Community Advocate Tiffany Gamble shares 5 things she can’t live without
MY FIVE: A series where we ask Omahans to share their five favorite things
By: Xitlally Velasco
Tiffany Gamble is social science expert with more than 22 years of experience. She is a change leader, community advocate, and activist for social justice. While all of this is dear to her heart, her most rewarding role is becoming the founder of Emerging Ladies Academy.
Everyone knows that technology has permeated our lives over the last 30 years. While the need is high for quality skilled workers in the technology ecosystem, the United States continues to struggle with finding talent.
The Emerging Ladies Academy provides tech education, a safe space, mentorship, and a sense of belonging to the black community. Serving the black community over the last six years to empower black girls in technology has become Tiffany’s passion.
She leads with her motto: “Education is continual and constant. Be a lifelong learner.”
Continue reading to learn about Tiffany’s five favorite things…
1. Family/Village.
“I am so grateful to experience love and connectivity in this way, like never before.”
Tiffany Gamble
Not just my biological family but the village that supports me. Without that bond or sense of community, I am unable to move in this world.
One of our family's core values is sticking together. We have each other’s back. This was ingrained in me from a little girl. Since the passing of many loved ones over the past two years, this core value has strengthened within our family and in my life. I am so grateful to experience love and connectivity in this way, like never before.
As a Black woman, oftentimes it is challenging to find a safe space and feel protected, especially within your community.
2. Purpose.
To know your purpose is to live out loud. This is what I have experienced in the last six years; to be shaken to my core, woken up out of my sleep, and shown my purpose in 2017 has been the most exhilarating, scariest, sometimes debilitating, most beautiful experience I have ever had in my life!
Understanding why you were born is the most freeing experience ever. I no longer had to wonder my ‘why’. Serving girls and women to empower themselves is my purpose in life. Through the means of tech education, business, or gaining self-confidence, this is what I live for now truly. With a sense of purpose, I have finally found what it feels like to live a life of peace.
3. Peace.
“I finally understood that peace was vital in order for me to live a long life.”
Tiffany Gamble
Growing up, living in a low social-economical environment, trauma was always around the corner. From a personal, professional, and communal perspective, there were barriers constantly to overcome.
I grew up in a very traumatic state. I never understood what peace felt like. The pandemic came into my life like an explosion, and I had to find balance in my life after the dust had settled.
Since the pandemic, I have been more intentional about creating peace in my life. I want to feel comfortable within myself to be myself. In order to do this, I had to find peace within. I finally understood that peace was vital in order for me to live a long life.
Now I make intentional choices and decisions to bring peace into my life. Making this conscious effort has led me to live a richer, more fulfilled life. This newfound life has also led to creating more joyous moments and memories.
4. Joy.
“Every day I need to laugh or be silly. It is now a part of my self-care regime.”
Tiffany Gamble
As a child, I couldn’t joke around or be funny. I always had to be more mature and have more adult responsibilities in my life. With finding balance, I noticed that I wasn’t joyful, and I had to tap into my inner child.
By working with youth I have learned to become more joyous. They keep me young, happy, and smiling; I love being around them. The type of joy they have is immeasurable. Now I create joyous moments whenever I get the chance, especially with my family.
Every day I need to laugh or be silly. It is now a part of my self-care regime. I need to let my inner child come out daily. Now that I have allowed my child to come out, I embrace my passion for fashion and how I show up in the world.
5. Fashion.
“I feel my best self when I can be myself in fashion.”
Tiffany Gamble
Being a chocolate girl, I was told at a young age that I could not wear bright, bold colors, lipstick, or anything. Basically, hide in the dark with your dark clothes. Also, with having vitiligo, a skin disorder, I wanted to hide in the dark because I felt different, and my self-esteem was very low due to these factors.
However, at 15, my cousin told me I had a beautiful smile, and that started my awareness of self-love and acceptance. I’ve always had my own style; however, I never really accepted myself. I wanted to fit in with the crowd, not stand out.
As I have matured and created high self-esteem for myself, I now show up boldly as myself. Fashion is my passion. I love clothes, jewelry, shoes, different combinations, and African wear. I have evolved over the years with the color of my hair. I am comfortable with showing up in bright, bold, colorful print. I feel my best self when I can be myself in fashion.
Xitlally Velasco is a University of Nebraska at Omaha journalism student with a concentration in public relations and advertising and a minor in Psychology. Velasco is the Digital Content Curator at Lozafina Marketing and Public Relations. Send your tips and story ideas to office@lozafina.com