Jamie Feldman

I was silent for so many years in an attempt to separate myself from my problems, but that wasn't helping. What I needed was more connection, a different kind of connection, to be part of the group in a meaningful way.

I was silent for so many years in an attempt to separate myself from my problems, but that wasn't helping. What I needed was more connection, a different kind of connection, to be part of the group in a meaningful way.

I know there's a lot of shit everywhere, but... Did you ever feel like there were bad memories here?

I know there's a lot of shit everywhere, but... Did you ever feel like there were bad memories here?

When I was 11 years old, my father lost his battle with addiction in this apartment. And it was such a chaotic time that I never worked through all the ways I felt betrayed. Perhaps the hardest part to grapple with was understanding that in many ways, my mom felt relief when he died. That him dying was going to make her life easier.

When I was 11 years old, my father lost his battle with addiction in this apartment. And it was such a chaotic time that I never worked through all the ways I felt betrayed. Perhaps the hardest part to grapple with was understanding that in many ways, my mom felt relief when he died. That him dying was going to make her life easier.

All these years later, my mom has turned this apartment into her favorite place in the world. But for me, it's the place where I had the worst day of my life. And it's always felt impossible for me to reconcile how those two things can be true at once. But that wasn't the whole story.

All these years later, my mom has turned this apartment into her favorite place in the world. But for me, it's the place where I had the worst day of my life. And it's always felt impossible for me to reconcile how those two things can be true at once. But that wasn't the whole story.

For so many years, I blamed my mom's anger on everything that happened. But she was angry because she couldn't pay the bills. She couldn't leave a child alone in the house. She couldn't get a job and leave me, so she couldn't pay for a family on her own. She didn't have anywhere to go. This was an economic problem as much as it was anything else.

For so many years, I blamed my mom's anger on everything that happened. But she was angry because she couldn't pay the bills. She couldn't leave a child alone in the house. She couldn't get a job and leave me, so she couldn't pay for a family on her own. She didn't have anywhere to go. This was an economic problem as much as it was anything else.

And it's the story of so many people in America, especially women, especially mothers. our freedoms are dictated by our economic stability. And my mom, like so many other moms, had to learn these lessons the hard way, but managed to keep our world spinning by building healthy communities.

And it's the story of so many people in America, especially women, especially mothers. our freedoms are dictated by our economic stability. And my mom, like so many other moms, had to learn these lessons the hard way, but managed to keep our world spinning by building healthy communities.

Over the years, she's cultivated a chosen family of women who have been there for each other in all kinds of ways, whether it's one of their Friday night cocktail parties or banding together in times of crisis. Like in the days following my dad's death, when a constant stream of people were coming in and out of our house to pay their respects.

Over the years, she's cultivated a chosen family of women who have been there for each other in all kinds of ways, whether it's one of their Friday night cocktail parties or banding together in times of crisis. Like in the days following my dad's death, when a constant stream of people were coming in and out of our house to pay their respects.

My mom sees her apartment as the place where she grew into the person and mother she wanted to be. And that person learned that financial freedom is not about doing everything on your own. It's about connecting and leaning on your community.

My mom sees her apartment as the place where she grew into the person and mother she wanted to be. And that person learned that financial freedom is not about doing everything on your own. It's about connecting and leaning on your community.

Right? So maybe my mom didn't pass along the most practical financial wisdom. I didn't learn about credit cards or 401ks. But why do we consider that to be the only valuable financial advice based on one set of financial values? And is that advice even working?

Right? So maybe my mom didn't pass along the most practical financial wisdom. I didn't learn about credit cards or 401ks. But why do we consider that to be the only valuable financial advice based on one set of financial values? And is that advice even working?

After I sifted through the gaggle of trolls under the TikTok bridge, I found that their voices, while loud and angry, were nothing compared to the many people who saw themselves in what I had to say.

After I sifted through the gaggle of trolls under the TikTok bridge, I found that their voices, while loud and angry, were nothing compared to the many people who saw themselves in what I had to say.