Tameka Harper

I attribute my success to the women who came before me — my family, teachers, friends, and mentors. I’ve always believed you have to be a good follower before you can be a good leader. I never set out to be a leader, but I’ve always been inspired by the positivity of change and the people who modeled it for me. I take credit for nothing, It All belongs to God— I walk by faith and not by sight. I consider myself as someone who is grateful in all things and quite humble.

A little Proctor saying I heard in school while taking tests has stayed with me:

“Don’t spend too much time on any one problem. If you have time, you can always come back to it after you’ve completed the test.”

I learned that sometimes we spend so much time questioning ourselves that we lose sight of what we already know. Trusting your own instincts matters.

That lesson applies to life, relationships, and careers. Do your absolute best, give things your effort and heart, but don’t become so focused on making one thing work that you forget to love, live, learn, grow, and keep moving forward.

The goal isn’t to perfect every question—it’s to finish the race successfully.

Do your best. Trust what you know. Keep moving. And remember: you can always come back to what still needs your attention.

You took the first step and it's a great first step. The nonprofit sector is a wonderful place to begin your career and it can definitely be a try-before-you-buy kind of work experience and that's what I love about it you know it's really versatile so you can try your hand at different positions while also making a difference in your community. So I guess my advice would just be learn as much as you can you know always be willing to wear different hats and it was definitely a win-win move.

I believe the need will always outweigh the means—and that's exactly why we aren't meant to do this alone.

One of the biggest challenges in the nonprofit sector is what you choose to do once you've been given the opportunity to lead. You've been handed a baton. The road may be difficult, but you have to be in the race to win the race.

The challenges are real: limited finances, growing needs, limited resources, unexpected obstacles, and difficult funding processes. Sometimes you have to pivot, start over, trust your ideas, or admit you don't have all the answers. That's when collaboration, mentorship, and community become essential.

I see the greatest opportunity in recognizing that we don't have to do this alone. Businesses can provide resources, volunteers can give their time, mentors can share wisdom, and neighbors can offer kindness. When everyone brings what they have to the table, we can accomplish far more together.

Financial sustainability is also a major challenge. The question isn't just how do I continue doing what I love? It's how do I continue serving others while also creating a sustainable living for myself and my family? More accessible funding and stronger support for the people doing the actual community work would make a meaningful difference.

I strive to be a bridge, not a burden—connecting people, resources, and opportunities to create solutions.

And when it comes to opportunities, I believe they're always there. Sometimes you find them. Sometimes you create them. Sometimes they find you.

Don't sit around waiting for opportunity. Get in the race, run your leg well, make a difference, and pass the baton forward.

What has always been important to me, and what will continue to be important to me, is the way I treat others.

At the very core of who I am, I value love, kindness, and empathy, and I try to lead with those values in everything I do—both in my work and in my personal life.

I look for moments to show empathy because we never truly know what someone else may be carrying. Sometimes a kind word, a smile, a little patience, a listening ear, or simply taking a moment to understand someone can make a difference.

For me, kindness isn't just something you do when it's convenient, …It's a way of living. It’s something I practice daily. I believe you can be strong and still be kind. You can lead and still serve. You can make a difference without losing the heart of who you are.

At the end of the day, I want to know that the way I treated people reflected the values I believe in. 

Love, kindness, and empathy have always been at the center of who I am, and that's how I want to lead, serve, and live.