Earlier in the play, a wealthy White Man offered Mama a chance to purchase a house in Clybourne Part, a predominantly White neighborhood. Due to pressure from the neighborhood association and concerns about the racial makeup of the community, the transaction eventually falls through.
Mama had an opportunity to pursue a better life for herself and her family but feels regretful and responsible for not seizing it. She believes that it negatively impacted her family. As the play advances, her guilt worsens.