By Sylvia Powers
Correspondent
After twice battling breast cancer, raising five children on her own, and working to overcome a generational cycle of poverty, Markeita Jackson has taken significant steps toward financial empowerment.
“I’m a single mother of five. My kids and I have faced life together,” shared Jackson. “I grew up in a single-parent household. My mother raised three kids alone, so we lived in poverty for most of my life.”
According to Texas statistics, 42 percent of families living in poverty are headed by single mothers, and Jack- son found herself repeating this pattern. “By the time I was 16, I became a teenage mother,” Jackson said. Becoming a mother at such a young age was a wake-up call for her. She lost her child- hood and had to figure out life with little guidance. By age 27, Jackson had four children, and she soon faced her first battle with breast cancer. Five years later, her cancer returned.
“The hardest part of battling breast cancer as a single mom was holding everything together while going through it alone,” she explained, adding that she didn’t have much support. “I was still raising my kids, cooking dinner every night, and going to work each day. Doing it all by myself was the biggest challenge.”
Despite these hardships, Jackson began to piece together her financial life. Her first experience with cancer motivated her to make changes. She returned to school and took classes to improve her financial literacy and credit.
Jackson’s journey to financial freedom led her to Ascend Dallas, an initiative to support minority entrepreneurs by providing essential tools, resources, and mentorship. The program aims to help underrepresented communities, particularly people of color, build sustainable businesses.
Since its inception, Ascend Dallas has been instrumental in helping minority entrepreneurs overcome obstacles and achieve remarkable success. Entrepreneurs who have gone through the program have not only launched businesses but also created jobs, contributed to economic growth, and become community leaders.
Now, Jackson mentors other women like herself through the Ascend Dallas program.
She recently spoke at a Women in Business Seminar for Entrepreneurship hosted by Ascend Dallas in the southern sector of Dallas.
“I remember being terrified of my credit score. I didn’t want to know what it was, so I avoided it,” Jackson admitted. “But once I started paying attention and learning how to manage it, everything changed. My credit score is completely different now.”
About five years ago, Jackson earned her high school diploma, and she is on track to receive her master’s degree in strategic management in December.
“My journey is about breaking the generational curse, building wealth, and teaching my children everything I’ve learned,” said Jackson.
Determined to help families build wealth, Jackson developed a financial literacy tool called Color and Budget: A Fun Financial Literacy Coloring Book for Families, available on her website. “It’s the first coloring book designed to teach families how to budget,” Jackson said.
Looking ahead, Ascend Dallas remains committed to growing its reach and impact.
By continuing to build partnerships with local and national organizations, the program aims to give more entrepreneurs access to the capital, mentorship, and community support they need.
The goal is to transform the economic landscape of Dallas and beyond, ensuring that minority entrepreneurs have every opportunity to thrive.
“My biggest lesson has been the power of paying it forward,” she said. “By volunteering and sharing my knowledge in financial literacy, I’ve learned that true success comes not just from achieving financial freedom but from helping others find theirs.
“Together, we break generational curses and build a legacy of wealth for future generations.”
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