Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, And A Will To Survive By Stephanie Land

In “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Will to Survive,” a memoir by Stephanie Land, the author depicts her experience as a single mother struggling and surviving in poverty. It is a heartbreaking look inside a life that is beaten down by stereotypes, stress, hunger, and at times seems inescapable. Stephanie is an ambitious young woman, ready to go to college and live out her dreams when the stick turns blue and her life is turned upside down. The story follows her journey through single motherhood and tells a tale that capitalist America would rather keep quiet. There are many different protective and risk factors that influence Stephanie and Mia’s life together. Mia’s father, Jamie, is enraged when he finds out Stephanie is pregnant and won’t get an abortion. He abuses Stephanie until she finally is able to leave him safely. Stephanie being a survivor of domestic abuse has a big impact on her life and journey. It also is a risk factor that led her further into poverty, as well as her being a young mother outside of wedlock. She also had a big lack of familial support, which is another risk factor. Her father briefly

She makes minimum wage, which in her case was not nearly enough to be a livable wage. Her and her daughter were having to survive off of less than $1,000 a month. Due to her lack of resources, Stephanie accepts government assistance. In her community, she faces harsh judgements and classist stereotypes. These stereotypes can be crippling, and led to a lot of stress in Stephanie’s life and parenting. “I felt like sitting down meant I wasn't doing enough--like the sort of lazy welfare recipient I was assumed to be…I had to prove my worth for receiving government benefits.” The truth is, these stereotypes are not accurate. As we learn in the story, the government benefits Stephanie receives give her only enough to survive, not to start saving money or getting to a place where she can leave her class