Working Forward: Unstoppable

Across Arizona and the nation, single mothers in college face some of the toughest challenges in higher education. Balancing coursework with parenting, battling childcare gaps, navigating financial hardship and managing rigid academic schedules often creates overwhelming barriers to success. But their determination to build a better life for themselves and their families is nothing short of inspiring.

In this episode of “Working Forward,” host Kathleen Bade examines the systemic obstacles that student parents, especially single mothers, encounter as they work toward earning a degree. The discussion highlights how higher education can either reinforce inequality or serve as a transformative pathway to opportunity.

Drawing insight from the WorkingNation short documentary “Unstoppable,” the episode amplifies the voices of single mothers who are rewriting their futures through education. These women juggle motherhood, jobs and full-time studies while defying the odds stacked against them. One story highlighted in the film captures the resilience and perseverance required to pursue a diploma while raising children alone.

The episode also examines how a local college is setting up support systems with a focus on educational equity. Also hear the perspective from the film’s director, who sheds light on the urgency of this issue nationwide.

This conversation goes beyond statistics and asks the critical question: How can we create a more equitable path to success for single mothers in higher education?