At 20 years old, most women are in the process of planning their professional lives, either by going to college or by entering the workforce. For Karen Dixon and her family, however, life is not that picture-perfect.

Dixon, faced with the responsibility of caring for her unemployed mother and her seven siblings, has been forced to turn to exotic dancing in order to meet the family's needs. "Mi nah hide and talk innuh, a dance me dance fi a living."

She explained that her mother, who used to care for an elderly woman, lost her job almost a year ago when the woman she was caring for died. She said since then, her siblings have been sent all over the island to live with various relatives, many of whom are threatening to send them back because they have not received any money.

Dixon explained that her mother is living with a friend as she does not own a home and cannot afford rent. She has been unable to find a job and so cannot afford to send money to the care-givers of her children. All these responsibilities have fallen on Dixon, who is the only employed family member. She said, "Mi mada nuh have no house, she nuh live anywhere, right now she kotching with a friend. Mi affi dance jus' so mi can tek care a mi bredda and sista dem."

earns $8,000

She explained that on average, she earns $8,000 a week and sometimes if she does additional work, she may earn $10,000. Of this amount, she said, she tries to send $8000 to her mother and also to her siblings, some of whom are in St Catherine, while others are elsewhere. She revealed that she sends this figure sometimes twice a week.

Dixon said she did not want to enter the field of exotic dancing, but felt she had no choice as her family was depending on her. She said, "Mi finish school innuh, mi finish high school. But mi never get any subjects because when mi did fi do dem, mi neva have nobody fi pay fi dem. Mi used to do bartending, but it neva work out, so a jus' dis mi affi do fi help dem out."

She pleaded, "Mi really waan fi help mi mada, if she coulda get a house, at least she coulda get back di pickney dem and mi woulda try help her out. Di likkle money wouldn't haffi send all bout di place."

Dixon said she is willing to stop dancing if she gets another job and said she is able to work in a supermarket or do any other job. She also said her mother is willing to work and is able to do domestic work.

She said, "Please, just see what you can do for us. Di condition is really bad."