Janelle Monae

Singer and actress Janelle Monáe owes much of her success to the strong women who raised her

- Alley Pascoe

MY MOTHER

My mother, Janet, had me at a very young age and she made a lot of sacrifices in order for me to be the person I am today. She put me and my sister in front of her own needs, sacrificing both her own career decisions and her comfort. She endured a lot of suffering – including feeling the shame of being a young, single mother.

I grew up watching my mum put on a uniform every day. She was a janitor. She also cleaned houses and was a maid at a hotel. I saw her work very hard and watched her live pay cheque to pay cheque. She never talked down about her job and we respected her because she was doing work that needed to be done. Without cleaners, our whole community would fall apart.