Today we’d like to introduce you to Tameka Ramsey.
Hi Tameka, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Pontiac, although both of my parents were from Mississippi. At 16, I became pregnant with my first son, and having him changed my life trajectory for the better.
I went to Oakland Community College (OCC), where it took me 7 yrs. to get my associate degree; because, as a single teen mom, when bills needed to be paid, it was my responsibility. I graduated OCC with my associate’s degree in Mental Health/Social Work. I then went to directly to Wayne State University, where I receive my Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work.
I worked as a social worker in the city of Pontiac for over 10 years. The incident that changed how I viewed social work and the work that I would end up doing happened with a client who was coming to the food pantry at the organization I was working with. This young lady came for food but wanted to improve her quality of life, and so she worked with the organization to get workforce development skills in order to get a better job. After six months, the same young lady came back to the organization and was distraught. Because although we had improved her job by getting her paid two dollars more, it had negatively impacted her Section 8 housing and her food assistance. These were things that we could not undo.
Social work tells us that people are the problem, and they just need to be fixed. But what I learned from this experience is that people are not broken; the system in which they live in is. And so, I went to Oakland University to get my master’s degree in public administration to work to change policies and educate people, groups, and organizations.
Since then, I have gone around the country training to make sure that everyday people residents nonresidence voters, and non-voters alike, have the best information in order to improve their quality of life through civic and community engagement.
Tameka M. Ramsey, owner and principal associate of T. Ramsey and Associates, has always prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion in her work, driven by her desire to make a positive impact.
She earned her educational credentials from Oakland Community College (associate degree in Mental Health/Social Work), Wayne State University (bachelor’s degree in social work), and Oakland University (master’s degree in public administration with concentrations in Nonprofit Management and Municipal Government Management).
Through training and workshops with organizations such as Build Institute and the National Entrepreneurs Association, as well as trial and error in running her own strategic, social impact consulting business, Tameka has developed expertise and experience in public speaking and training for over 20 years. She uses this knowledge to guide, advise, and support her clients.
In her executive and co-director roles for regional and statewide social justice organizations in Michigan, Tameka works to reshape civic and social justice organizations’ engagement and management. She is the convener for Black Women’s Roundtable-Metro Detroit (BWR-Metro Detroit) and the founding director for the Michigan Coalition on Black Civic Participation, both of which serve as in-state chapters of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. Through these organizations, Tameka provides intergenerational leadership development, mentoring, empowerment, and power-building for Black men, women, and youth.
Tameka is proud to reside in Pontiac, Michigan, where she was born and raised, with her husband of over 20 years. They share three children, a daughter-in-law, one grandson, and a chocolate lab named Brownie.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not been a smooth road. As a teenage parent and now a working-class black woman. Nothing is ever easy. Are usually mention all of the degrees and certificates that I have. But I only do that because as a black woman, I feel that I have to be highly educated in order to go onto rooms to be an expert and things that I have lived and experience my whole life. Why supremacy is real, and I live it daily through my job, my consulting business, my family, and community.
As you know, we’re big fans of T. Ramsey & Associates. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
T. Ramsey & Associates is a group of committed individuals that are dedicated to supporting the growth of businesses, nonprofits, and public servants worldwide. We have honored this commitment from our inception in 2015.
T. Ramsey & Associates is a mission-driven, strategic, social impact consulting firm. Our goal is to lead nonprofits, micro-enterprises, small businesses, and governmental entities toward sustainability for the communities they serve.
We do this by working individually with each of our clients and supporting them as a one-stop resource to address their needs.
All work performed by T. Ramsey & Associates is led with an economic, racial, and social justice lens. We support businesses and organizations in their pursuit of sustainable growth and profit.
What were you like growing up?
I am a provider, helper, and nurture by nature. Going into the helping field was all I wanted to do. I am the middle of 3 daughters on my mother’s side and the oldest of 2 daughters on my dad side.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tramseyllc.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tameka.ramsey/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tameka-m-ramsey-mpa-bsw-5a33547/
