Amber Hammond

I attribute my success to younger me being determined. Ever since I was little, I just wanted to be able to help other people. When I was going through hard times, I always thought to myself, it's gonna get better someday, and I want to be able to look back and help other people in similar situations. That was always my motivating factor.

I wouldn't say it was direct advice, but I once had a supervisor who never took "no" for an answer and always believed in me, even when they were aware I didn't fully know what I was doing. Their confidence in my ability to figure things out taught me to have faith in people and to never underestimate someone's potential based on their age or current skill level. Some of the tasks they gave me were challenging, but I always found a way through them. Each experience left me more knowledgeable, more confident, and significantly more developed as a professional. I learned the majority of what I know about the nonprofit sector because that supervisor trusted me to take on responsibilities, solve problems independently, and learn along the way.

They also invited me into conversations and decision-making spaces I probably wasn't professionally ready for at the time. They encouraged me to share my perspective and made it clear that my voice mattered even when I was the youngest at the table. That empowerment helped me discover my passions, build confidence, and find my professional voice. Because of that experience, I've always carried with me the belief that you should never judge someone's potential by their age or where they are in their journey. You never truly know what someone is capable of accomplishing when they are given trust and opportunity.

You should always be bold and advocate not only for your clients, but also for yourself especially in spaces where you feel like you don't belong or fit in.

What I mean by that is this: it's important to have the confidence to speak up and advocate for yourself. Know that you deserve a seat at the table regardless of who else is at that table. Your perspective has value, your opinions matter, and you deserve to be heard.

When you find yourself in a room where decisions are being made about issues that affect you or that you're passionate about, don't allow yourself to become invisible. Speak up, share your perspective, and expect to be treated with respect. Advocating for yourself isn't about being the loudest person in the room it's about recognizing your worth and ensuring your voice is part of the conversation.

The value that is most important to me is integrity and remaining true to my principles and beliefs regardless of the circumstances or the opinions of those around me. I strive to uphold my values consistently, even when my perspective differs from the majority.