Guaranteed Income

Keeping Score: Texas GOP Candidate Brandon Herrera’s Vile Attack on Mothers and Children; Rest in Power Gloria, Dolly, Robin Morgan, Annie Dillard and More

PUBLISHED 9/20/2026 by

In every issue of Ms., we track research on our progress in the fight for equality, catalogue can’t-miss quotes from feminist voices and keep tabs on the feminist movement’s many milestones. We’re Keeping Score online, too, in this biweekly roundup.

This week:
—The Trump administration proposed a rule that would eliminate quality standards for the Head Start preschool program.
—Todd Blanche was confirmed as attorney general, after promising to remove abortion rights nationwide.
—Democrats in the Senate call out Trump administration’s attacks on Title IX and mark its 54th anniversary with a bicameral resolution: “They will fearmonger about trans kids until the sun comes up, but the fact is this administration has all but decimated the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Education, leaving egregious instances of sexual harassment and assault, and so much else, totally unaddressed.”
—Kindergartener Liam Tadeo and his father, Victor Martinez Nieto, both Austin residents, were detained by ICE on their way to a soccer game and later deported together to Mexico after being held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center.
—The six recipients of the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize are all women.
—Voters in battleground states say it’s important that lawmakers protect access to reproductive healthcare.
—At least 152 ICE or CBP agents have faced disciplinary action or criminal penalties for violent crimes.
—Women make up 35 percent of non-acting Emmy Awards, matching the record high.
—Actor Anne Hathaway, currently pregnant with her third child at age 43, faced social media hate and rumors that she faked her pregnancy, after showing her bump on a red carpet.
—Florida professor Vinita Prabhakar was fired for assigning a “political” short story in a freshman English class. The story “Bettering Myself” focuses on an alcoholic teacher at a Catholic school and is commonly taught at colleges across the country. Prabhakar is now suing to uphold her First Amendment rights.
—Aisha Wahab won the special election to replace former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who resigned after sexual assault allegations. Wahab is the first Afghan American elected to Congress, and will be on the ballot for a full term in November.

… and more.

I Put My Career on Hold to Raise Five Children and Care for My Disabled Mother. America Depends on Women Like Me.

PUBLISHED 7/28/2026 by

Front & Center amplifies 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.

Christy is a Jackson, Miss.-based mother of five, family caregiver and entrepreneur. She is caring for her disabled mother while pursuing her dream of one day growing her catering business into a food truck.

“Taking care of my children and my mom at the same time is rewarding, but it is also hard. I really don’t get much help with my kids from their dad, so most of the time I’m here with them.

“What would make caregiving for two generations of family easier, is a break. If my mom had places to go, or if somebody could take her every other weekend or even every weekend sometimes, that would give me time to myself to breathe and live a little bit. My siblings are far away, my car situation makes it hard to get around and I’m always here, so having a little peace would help me and my kids too.

“Childcare vouchers … helped a lot with after-school care and transportation, but when I recently had to recertify, I was cut off because I missed getting a copy of my ID in by the deadline and ended up on a waiting list.”

I’ve Spent My Life Caring for Others. Who Cares for Caregivers?

PUBLISHED 6/18/2026 by

Front & Center amplifies 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.
—

“I have always been a caregiver. That’s just who I am.

“I care for my grandkids now—three of them, ages 6, 3 and 7 months—and I’ve cared for a lot of family members over the years. My daughter works at the post office, so I watch the children when she’s at work, when they get out of school and sometimes at night if she needs me. They keep me on my toes, but I love every minute of it.

“Before that, I cared for my grandmother, who raised me. And that was tough, because this was when I had just had my own kids. They were going to a sitter so that I could go and care for her. She had cancer and I had to learn how to help her with everything, including her colostomy bag.

“People act like it’s simple, but it’s not. It costs money. It takes time. And when the people who need care also have to work, that puts families in a tight spot. My daughter looked into daycare, and it was expensive. So she asked me to help, and then she paid me. That worked better for all of us.

“Getting guaranteed income helped me too. It gave me some breathing room. I was able to help with gas, help around the house and take care of little things that come up. That kind of support matters because caregiving does not stop just because the bills keep coming.

“I still believe in taking care of people. Babies can’t help themselves. Kids can’t help themselves. Older adults can’t either. We all get to a point where we need somebody. So I keep doing what I do, because this is my purpose. I care for my people, and I do it with love.”

The Kids of Magnolia Mother’s Trust: Kentavius on Equity, Community and Watching His Mom Breathe Easier

PUBLISHED 5/8/2026 by and

This Mother’s Day weekend, we are honored to present a special three-part Front and Center mini-series—The Kids of Magnolia Mother’s Trust—featuring the children of mothers whose stories readers have come to know over the years. Published Friday, Saturday and Sunday ahead of Mother’s Day, these essays offer a deeply personal look at how children experience their mothers’ sacrifices, struggles and love, and how they understand the world around them because of those experiences.

In the first installment of The Kids of Magnolia Mother’s Trust, Kentavius reflects on what he has learned about equity, community and advocacy through his experiences growing up in Jackson, Miss., and participating in Springboard’s Youth Advocacy Fellowship. He writes candidly about race, policing, education and the difference it made to watch his mother experience a year with a little less financial stress—and a little more room to simply be present as a parent:

“Equity also looks like the year that my mom was a part of the Magnolia Mother’s Trust. With the additional funds and support that she got during that year, I could tell that she was a lot more relaxed. We had more food in the house. She was able to buy us new clothes and pay my football fees without the extra worry. My mom had the chance to just be a mom without so much stress. She has always worked so hard to take care of me and my brother and be the best mom that she can be. Getting to watch her spend that year still getting to be our mom, but without so much worry about money, was really special. Giving moms like mine the extra resources they deserve to take care of their families is another example of equity.”

