What does Marguerite realize as she pursues her goal of becoming a streetcar conductorette ?

Maya decides she can probably get a job on the streetcars, though her mother tells her they don't hire colored people to work on them. But, she sees Maya's determination, and tells her to go for it if that is what she wants. Maya goes to the offices of the streetcar company, and finds them run-down and shoddy. When she asks for the personnel manager, she gets a run-around because she is black; she gets the man's name, and is still determined to get the job. She visits the office frequently, over a number of weeks; finally, she fills out an application, takes some tests, and is hired as the first black streetcar conductor in San Francisco. Maya realizes that, in San Fransisco, she can challenge the racial status-quo and achieve her goals. The job helps her to feel independent, as she is making her own money; her mother drives her to work early in the morning, and also picks her up whenever she needs it.