In this episode of Dear Mom, Dear Daughter, Athi and Mtha unpack what career really means across two generations of Black South African women. For moms, work was survival, stability, and the thrill of stepping into professional spaces previously closed off. For daughters, work is about passion, purpose, identity — and often overwhelming pressure.
Together, they explore the emotional, psychological, and cultural layers of choosing a career, changing direction, hustling to stay afloat, and redefining success on your own terms.
This episode also dives into:
How different generations think about purpose, success and identity
The tension between survival jobs and passion careers
Why young women feel pressured to “have it all figured out”
The reality of burnout, uncertainty, and endless reinvention
Black women navigating corporate South Africa
Motherhood, ambition, and rewriting traditional gender expectations
A listener dilemma about a daughter constantly changing career paths
If you’ve ever questioned your purpose, felt stuck in your career, or struggled to balance passion with practicality, this conversation is for you.
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