What was your first job, and what did it teach you about yourself?

My first job was a mail delivery girl for an office at the University of Pennsylvania. I spent my shifts hand-delivering internal mail to different buildings and offices around campus. I learned that constantly being stationary behind a desk was not an option for me, and that getting lost was not always a bad thing.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Amanda Benjamin is a clinical social worker who is dedicated to the healing and liberation of black and brown folks. She joined Baltimore’s Promise in 2021 and serves as the Senior Manager of Coordinated Resources, supporting the young people in the Grads2Careers and Youth Grantmaking initiatives. Amanda aims to support young people by creating spaces and connecting them to resources and tools that allow them to pursue their most authentic selves and navigate their own journeys with agency and autonomy.

Originally from Philadelphia, Amanda has been practicing social work since 2016 and has been doing community-centered, healing work since 2012 when she served as an AmeriCorps member for three years working with high school students and out-of-school youth in service-learning programs. Amanda has found it to be a true honor to hold space for young people in the various roles she’s held, including her most recent role as the Social Worker and Education Specialist for United Way of Central Maryland’s On Track 4 Success program.

Amanda is also very involved in the BIPOC rock climbing community and serves in leadership roles with Brown Girls Climb and Pigtown Climbs – two organizations with local efforts in Baltimore focused on making climbing more accessible for black and brown communities. Outside of community-based work, Amanda loves getting lost on hikes, laying in the park with her dog, Milo, and having silly conversations with her friends and family. Importantly, Amanda is a Leo, enjoys taro milk tea with boba, and has a slight obsession with Taharka Brothers Ice Cream.