March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the accomplishments and resilience of women who have shaped our lives and communities. For Cassandra Roberson, the story of perseverance, resourcefulness, and family ties is woven into the very walls of her home at. It’s not just a house—it’s a testament to generations of strong women who refused to give up, even when life threw its hardest challenges their way.
Since 1983, this home has been a matriarchy. Generations of women have cared for each other and the home, beginning with Cassandra’s mother, Marian Nelson. In 1983, Marian purchased the home from the City of Milwaukee. She was a single mother who struggled to purchase the home, despite many obstacles.Cassandra and her husband and their children lived on the first floor. The second floor was occupied by her mother Marian, and the third floor Cassandra’s brother. Over the years, both her grandmother and great grandmother came to live with them. The home on 79th Street became a sanctuary for five generations of women who loved, nurtured, and supported each other and their children. Living with her mother. and what Cassandra often called her “grandmothers,” she learned invaluable lessons on leadership and how to care for her family.
Cassandra recalls having a pet chicken and the grandmothers telling all the kids to feed it cracked corn, and to wait for it to lay an egg. Sure enough, every day the chicken would lay one egg. During dinner, the grandmothers would use that single egg to make a pan of cornbread—a lesson in resourcefulness and grit. “It was moments like these that taught us so many lessons,” Cassandra recalls. “They had home remedies, took care of us, and were incredibly resourceful.” The grandmothers also taught them how to garden, plant and grow their own food.
“Nothing seemed to rattle them. They were mountains. Just nothing rattled them. They always said, ‘Stand firm, stand strong’.”
It was this strength that led the family, grounded them through hard times, and ensured they never gave up. Cassandra reflects, “I owe everything to my mom, my grandmother, and my great-grandmother.” These generations of women faced many hardships—from financial struggles to loss, grief, and the challenge of leading a family on their own. Yet through it all, they showed the family what true resilience looks like and led by example, never wavering in the face of adversity.
The grandmothers not only shaped the family’s identity but were the backbone of it—showing resilience, leadership, and resourcefulness. They would go on to leave a legacy that lives on in Cassandra today.
Enduring Loss and Financial Strain: A Battle to Keep the Family Home
By 1998, tragedy struck. In the span of four years, Cassandra lost her great-grandmother, her husband, and her son. “One day I woke up, and they were all gone,” Cassandra says, her voice filled with emotion. “We had all these young children still around, and we thought, how do we keep going? How do we take care of them?”
Despite these heart-wrenching losses, Cassandra knew that keeping the house was crucial—it was the place where her family had grown, where the memories of past generations lived. But financial struggles took a toll, and by 2019, Cassandra found herself facing foreclosure. “I tried to maintain the property, but I lost my job. I couldn’t handle it anymore,” she explains. When the City of Milwaukee reclaimed the property, Cassandra thought her family’s legacy was slipping through her fingers.
A New Generation Takes the Lead
When Cassandra was ready to give up, a glimmer of hope came from an unexpected source: her niece, Princess. Princess was determined to help her aunt because she knew this house was meant to stay in the family. Cassandra and Princess went before the City of Milwaukee common council to see if there was something that could be done to keep the home. That’s when they were introduced to Acts Housing.
Cassandra says Acts Housing provided critical support, from financial counseling to rehab funds, allowing Cassandra and Princess to breathe new life into the home, and ultimately keep the home. With $90,000 in rehab funds, the house is undergoing significant repairs. The roof is being replaced, new furnaces and hot water tanks are being installed, and the property is being restored to its former glory.
Standing Strong
For Cassandra, the journey to keep the house has been an emotional and challenging one. But she has remained steadfast, drawing strength from the generations of women who came before her. They always said, stand firm, stand strong. I owe everything to my mom, my grandmother, and my great-grandmother.”
By working together with Acts Housing, Cassandra and Princess are on their way to buying the house back, ensuring that the family legacy lives on. “By myself, it was impossible. I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Cassandra admits. But with Princess by her side she felt like she wasn’t alone.
Today, Cassandra is not just the matriarch of her family—she’s also a great-grandmother, passing on the lessons learned from the generations of women who came before her. She has lived in the house for more than 40 years, and she’s proud to be able to offer her grandchildren and great-grandchildren the same sense of stability and love that was passed down to her.
As Women’s History Month reminds us, women’s stories are often the ones that go untold. But for Cassandra, her story—and the stories of the women who came before her—are woven into the very fabric of her family’s home. She will continue to carry forward the legacy of strength, perseverance, and love that made it all possible.
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