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Emma Steele

visual journalist

Kelly Meredith is a struggling mother who is facing current challenged with her family. Her recent obstacles include being the vistim of identity theft. "I almost went to jail from crimes I didn't commit, and the whole time I was thinking about what my kids would do without me," Meredith said.

Kelly's youngest son Logan, 6, failed his first year of Kindergarten was was recenely diagnosed with ADHD. Kelly is holding off on medicating her son because of the uncertainty about whether it would be beneficial. "I just want to do what's best for him," Meredith said. "I don't want to not to be able to recognize my own son."

Logan watched popcorn in the microwave after getting home from school, while Kelly gets dinner ready. Kelly works part time at Big Lots, and struggles keeping the family afloat. "We gotta make sure there's gonna be food on the table for five kids at the end of the day," Meredith said.

Logan plays T-Ball after getting home from school with his mom and older sister Nakayla, 12. "My kids are my life outside of work", Meredith says.

Nakayla shows her mom her math homework. "I haven't learned this stuff since high school," Meredith laughs. "You have to wait until your older brother Krishtan gets home so he can help you," Meredith says to Nakayla.

Nakayla plays with her younger stepbrother Alec, 10. "I had to spend the weekend with my real dad but I hate going over there," Nakayla says. "I would rather be in school than see my dad." Kelly and her ex husband had seperated two years prior because of abuse and substance issues. "Never stay with someone who treats you bad just because you have kids with them", Meredith says.

Nakayla waits for her brother, Logan, to get off the bus from schoo. She is the only girl of four brothers, and still has to share a bedroom. "We make the most of what we've got," Meredith says

Kelly embraces her oldest son Krishtan, 13. Krishtan is Kelly's first child with her ex-husband. The couple both struggled with drug addiction. "Our first date, we bought an eight ball of meth to share," Meredith says. "I used until I got pregnant with out first kid in 2005."

© Emma C. Steele. 2021 graduate of Western Kentucky University Photojournalism.