Amber H.

I am a servant leader who finds fulfillment in bringing excellence to anything that I do,

whether it be professionally as an Accountant or passionately as someone who loves to

help pour into under-represented communities. As a woman of faith, I believe my life's

call is to be the hands and feet of Jesus, working to help as many people in need as I

can.

Why This Work Matters

I love the foundation belief that Giving Care not only provides relief to the recipient but to the

collective community. I truly believe that we should be our brother's keeper and we are as weak

as our 'weakest link". 

So if someone in our community is hurting, in need, etc., helping them reap a Shared Harvest. We reap what we sow. Personally, that resonates with me because I find

great joy in helping anyone that I can, big or small.

On culturally responsive care: Providing culturally responsive, community-rooted care means

that the main goal is to meet people where they are, how they are and understand their needs

on a personal level. So often, people are given general care that is not based on specific demos

that are personal to them. So it is important to understand culture, ethnic demographics, economic disparities and personal needs of the community we are servicing. Also, caring for people without taking their dignity and respect as a human first is very important. Providing care should not be rooted in pity but rooted in love, mindfulness and dignified rights on a human level.

Connection to Altadena

What I love most about Altadena's history and culture is that there has always been a quiet but

profound pride shared by all who live in or are from Altadena. As a black person, growing up in a community that was home to a large majority of black families was beautiful and just felt like

home everywhere you went. Every neighbor felt like extended family. Altadena is a haven that

sits in the landscape of these beautiful mountains that creates a calmness to your nervous

system.

Meaningful tradition: Some of the landmarks, such as Christmas Tree lane and Eaton Canyon

Trails, hold special meaning to me. Every year I would go drive through the Christmas tree lane

with family and friends. It is always a magical time to experience the beauty of the Christmas

tree lane. As a teenager to early adulthood, I loved hiking and so hiking Eaton Canyon trails was

something I enjoyed doing in the summertime. It is something about being so close to those

huge beautiful mountains that grounds you. Additionally, as a Pasadena Bulldog, it was always

fun going to the annual Turkey Tussle football rival game against Muir HS.

In my work: Altadena's legacy will show up in my work with families because I am a part of

Altadena's legacy. As someone that was raised there and still has family and roots there, this

work is personal. So just like I had to help my parents navigate recovery efforts to get back in

their home, I will bring my heart and relentless advocacy to this work to help each family I am

assigned to and beyond. My hope is for restoration for all these families, whatever that looks likefor them and my goal is to do whatever I can to be a valued partner/resource/advocate in this journey of healing and recovery.

A Defining Moment

Speaking of advocacy, while helping my parents get their place back habitable for them to move back home, their landlord decides to remove their back carport and storage with short notice to all the tenants, with no regard to how this would impact all the families in the complex. His reasoning was that he was building an ADU to "help with the housing crisis in the city since the fire" but we all knew it was out of greed and profit. However, he was not offering to lower their rent after moving these amenities. So out of care for my parents, I worked to find city

representatives that could help advocate for fair rent reduction for not only my parents but all

tenants. In the process, we also found that the landlord has previously increased their rent

during the rent freeze period during COVID. So not only was I able to get their rent reduced for

the carport and storage removal, I also got all tenants' rent reimbursement for illegal rent

increases. All the tenants were grateful and found some joy in the midst of being impacted in

other ways while still dealing with recovery from the fires. This in turn made all the hard work

worth it for me.

How this shapes my work: This shapes the way I will show up for the families because

sometimes you just need that one person to advocate for you when you don't know how to

advocate for yourself. Oftentimes, fighting for one issue can lead to uncovering other areas that

need advocacy as well. I want to be a part of that work.

Vision for the Future

My hope for Altadena: I think the biggest hope is to really help create community care efforts

that go beyond disaster relief. Before the fires, there were families struggling to live day to day.

So the goal is to create a collective belief that care should go beyond moments of disaster but

on an every day level. I believe this collective belief will not only uphold the community but

create generational change for the betterment of Altadena, where homelessness is eradicated,

food deprivation is non-existent and dignified care is the common thread among all neighbors.

What I hope families feel: I hope they feel seen, heard, loved and not alone on this road to

recovery.

Bringing to the Work

Strengths: I bring a relentless determination; a hard work ethic that is very detailed orientated; a

resourceful mind (I am also seeking out resources to help people); a team player and above all,

a compassionate & empathetic heart that will go to lengths to help those in need, especially for

my hometown.

On collaboration: Being a part of this network of care managers means finding like-minded

people that share core values and that want to positively impact their communities.

Beyond the Work

What brings me joy: I believe JOY is my birthright and I pursue it every change I get. Spending

time with family and friends brings me joy and grounds me when I feel overwhelmed with life. I

am an adventurer at heart. I love to travel and experience new places and things. I am a foodie,

so sharing an amazing meal solo or with others feeds my soul. As an LA/SoCal Native, I am a

Lakers & Dodgers Fan and love to go to sporting events. And when I need to center myself, you can find me anywhere near a beautiful body of water or in a Spa. I believe life should be LIVED

to its fullest and enjoyed with a great community!

Favourite genres: Rom-Com

When not volunteering: When I am not volunteering with Shared Harvest, I am a full-time

Accounting Consultant with 8020 Consulting. Also, I started my event planning business, Above

Rubies Weddings and Events, in 2022, which brings me joy! Aside from that, I am a wife,

daughter, sister, aunt and friend who loves to serve her community, share resources and be a

positive change in this world.

Fun fact: During my college years, I lived in Uganda for 1.5 months on a mission trip in the

summer, and it changed my life for the better.

Words I live by: "Trouble Don't Last Always."