Cotton Fields to Cover Stories: How Black Women Beat The Odds In Two Generations

In this intimate and intergenerational episode, Keyaira and Tarawoner sit down with their matriarch, Willa Mae, to trace how Black women in their family rebuilt their lives and redefined what “work” could look like across two generations.

Willa Mae reflects on her early years in the cotton fields of Mississippi, before her mother courageously led the family north to Ohio, escaping the violent, hellish racism of the Jim Crow South. In Ohio, a new lineage was planted — one rooted in hope for broader horizons.

Tarawoner details her work stretching from serving as a probation officer to later taking on janitorial work in Ohio’s corporate offices, before transitioning into life coaching and ministry.

Keyaira’s early work years include doing janitorial work alongside her family, a foundation of grit that would eventually propel her into top editing roles in major New York City corporate newsrooms — spaces her grandmother could scarcely imagine entering.

Together, the three women reflect on migration, survival, dignity, and ambition—how each generation pushed the boundaries a little further, transforming field labor into corporate careers, and forging a legacy of strength and self-determination.