Following Kentavius’ essay, his mother Kim—whose own stories readers first encountered through Front and Center several years ago—responds to her son’s reflections and shares what it means to watch him grow into a thoughtful young man committed to justice, compassion and community.

‘The Economy Isn’t Flourishing for Us’: A Single Mother’s Reality Check From Mississippi

PUBLISHED 4/1/2026 by

As costs climb and support systems lag, one Mississippi mother shares what it takes to raise three children, stay in school and fight for stability in an economy that isn’t built for families like hers.

“A lot of our leaders are trying to paint a picture that the world is in a great place and the economy is flourishing. That’s not what I see as a low-income, working-class, single Black mother.

“Meanwhile, it seems easy for the government to send billions overseas, but somehow there’s not enough to properly support citizens here at home who are working and paying taxes that fund that money in the first place?

“I tell my story because I hope that if they keep hearing from families like mine, they will finally feel moved to make a real change.​

“To every mother working hard and caring for your children—with help or without—keep going. Life will try to knock you down, but if you keep praying, keep your faith, and keep putting in the work toward your goals, you will see good results. Just keep moving forward and keep being the great mother you are; you will get where you need to be.​”

Keeping Score: Trump’s Dangerous Claims About Tylenol; Government Shutdown Begins; Diddy’s Four-Year Sentence

PUBLISHED 10/9/2025 by

In every issue of Ms., we track research on our progress in the fight for equality, catalogue can’t-miss quotes from feminist voices and keep tabs on the feminist movement’s many milestones. We’re Keeping Score online, too—in this biweekly roundup.

This week:
—Doctors push back against Trump’s dangerous claims that Tylenol in pregnancy increases the risk of autism.
—The U.S. entered a government shutdown, affecting millions of federal workers.
—Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to four years in prison.
—Zoologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall died at age 91.
—University of California students and faculty are suing the Trump administration for violating free speech rights.
—Student activists are stepping up to get around birth control bans on campus.
—Louisiana admits non-citizens voting is not a systemic problem.
—The ACLU and religious freedom organizations are suing to block 14 more Texas school districts from implementing a law requiring classrooms to display Ten Commandments posters.

… and more.

‘I Don’t Want to Live in Low-Income Housing Forever’: How Guaranteed Income Is Helping One Mom Dream Bigger

PUBLISHED 10/9/2025 by

Front & Center amplifies 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.

Deneader is a 37-year-old mother of three. She’s a participant in the Magnolia Mother’s Trust, receiving one year of guaranteed income as she searches for stable work and builds a better future for her family.

“I think a lot about going back to school, but my youngest needs me. Tamara is still little and having her at home takes up most of my focus.”

“I also want to get back on my feet fully and become a better person. I know the first step will be finding the right job—something stable, something that allows me to take care of my family. I don’t want to live in low-income housing forever. I know some people do it, but I want more for us.”

My Paycheck Covers Rent, Lights and Food. Guaranteed Income Helps Me Dream Bigger.

PUBLISHED 9/4/2025 by

Front & Center amplifies 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.

In Jackson, Miss., Latisha juggles full-time work, parenting and rising costs—while a guaranteed income program gives her the breathing room to plan for the future.

“Affordable childcare is [a] big barrier. Right now there aren’t even openings for state childcare vouchers, and when there are, the hoops to qualify … keep a lot of working parents from getting help they really need. …

“If I could tell Congress one thing, it would be this: Don’t cut benefits like SNAP or childcare. Make them stronger, because they fill the gap for working families. In jobs like mine—essential jobs serving food and keeping businesses going—the paychecks often aren’t enough to cover the most basic needs of childcare, food and rent. These programs are a safety net when hours get cut or expenses spike.

“These days, I’m finding joy at home. The money from the Trust has allowed me to scale back my hours a little, which means I can rest and be more present with my kids. Having that time and energy back makes a difference in how I show up for them—and for myself.”

How Rising Prices and Policy Cuts Are Squeezing Moms and Families

PUBLISHED 8/13/2025 by

Articles on tariffs, the labor market, and economic growth or decline often neglect to report how these policies are affecting real people’s ability to keep a roof over their head or put food on the table for their families each night.

When U.S. companies face higher costs for importing goods, those costs get passed directly to consumers, which means everyday goods—from diapers to carrots—become more expensive. Women, in particular, shoulder the brunt of these increased costs.

When we make sure moms and babies have what they need to thrive, we’re not just addressing today’s crises … we’re building tomorrow’s prosperity.

‘Poverty Is a Systemic Failing, Not an Individual Failing’: Aisha Nyandoro Is Seeding a Movement to Liberate Financial Capital and Support Black Moms’ Economic Freedom

PUBLISHED 8/6/2025 by

The founding CEO of Springboard to Opportunities, home to the Magnolia Mother’s Trust guaranteed income program, called out how our economy has left the women she serves behind in the latest episode of Looking Back, Moving Forward—and how our narratives around poverty and deservedness shape what’s possible in the fight for economic justice.

“What would it look like if we gave Black mamas living in affordable housing the financial resources that they needed to be the author of their own lives—trusting that they know better than anyone else what it is that they need for themselves and their families to be successful?”

Listen to the latest episode of Looking Back, Moving Forward, “Women Can’t Afford to Wait for a Feminist Economic Future (with Premilla Nadasen, Rakeen Mabud and Lenore Palladino, Aisha Nyandoro, Gaylynn Burroughs, and Dolores Huerta)” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.