
Front & Center began as first-person accounts of Black mothers in Jackson, Miss., receiving a guaranteed income. Now in its fourth year, the series is expanding to explore broader systemic issues affecting Black women in poverty, including the safety net, healthcare, caregiving and overall well-being.
Maylasalisa has a newborn and is juggling school and caretaking while also trying to find work. She is the recipient of one year of guaranteed income from the Magnolia Mother’s Trust.
“Balancing work and motherhood isn’t easy, especially with a newborn. Right now, I have no choice but to stay home … If I could speak directly to the governor or the president, I’d ask for more help for single mothers—better programs that actually provide efficient support without all the runaround. There needs to be real opportunities for people to get and keep jobs, better transportation and more accessible resources. They have the money to do these things, they just don’t want to.”