Aisha Nyandoro is the founding CEO of Springboard to Opportunities, a Jackson, Mississippi non-profit that has pioneered a “radically resident-driven” approach to ending generational poverty. In 2018, she launched the Magnolia Mothers’ Trust, a first-of-its-kind guaranteed income program for single Black mothers, and through its success she has become a national leader in the fight for a federal guaranteed income.
Aisha comes from a long line of activists – she grew up in a family where the dining table was more like a roundtable, with each meal an opportunity to discuss community issues and forge creative solutions. The Magnolia Mothers’ Trust grew out of discussions Aisha had with Jackson residents being served by her affordable housing program. They told her they didn’t need more forms to fill out or more programs to sign up for – they needed cash. Knowing first-hand how families can make magic out of what Lucille Clifton calls “starshine and clay,” Aisha started the Trust with a pilot group of 20 moms, and has gone on to support more than 400 more.
But the Magnolia Mothers’ Trust – and Aisha’s work more broadly – isn’t just about directly impacting the Jackson community. It’s about changing the narrative about poverty and power, challenging long-standing prejudices about who deserves to make it in America and attacking gendered and racialized narratives about why people don’t.
That’s why, in addition to her work in Mississippi, Aisha has become a national leader in the fight for policies ranging from a federal guaranteed income to an expanded Child Tax Credit. She recently testified on Capitol Hill, sharing the story of the Magnolia Mothers’ Trust and calling for a social safety net that finally ends poverty by offering direct cash.
Aisha’s expertise on economic, racial, and gender justice issues has been featured in outlets including The New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR, Essence Magazine, NBC Nightly News and CNN. She is a fellow of Ascend at the Aspen Institute, the Highland Project, the Emerson Collective’s Dial program, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network. She is also a 2023 TED Speaker, 2022 McNulty Prize Winner and the 2022 Disrupter Change Champion from Community Change.
Aisha holds a B.A. from Tennessee State University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. When not working to liberate financial capital, she is a wife and the mom of two very charming sons.
Reflecting on JEI’s core values — Community, Interconnectedness, Transformation — which value speaks to you most, at this moment in time? Why?
Community resonates mostly with me… We are stronger together. The ecosystem of community creates opportunities for everyone to get what is needed. During this time of so much separation we need community more than ever to keep us grounded and secure. It is always a safe landing spot.
What are a few things about you that would surprise other people?
Because of how I show up in community people think I am an extrovert. I am not. LOL.
What movements for a just economy, past or present, inspire you?
The movement itself inspires me. I am inspired by the bold leaders who recognize that the economy as currently constructed is not working. And that these leaders are taking the bold steps to create a just economy that centers the needs of ALL of us, not just the financially privileged.