With MMT it was like, “Yes, I don’t have to worry that I can’t wash my kids clothes because I don’t have extra $2 to do it.” If I need insurance for my child, I can pay for healthcare, I don’t have to worry about dealing with Mississippi Medicaid. I can move freely without the government breathing down my neck. You just feel better when you can do it on your own.
To the lawmakers and politicians who think programs like the MMT discourage people from working, I would say that is simply not true. I would tell them to educate themselves before they speak. Get to know what this program is all about.
I worked the entire time I had MMT. Most of the 2020 cohort did. You have to keep going because MMT is going to end, we’re not receiving it for a lifetime. Politicians could be focusing on so much more than worrying about whether or not someone’s being lazy. And if they helped, (because I know MMT is not funded by them) maybe they could see what it does, what it’s allowed people in poverty to have for ourselves.
There’s so much paperwork with these welfare programs. … What lawmakers and politicians don’t know is when you all have us doing all this extra paperwork for SNAP benefits, we’re just worried about eating.
Sequaya
One of my biggest goals I wanted to achieve during my time in MMT was to move out of the location I was in to a new place, and I was able to do that.
Another goal was to begin to save for a house. That’s harder to do. First you have to get your credit score in order, then realtors and things of that nature. So I had to just focus on immediate needs for my home and child. But I still hope to move forward with that dream in the future.
I find joy everyday in my children, my children, my children. Children give you motivation. They keep you younger. They also give you gray hair! But at the same time, they’re lovable. They are life, and they give you life. I don’t give up because of my children. I can’t give them everything they want, but I can give them a decent life. As long as I can provide for them, I’m happy.
Front and Center pieces are free to republish, under the following guidelines:
- At the top of your reprint, include a line that reads: “Front and Center is a series of op-eds published by Ms. magazine and created in partnership with Springboard to Opportunities and Magnolia Mother’s Trust.“
- You may also republish the photographs included in this story.
- If you share republished stories on social media, we’d appreciate being tagged in your posts. You can find Ms. on Twitter @MsMagazine, on Instagram @ms_magazine and on Facebook. Springboard to Opportunities is on Twitter @SpringboardToOp, on Instagram @springboard_to and on Facebook.
Have questions on the series? Read more here, and direct specific questions to Katie Fleischer at kfleischer@msmagazine.com.
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