The Power of Peace: Quaniya’s In Her Hands Journey

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From Doubt to Deposit

It was just after midnight when Quaniya “Q” Ferguson and a coworker sat anxiously at a shared computer and hit submit on their applications for In Her Hands, convinced the opportunity felt “too good to be true.”

When the first deposit hit her account, the doubt disappeared. It was real.

Q is one of more than 270 women on Atlanta’s Westside participating in the Georgia Resilience Opportunity Fund‘s “In Her Hands” guaranteed income program, supported by a $6.2 million grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. The program provides women in Atlanta’s English Avenue and Vine City neighborhoods with guaranteed income over three years, addressing the income inequity and financial insecurity that disproportionately affects women. After successful pilots in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, Southwest Georgia’s Clay-Randolph-Terrell County cluster, and College Park, the program expanded to Westside residents during the summer of 2024.

At 24, Q is raising two children and carrying big ambitions: returning to school for mortuary science, building a steady nest egg, and, most importantly, she says, modeling a life “better than I had” for her kids.

The Fight for Stability

When Q first stepped into independence at the age of 19, she did everything “society told her was right”. She secured and maintained a job while managing her household, but beneath the routine, she was constantly forced to make impossible choices, juggling which basic needs to prioritize and how her time was spent. She wasn’t unhappy, but she was stressed. The chronic financial pressure meant she wasn’t parenting in the way she desired. She was always rushing, calculating, and never truly felt present. She felt trapped in a reality faced by countless mothers, many of whom are caught in the motherhood penalty: take a low-wage job that barely covers bills, or prioritize being available for her children.

“It was just like, what you gonna do?” she recalls, describing the impossible choice. “You have to choose between getting paid a small amount or taking care of the children.”

Her vision was clear: to be a successful mother who provides a path to generational wealth for her kids. “I wanted them to have something like generational wealth. I want to be able to feel I accomplished something as a mother to them, to my babies.”

The Mental Shift

The reliable, monthly guaranteed income gave Q more than just a financial safety net. It restored her mental peace. The daily loop—gas or groceries, light bill or school supplies – began to quiet, and Q could hear herself think again.

This feeling Q experienced is a structural trap known as the “scarcity mindset.” It describes how a lack of resources—such as time or money—consumes so much cognitive bandwidth that it impairs decision-making, trapping people in the very conditions they’re trying to escape.

Q realized that the real power of the program wasn’t the money itself, but the time and mental clarity it provided. When asked about the misconception that guaranteed income encourages idleness, she reflects: “A lot of people feel like guaranteed income is to make you sit still. But it’s [actually] to make you have the extra time and mental space to do the things you’ve been wanting to do.” She continues, sharing how the program has impacted her: “Like, being able to… handle things, like you know, bills and still be able to do what I want, like, go out, have fun.”

As the weight of financial pressure lessened, Q experienced an internal shift. The stability provided by the program became a catalyst for self-worth. She gave herself permission to plan, to rest, and to show up for herself with the same care she gives her children. “It has changed a lot of things,” she says.

Empowered, Q is moving beyond the pressure of mere survival and allowing herself to invest in a life where she is happy, at peace, and knows she is deserving of success.

Investing in Her Future

Q started a new full-time job just as her In Her Hands payments began. The steady paycheck from her job, combined with the monthly income support, helps her fund her future both personally and professionally.

She is the founder of Herbanic Remedies, a small business specializing in natural hair and skincare products. Before the program, every dollar went to daily living expenses, leaving nothing for inventory or marketing.

Now she invests in what’s necessary to expand her business. More importantly, she feels secure enough to resume her education and pursue her long-term career goal in mortuary science. The monthly payments mean she doesn’t have to choose between a full-time job and her future career goals.

A New Rhythm of Life and a Legacy of Joy

One year into the program, and the months now have a rhythm. Bills are paid on time, and groceries, gas, and school supplies fit comfortably into the budget. The background hum of worry is quieter. Q sums it up with a word she repeats often: balance, a “release of stress” that allows her to make a plan and stick to it.

Q is intentional about creating memories for her family, using her newfound mental clarity and time to model a life of possibility for her children. This includes thoughtfully planning family trips that allow them to experience the world beyond their neighborhood. Like a magical trip to Disney World, she says, “fed my inner child.” The ability to explore, connect, and create happy, lasting memories is an essential part of the life she models for her kids.

She has also expanded her own worldview. She caught up on expenses before the New Year, which allowed her to fully focus on making her children’s Christmas magical and do something special for herself. She secured her first passport and spent New Year’s week with her mom in Jamaica. Now she’s planning her next adventure, a trip to China.

She’s candid about the responsibility of parenting on her own, but she is equally clear about the joy and opportunity she now has.

“It’s about showing my kids there’s more out there,” she says, “and reminding myself I can get there.”

An Advocate for Economic Justice

As a passionate advocate for the program, Q is ready to challenge any negative stereotypes about guaranteed income with her own story.

She believes this model of support should be available far beyond Atlanta, stating:

“I feel like this program can actually grow throughout the country because a lot of women need it.”

When structural barriers to economic opportunity are removed, women are empowered to elevate their families, a powerful illustration that providing financial stability and the dignity of choice is a powerful tool to help families thrive. Guaranteed income allowed Q to do just that.

Q’s journey isn’t over. She hopes to build stability that will serve generations and prove that when women are given the opportunity to create their own foundation, they become the unstoppable architects of their futures.