At a time when many companies are pulling again from DEI, be it by risk of dropping funding or by alternative of not having to faux the funk any longer, it’s comforting to see a world stalwart like adidas nonetheless standing sturdy in its annual Honoring Black Excellence marketing campaign. We had been particularly intrigued by one of many program’s 2025 honorees, Jaycina Almond, and the work she’s doing on behalf of single mothers in all places with The Tender Basis.
With assist from melanated married duo Rog and Bee Walker, The Three Stripes put collectively a brief movie that highlights Jaycina’s inspiration and total motivation to offer assets for ladies similar to herself via Tender. Have a look beneath:
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We had been honored ourselves to get some one-on-one time with Jaycina not too long ago to assist us shut out these previous few days of Ladies’s Historical past Month on a very good word. she spoke with us concerning the wonderful work that introduced adidas knocking at her door, why do you don’t essentially need to be single to be a “single mama” and the place she hopes to increase issues within the close to future.
BLACK AMERICA WEB: How necessary was it so that you can companion with adidas on this challenge and inform your story, one which so many ladies can relate to?
JAYCINA: Connection is likely one of the key components to constructing neighborhood. We regularly neglect concerning the interconnectedness between us all. If by sharing my story and sharing my work – only one individual feels much less alone, feels seen, heard, or is impacted in another manner – that can all the time be necessary. We’d like extra threads reminding us we’re all a part of this bigger neighborhood referred to as humanity.
What work is on the root of The Tender Basis’s mission assertion?
At Tender, we’re constructing a security web for single mothers residing on the margins right here in Atlanta in order that they will spend money on what they want. From housing, to preserving the fridge stocked, and every little thing in between – we provide emergency invoice pay help with hire, utilities, and childcare prices, we function a Diaper Financial institution the place all households can get diapers, wipes, and method at no cost, and we additionally run a assured revenue program referred to as The Bridge the place our mamas obtain month-to-month money funds for a full yr – no strings hooked up. We really do imagine in trust-based options which are rooted in dignity.
Is there room for mothers who could also be casually courting, or a “cut-off” within the occasion of a mother in this system getting right into a relationship?
There’s completely room, single mothers should have enjoyable! For us, single mother = main caregiver. As a single mother who has casually dated after which transitioned right into a long-term relationship – it might take a number of time on your companion to imagine a parenting function. Relationship as a mama shouldn’t threaten your assets.
How has partnering with adidas helped profit the general mission assertion of The Tender Basis?
There’s all the time extra we need to do however solely so many {dollars} within the financial institution to do it with. Receiving this award not solely permits us to succeed in extra mamas with direct help, it additionally helps increase consciousness to de-stigmatize poverty and single motherhood. There’s no disgrace in being a single mother, there’s no disgrace in residing paycheck to paycheck, these items should not particular person failures.
What do mothers like your self prefer to put on in the case of rocking sportswear manufacturers like adidas?
As a mother, cozy and comfy are the 2 phrases that inform every little thing I put on! adidas is ideal for that – I like a large leg monitor pant with an identical hoodie and Sambas. It’s my go-to.
What are your targets for enlargement with this system?
We might love so as to add a cellular Diaper Pantry to our programming throughout the subsequent couple of years. We at present function a Diaper Financial institution and ship diapers, wipes, and method to households throughout the metro Atlanta space at no cost.There are numerous households we can’t attain as a result of we depend on volunteer drivers and households don’t all the time have dependable transportation to return decide up. Having a truck of our personal, stocked with diapering provides, and having the ability to rent a driver is a serious aim. In any other case, the flexibility to reply to what our households point out they want, advocate for our mamas, and proceed constructing and sharing a tradition of neighborhood care is all the time our north star.
What would you like Black moms to know particularly in the case of merely asking for help?
It’s exhausting to ask for assist, particularly as Black mother and the messages we’re informed about Black motherhood. I feel the primary factor I would like girls like me to know: simply ask. The individuals who love you gained’t make you are feeling like a burden.
What’s been the best response to date in direction of the work that you just do?
From our mamas: I feel each single hug we get, each electronic mail, each textual content, each nameless message we obtain via our surveys, the mamas we see do huge issues like save up for a automotive and ship us a photograph. These are moments I don’t neglect!
From our supporters: Alternatives like this! Going about my day-to-day after which all of a sudden discovering out we’re being honored at this scale.
What does the time period “Honoring Black Excellence” imply to you?
To me, Honoring Black Excellence means the celebration of the creativity, the innovation, the dedication, and the brilliance of on a regular basis Black people.
