Today we’d like to introduce you to Margaret Cowan.
Hi Margaret, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started I Am My Sister’s Keeper (IAMSK) in 2018 simply because I saw a need I couldn’t ignore. At the time, I was a student at Southwest Tennessee Community College, and I watched single mothers bring their children to class with them—situating them in the hallways with tablets or homework while they tried to learn. As a single mother myself, I understood the weight they were carrying. IAMSK began as a small, informal effort to support moms like us. We never meant for it to grow beyond monthly meetups, but when COVID hit, the world shifted and so did the needs of single mothers. What began as a small gathering quickly evolved into a community and then into a mission.
Since then, IAMSK’s purpose has remained steady: to alleviate the stressors that prevent single mothers from becoming successful. My own journey as a mom to three extraordinary daughters—Cayden, Camryn, and Camaya—continues to push me forward and shape the work I do.
Along the way, I continued my education, earning my Associate’s degree from Southwest Tennessee Community College in 2020 and my Bachelor’s in Sociology with a minor in Nonprofit Management from the University of Memphis, where I graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2022. In May 2025, I completed my MSW from the University of Memphis as well, serving as chapter secretary for the Phi Alpha Social Work Honors Society. I plan to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker because I firmly believe our communities need more therapists of color.
As IAMSK has grown, I’ve continued preparing myself to lead it into the future. I’ve completed training and professional development programs such as the Executive Director Bootcamp with the Tennessee Nonprofit Network, “Before You Ask” with the Assisi Foundation, the Fundraising Continuing Education Course at the University of Memphis, and both LeadingUP and Crucial Conversations through Christian Brothers University. To advocate for single mothers and the organizations that serve them, I am a member of the Black-led Nonprofit Alliance at the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis and serve on its Grantmaking Committee.
At my core, I believe deeply in the power of community—especially for single moms. My long-term vision is to build a neighborhood where single mothers live, thrive, and support one another. Every step I take, personally and professionally, is toward that goal.
Outside of IAMSK, I love reading, traveling, listening to live music, and spending time with my family and friends. I never meet a stranger, and I do my best to lend a helping hand wherever I can. All of these experiences, from school hallways to boardrooms to community gatherings, have brought me to where I am today—still learning, still serving, and still building the village our mothers deserve.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. As a Black woman leading an organization that serves Black women, I’ve had to navigate challenges that existed long before I ever entered the nonprofit space. IAMSK was born out of a real need I witnessed, but turning that need into a funded, sustainable organization has required pushing through barriers that are deeply tied to race, gender, and class.
One of the most challenging aspects has been fundraising. The data is clear; Black-led nonprofits, especially those serving Black women and girls, receive only a fraction of the philanthropic dollars that other groups do. But beyond the statistics, I’ve lived the reality. I’ve walked into rooms where my passion was praised, but my organization wasn’t funded. I’ve had to “prove” our worth in ways that many of my peers don’t. Even when funders say they value equity, the investment doesn’t always follow. Being a Black woman advocating for Black single mothers often means fighting stereotypes, navigating bias, and continually educating people about why our work is so important in the first place.
There have also been personal challenges. As a single mother myself, I’ve balanced raising my three daughters, pursuing my degrees, working, and leading an organization all at once. COVID magnified the needs of our moms but also stretched us thin, emotionally, financially, and structurally. We had to grow quickly, often without the funding or staffing that other organizations take for granted.
Intersectionality shows up in my journey every day. I’m a Black woman, a single mother, and a nonprofit leader serving a population that society often overlooks. These identities overlap in ways that create unique challenges, less access to capital, higher expectations with fewer resources, and constant pressure to justify our existence while also delivering high-impact work.
But those same identities also ground me. They connect me to our moms. They give me a perspective and resilience I wouldn’t trade. The road has not been smooth, but every challenge has shaped IAMSK into a community-driven, heart-centered organization that refuses to give up on single mothers, because I know exactly what it feels like to need a village and not have one.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At IAMSK, my work centers on supporting single mothers in ways that are practical, personal, and deeply rooted in community. Our mission is to alleviate the stressors that prevent single moms from becoming successful, and we do that by building a village—one that reflects the real lives and real needs of Black women raising families, often with limited resources and even less support.
I specialize in understanding single mothers not just through data or theory, but through lived experience. As a single mother who pursued my education while raising three daughters, I know what it feels like to need childcare, financial stability, mental health support, encouragement, and simply a safe space to breathe. That personal connection shapes every part of IAMSK’s work, from our programming to the way we show up for our families.
IAMSK is known for creating intimate, trusting, community-centered spaces where moms can be honest about their struggles and celebrated for their strengths. We address immediate needs, like stability, education, and emotional support, while also investing in long-term growth. Whether through monthly meetups, resource sharing, advocacy, or one-on-one support, our work is about restoring dignity and building a true sense of belonging.
What I’m most proud of is how far we’ve come without losing the heart of why we started. What began as a small gathering of single mothers has grown into a recognized support system because moms saw themselves reflected in our work. I’m proud that our mothers trust us with their stories. I’m proud that we build community, not charity. And I’m proud that we show what can happen when Black women lead for Black women.
What sets me apart is the combination of lived experience, academic training, and a deep social work perspective. With a background that includes an Associate’s degree, a Sociology degree with a nonprofit management minor, and an MSW, I bring both heart and professional expertise to this work. I understand the systemic barriers our moms face and also the emotional realities behind them. That dual lens allows me to support moms holistically while advocating for structural change.
But more than anything, what sets IAMSK apart is our commitment to building a village, not just delivering services. We believe that single mothers deserve community, opportunity, and joy. And we work every day to make that a reality.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something surprising that most people who know me through IAMSK don’t realize is that I am also building a platform called TMOM: The Magnificence of Melanin with Mags. TMOM is a space where I speak, teach, and facilitate groups specifically for women of color, helping them navigate identity, healing, and personal growth from a culturally grounded perspective.
A lot of people discover my work through IAMSK and assume that’s my only lane, but TMOM actually expands my purpose. It allows me to bring my sociological and social work background into conversations around womanhood, faith, lived experience, and the unique pressures melanated women carry.
What surprises people is that the two brands feed each other: IAMSK reflects the universal work I do, while TMOM reflects the deeply personal, culturally specific work I’m called to. Together, they form a fuller picture of who I am and what I’m building.
Pricing:
- https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/season-of-sisterhood-holiday-blessings-for-single-moms
- https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/single-moms-need-love-too
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.iammysissyskeeper.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iammysissyskeeper/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamskmemphis
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@iamskmemphis3909?si=tQeRBkK0YUjgwdkm
