The harrowing story depicted in Tyler Perry’s “Straw” is one that Teyana Taylor and Taraji P. Henson both know all too well.

In the psychological drama, Henson plays Janiyah, a struggling single mother who runs into a myriad of problems while trying to care for her sick daughter. After waking up on what turns out to be the worst day of her life, Janiyah encounters a series of unfortunate events, which ultimately pushes her to her breaking point.

The film, which explores themes like resilience and injustice in the Black community, is poetically narrated through the eyes of Janiyah, a poor, frazzled mom-of-one who tries to keep her cool amid the harsh outcomes of the day. Though it may seem like she has no one on her side, Janiyah finds a friend and advocate in Detective Raymond (Taylor), who empathizes with her plight and makes her feel heard.

Speaking to TODAY.com about the movie, Henson said she could easily resonate with Janiyah’s story because she knows what it’s like to be a single mom and have the odds stacked against her.

“I moved to California with my son on my hip and $700, so I know how it feels like to have the world on your shoulders, trying to take care of yourself and another human and raise them to be a contribution to society,” Henson says. “It’s tough. It’s something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”