OUR STORY

"Children raised by single mothers are more likely to fare worse on a number of dimensions." -Sawhill (2014)

Some of the adverse effects that children raised by single mothers face include higher poverty rates, miseducation, poor socioemotional development, and other issues as they develop from adolescence to adults. Although these effects may hold, some children beat the odds and flourish—roses that grew from concrete.

Twin sisters Chanel Sutton-McCrea and Sydney Sutton are examples of such children. Raised by a single mother who instilled knowledge, values, and principles in her girls, the twins learned life lessons meant to transcend far beyond their childhood years. Their mother hoped that her girls would use the life lessons she provided as the girls matured into women.

In 2015, Chanel and Sydney lost their mother to a short-lived battle with lung cancer. After coming to terms with their loss, the sisters began to see the significance of their mother's teachings. In her passing, they recognized the importance of living a meaningful life surrounded by familial support.

Two years after their mother's passing, both women became mothers in their own right. Without the guidance of their mother, Chanel and Sydney struggled to balance their new roles as moms while redefining themselves as adult women. Hand and hand, the sisters continue to guide each other through this unfamiliar territory. They've now realized how imperative it is that all mothers have the same sense of community, one built on a foundation of unity, motherhood, and womanhood. And so, A Mothers Thread was born.