The Professional (aka the official bio)
Amanda Michelle Jones considers herself “a Connector of People & Resources” and “a Supernerd, with an extra dose of personality for balance.” She has dedicated her life to collaborating on changemaking with youth experiencing unstable housing. Amanda Michelle feels this is connected to fighting for social justice overall, because all youth need strong communities to support their development. Having been trained and tested in designing, managing, and evaluating social services programs, she is currently working on a Master’s & Ph.D. in social work at the University of Chicago. Her research plans involve exploring the use of documentary film and photography as tools for activism and personal growth with homeless youth. Amanda Michelle’s ability to connect with people of varying perspectives & facilitate social change stems partly from her education, including an M.S. in Human Services Administration from the University of Baltimore/Coppin State University Collaborative and a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Amanda Michelle is also a graduate of the Danya Institute’s Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) Leadership Institute and holds certificates in Mentoring Program Coordination, Nonprofit Leadership, & paraprofessional counseling. In her down time, Amanda Michelle enjoys singing, attending concerts, and being irreverent on Twitter.
The Personal
Me & my favorite man: Grampa.
Names have meaning…
Amanda:
[Latin] worthy of love
Michelle:
[Hebrew, fem. Michael] “Who is like the Lord?”
Jones:
[Hebrew, var. John] Yahweh has been gracious; God has favored; gift of God
I spent a lot of my life exploring various avenues of “self-fulfillment”. During the course of my journey, I realized that there really is no such thing as “self-fulfillment”. No; to truly accomplish anything worthwhile in life, a person must seek the advancement of others. The seemingly elusive state of “self-fulfillment” is inevitable when we aim to nurture (love) others. This is why I claim no religion but love.
Considering what I’ve learned, I find it interesting that all three of my names have something to do with God, or qualities of God. I hated my name for years, until I looked up the meaning. I finally asked my mother about her choice and learned that her desire was for me to always feel loved, believing that the only eternal source of that love is God. She didn’t know about our last name, but I’m glad she kept it, as the three together make a wonderful story. Once I pieced everything together, I began a journey to discover and fulfill what I believe is the destiny spoken over my life. This destiny, albeit “only” three words, I have found is really the story of my whole life: everything I do is about living the love & grace that the Universe has bestowed upon me.