Author: Aisha Nyandoro

Aisha Nyandoro is the chief executive officer of Springboard to Opportunities.

‘More Cash, Less Paperwork’: Mothers on the Frontlines of Poverty Are Telling Their Stories. Are We Listening?

We are living in challenging times. Fundamental rights are under attack, the economy is teetering on the edge of a recession, and our already-insufficient social safety net’s holes grow larger by the day. It is never easy to live in poverty in America, but the past four-plus months have managed to make a bad situation worse.

As I often say, policy only changes at the speed of narrative. And unless we start truly listening to the real stories of families living in poverty—with all their challenges, joys, complications and layers—we won’t be able to change poverty policy in this country.

Front & Center’s Next Phase: How We Fix Systems Designed to Fail Black Women

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Front & Center is a groundbreaking Ms. series that offers first-person accounts of Black mothers living in Jackson, Miss., receiving a guaranteed income. Moving into the fourth year and next phase of this series, the aim is to expand our focus beyond individual stories to include a broader examination of systemic issues impacting Black women in poverty. This means diving deeper into the interconnected challenges they face, including healthcare, childcare and elder care, and the importance of mental, physical and spiritual well-being.

“When we started our Front & Center series three years ago, our goal was to give Black women living in extreme poverty—too often ignored in our politics and press—a platform to share their lived experience. … Instead of the narrow spotlight we’ve held to the singular program of the Magnolia Mother’s Trust guaranteed income pilot, we recognize that we must illuminate the full range of systems that harm our most vulnerable communities.”

The U.S. Can Create True Wealth by Giving Cash to Parents Who Need It

In 2018, we launched the Magnolia Mother’s Trust, the United States’ first modern-day guaranteed income program and the first in the world to focus solely on low-income Black mothers. 

Our goal is simple: Provide the financial capital necessary for these mothers to dream a little bigger and breathe a little easier. We can give everyone that kind of wealth. And yes, I will play on the word here—we can guarantee it. If we are willing to understand, a little financial investment can change someone’s life, and allow them the flexibility, heart, and mind to build and define true wealth—equity, delight, honor and love. 

The Need for Unrestricted Cash for Low-Income Families: ‘This Money Allows Families to Thrive’

On July 12, the Work and Welfare Subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing “Where Is all the Welfare Money Going? Reclaiming TANF Non-Assistance Dollars to Lift Americans Out of Poverty.” Among those testifying was Aisha Nyandoro, founding CEO of Springboard to Opportunities, a nonprofit that aims to end generational poverty. Her testimony highlights the importance of unrestricted cash assistance for families, including programs founded by Springboard to Opportunities.

“We are blaming the families for their poverty, rather than interrogating the policies that allow these inadequacies to occur. … Ninety percent of Mississippians who apply for TANF do not receive it. … Money allows families to thrive. Yes, they spend it on basic needs such as childcare, groceries and utility bills, but it also allows them to plan for the future.”

Why Black Women Must Remain Front and Center

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It’s been just over a year since we launched Front and Center—our series centering the low-income Black women of the Magnolia Mother’s Trust guaranteed income project in Jackson, Miss.

From the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, to the cruelty of Mississippi state legislators who refuse to expand postpartum Medicaid access, the disregard displayed toward Black women shows us that our work here is not done.

The Latest Way Mississippi Lawmakers Are Failing Women

As a Black woman in Mississippi, I know how difficult it is to navigate the road to motherhood. With the recent decision by the state legislature’s House Republicans to deny postpartum care to women, Mississippi continues to demonstrate a lack of regard for the health of mothers—particularly Black women.

Despite the ongoing battles that have been fought to uplift the issues of the maternal health crisis in Mississippi, politicians continuously refuse to center the needs of mothers. And the refusal is cavalier and cruel.

Putting Poor Black Mothers Front and Center

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Putting Poor Black Mothers Front and Center

Almost 50 years after its founding, Ms. is continuing its commitment to inclusive feminism with a new series called Front and Center—featuring pieces written by the women of the Magnolia Mother’s Trust. The program provides more than 100 Black mothers living in extreme poverty in Jackson, Miss., a guaranteed income of $1,000 a month for a year.

Beginning Thursday, you’ll hear first-hand about their struggles, their children, their work, their relationships and their dreams for the future.