I knew being a single mother was going to be a challenge. The kindness of others, including my boss, made it manageable.
Writer Jamilah Lemieux reflects on the challenges of balancing a high-pressure career with single motherhood. She highlights the critical role of workplace flexibility and employer empathy in supporting working parents.
Why it matters
The essay underscores the systemic difficulties faced by single mothers and the necessity of supportive workplace policies for professional retention.
Jamilah Lemieux. Courtesy of Aria Askari via Jamilah Lemieux. Jamilah Lemieux is a writer, editor, public speaker, and a former senior editor at Ebony. Her work focuses on the issues of race, gender, and motherhood. This essay is an adapted excerpt from her book "Black. Single. Mother.: Real Life Tales of Longing and Belonging" I announced my daughter Naima's birth with a picture that I snapped just moments after she was handed to me in the delivery room . I didn't notice it immediately, but it looked like she was holding up her middle finger (one of my friends asked if I had done this on purpose, which made me question what kind of person she thought I was). Now that I know my kid, this photo was completely on brand. Right after I had Naima, I hit the ground running .
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