08 Feb Celebrating Single Mothers

The nonprofit I Am a Leader joined rapper and producer Metro Boomin’s eighth annual celebrity gala and fundraiser celebrating single mothers who are working women

Metro Boomin, Nancy Dalton of Amazon Access, and Brandy.

Research has shown that women are less likely to be offered a promotion after having had a child. For a single mother who must handle most caregiving duties on her own, there may be less time for late hours, after-work networking, and other activities that can help to propel a career. That’s one of the reasons I Am a Leader, a nonprofit that empowers and mentors women and girls, joined with other organizations and celebrities in Saint Louis to honor single mothers at a star-studded event in December.

“We support women who are often overlooked for career opportunities, promotions, and even recruitment,” says Dr. Sheila Robinson, founder of both I Am a Leader and Diversity Woman Media. I Am a Leader provided copies of Diversity Woman magazine to the attendees and will offer workplace and career development training to the honorees.

The event was the brainchild of Atlanta-based producer and rapper Metro Boomin, a Saint Louis native. This year the occasion was titled the Leslie Joanne Wayne Single Mothers Gala, in honor of the rapper’s late mother who died in a domestic violence incident in 2022. The gala, attended by more than 250 single mothers and their children, also included a live performance by R & B singer Brandy.

Other organizations that supported the event included Rung for Women, a Saint Louis–based nonprofit dedicated to helping women learn new skills so they can move up in their careers, and Amazon Access, a platform designed to make shopping at the online retailer more affordable.

“Rung for Women is passionate about empowering women by helping them with the tools and skills they need to level up personally and professionally,” says Leslie Gill, president of the organization. “When we uplift mothers, we uplift the community, the city, and our world.”

With nearly 30 percent of single parents living in poverty, many families also need help with basics such as food and housing. “We listen to, learn from, and team up with community-based organizations that are doing the really important work of providing wraparound services or doing work in the anti-hunger space,” says Nancy Dalton, head of Community Experience and Customer Marketing for Amazon Access. “We were able to connect with Rung for Women as well as Metro Boomin on this really important opportunity to support single mothers and caregivers.”

The single mothers who attended the event came away with resources to help them to improve their career outlook, whether they’re in entry-level roles or striving to one day become a corporate leader. So often career resources are provided to women already on the leadership track, but as Robinson says, “women who are in less senior roles are in need of career development too.”