Andrea reviews MAID: HARD WORK, LOW PAY, AND A MOTHER’S WILL TO SURVIVE by Stephanie Land, Hachette Books, 2019, 978-0-316-50511-6, 270 pages. My mother was a school teacher and my father was a self-employed carpenter/contractor so neither of them ever made a lot of money but whatever they did make went for the betterment of our family. Such is the true story of single mother Stephanie Land. I first heard about her autobiography on MIFA’s newsletter. MIFA is hosting a fundraising luncheon where Ms. Land will be discussing her experiences of poverty, abuse, and homelessness before becoming a bestselling author. Ms. Land wrote “No one aspires to be a maid. Not even me.” She knew the job of cleaning other people’s houses was beneath her but to keep a roof over her daughter Mia’s head, she had to work more than just hard. Relying on any government assistance she was given, Stephanie made the best of her sad, pathetic situation. Mia was always her top priority from the time she woke up, while busting her tail cleaning multiple residences every day, to the time she and Mia collapsed into bed in their tiny studio apartment. She dealt with low pay , dirty looks, and snide comments when using food stamps and taking any pre-offered handout. The struggle was real on a daily basis, and Ms. Land was not ashamed to share her heartbreaks with her readers. Even though most of her clients and society in general never really saw Stephanie Land as a person, she was always trying to stand up and stand out for Mia’s sake. Her determination to not be invisible makes her a true inspiration. Read her story. You will be appalled at the raw truth of her story but will be uplifted by her unwavering spirit.
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