Butler defies odds, strives for excellence

By Latasha Goodwyn

Many people believe that poor, and mainly African-American, single mothers live lifestyles that are cradled by government assistance programs and brimming with excessiveness. However, the population of college-educated single mothers within the African American community is slowly on the rise.

Monique Butler, single working mom of four and full-time student at Kilgore College, is a woman determined and focused on her vision of being a college graduate.

“I’m majoring in business management right now. I just finished my Associates of Science in order to be a legal assistant…but now I’m leaning more toward business management,” she said.

She hopes to one day run her own business and would like her children to eventually join her.
Butler is the youngest of seven siblings and will be the first to earn her college degree.

“When I got my associates my family gave me a barbeque. It was so exciting! Everyone was really proud of me, especially my children.”
Butler says that her children, along with her church pastor and faith in God, give her the motivation to continue to strive.

“Jesus Christ and his written words are my biggest motivation. When I am going though difficult times I read Romans 8:37 and Psalms 23.”

Butler says that the key to her success is being organized in every facet of her life and she adamant in passing these attributes on to her children by encouraging them to begin planning for their future.

Although Butler has got it together right now there was a time when she was very unhappy with her current state. There was one pivotal moment in her life that made her decide that it was time for her to go back to school and continue her education.

“I was literally tired and frustrated with my current job,” she said.
Butler worked long hours as a telemarketer at a local Longview agency which left her little time to spend with her children.

Butler still has little time to spend with her children but she feel that at least this time there will be a positive outcome.

“It feels like I am always going. My days are long and I always say that my brain is tired.”

Butler believes that all of her hard work will pay off in the end and the one thing she would like to leave her children with a sense of pride and determination. Download