Breaking cycles, building futures, and strengthening communities. 💜 The organization I am representing is my own nonprofit, SMILE (Single Mothers Impacting Lives Every day). SMILE was founded in December 2014 after my first four months of motherhood. I was not only single at the time, but felt as though I was having to do everything for my child by myself. Despite the fact that I had completed my undergraduate degree, had a beautiful and healthy baby girl, was working a career that I loved and was looked at as an inspiration in the eyes of my family and community I still felt inferior to my fellow women. It was as if everything I had accomplished was now so miniscule because in my eyes I was everything I said I’d never become. With a head full of mixed emotions I decided to let everyone see my smile instead of insecurities hoping that with time they would subside. It was Saturday December 20th, 2014 around 8:00 PM. Most of my peers would have been getting ready to go out and I was in bed, reading a book and drinking tea. Zion, my daughter let out a faint chuckle which caused me to look over at her small sleeping frame. On her face was a slight grin that warmed my soul. At that moment I realized that nothing about my situation made me inferior. In reality, the fact that I managed to finish my degree, acquire a nice stable salary and stay active in my community while being a single mom made me a force to be reckoned with! This realization threw a smile across my face bigger than any façade you could imagine. I was empowered and ready to make a difference. Being that this was my first child I was sure that there were many other women out there who had either gone through or were presently going through the same situation as myself. In our community single mothers hold the titles of mentors, educators, advocates and much more. However, many tend to overlook the hard work and dedication that goes into maintaining these positions while running a single parent household. Having to do the work of two while juggling a professional and personal life can be challenging and draining especially without support. In many cases, this often puts a strain on the time and attention the children in these households receive. I figured if I could get these women together I’d be able to show the power that lies behind the title, Single Mother and give them a venue where they could make a difference in the world while receiving the support and inspiration they need.
