easy TO
IT IS SMILE
The story of s single mother sustaining her family on minimum wage Photos and story by Srijita Chattopadhyay Virgie Beasley is a mother of four, who has been sustaining a family of five single-handedly through a minimum wage job at a restaurant and a self employed job at home. Beasley conceived her first child at the age of 16, and immediately emancipated herself to find her independence. But soon after the birth of her first child, Shawantavia, Child Services took both the mother and the child in custody. When Beasley turned 18, she was allowed to leave the foster care, but due to her poor financial and family condition she was not allowed to leave with her daughter. After a year’s worth of toil Beasley gained custody of Shawantavia and found herself pregnant again four more times consecutively, out of which one she miscarried. Going through life with different partners who were either abusive to her or to substance, she learnt to survive life. Today, Beasley stays in a Section 8 house with all her four children; Shawantavia, Keenan, Journey and Allaiyah. She works at the Subway at Western Kentucky University for $7.33 per hour and on weekends she runs a hair saloon at home. She hopes that someday she can have a regular family with a husband and her children, but till then she looks forward to staying strong. “It is easy to smile than cry, that is why I always try to smile,” said Beasley.
Beasley currently works at the Subway next to the Bates-Runner Hall at WKU. Beasley has always enjoyed interacting with people and making them smile, which is why she enjoys working at the restaurant. “I like working at Subway, but the interactions are not as personal as it was at Einstein’s & Bros,” said Beasley. 22nd April 2015, Bowling Green, Ky.
Over the weekends, Beasley does hair for her family and friends. Doing hair is Beasley’s second job. Beasley was enrolled in a hair school in Bowling Green when she was 16, but dropped out before her graduation when she learnt that she was pregnant. So, now she spends time doing hair, which provides her with a steady side income. 18th April 2015, Bowling Green, Ky.
Beasley pays her weekly instalment for her truck at Car-Mart. To accommodate her large family Beasley purchased a truck from Car-Mart back in the April of 2013 and has been paying the cost of the truck every week for two years, without a missed payment. 18th April 2015, Bowling Green, Ky.
On 22nd April 2015, Beasley lost her car for not being able to pay a lump sum of $2,000 out of the $3,500 that remains to be paid to settle her debts. “I did not get my child support from Bobby Joe (Allaiyah’s father) this week, I cannot do anything. Now, I cannot go to work,” said Beasley as she walked out of Car-Mart in tears.
All of Beasley’s family gathers around Beasley and share a moment of fun, happiness and love on Friday, 1st May 2015 before they start preparing for Journey’s (back left) birthday party. Bowling Green, Ky.
Beasley looks over her shoulder to check on her eldest daughter Shawntavia and her boyfriend Zeke Beckham as they talk and have a moment together. “I cannot imagine my daughter in that position. She is still my baby you know. Means, she is a really good kid, but mentally I don’t think she will do well with children. I don’t think she is mature enough,” said Beasley. 12th April 2015, Bowling Green, Ky.
Beasley helps her daughter Journey with her Math homework. “It gets overwhelming, being the kids everything – the disciplinarian, the bread winner, the friend to talk to, teacher, preacher. We put on a lot of hats – the single mamas,” said Beasley. 13th April 2015, Bowling Green, Ky.
Beasley sits down to do laundry at 9pm on a Monday night, after she feeds, teaches, bathes and puts all her kids to sleep. This is the only time Beasley gets to sit down and finish up her chores as a mother so that everything is in its place for the next day and the entire week. “This is my life – a mess,” said Beasley. 13th April 2015, Bowling Green, Ky.