​

​

​

 

​

 

​

Professionally, Amanda Furdge is the Youth Program Coordinator for the Children's Defense Fund-Southern Region Office and the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative for Social and Economic Justice (SRBWI), where she directs the Unita Blackwell Young Women’s Leadership Institute (YWLI) – a program that reached its 12th year in 2017. She is responsible for the development and execution of high impact youth-centered curricula and programming, as well community organizing and advocacy. Amanda is dedicated to seeing young people; in particular young women of color - learn life lessons, control their own narratives, and lead while growing. Prior to joining CDF-SRO, Furdge worked and still works as an artist and creative. She’s a writer, publishing her first collection of non-fictional stories (From A Brown Paper Bag) about growing up in Mississippi, motherhood and art in 2016. And has traveled the world as a spoken word poet.  She served briefly in the United States Navy, gained college credits from Hinds (Raymond, MS) and Harry S. Truman (Chicago, IL), has earned a para-professional certification from the Illinois State Board of Education, a medical assisting certification from the American Association of Medical Assistants and worked as a resident teaching artist for Young Chicago Authors, The Open Book Literacy Program, Betty Shabazz International Charter Schools and a number of faith based organizations.

Her motto is “We are the story” which returns the responsibility of creating personal narratives to the individual.

 

    Amanda has been featured on numerous websites, blogs, stages, projects and records in many artistic capacities ranging from writing to rapping with countless artist, some including: Malik Yusef, Talib Kweli and Chairman Fred Hampton Jr.

(for whom she served as secretary for three years) and many others.

With a clear vision and commitment driving her to succeed, Amanda Furdge is the complete package as an artist. She aspires to write and record organic material with tremendous depth that will inspire listeners and readers to empower change.                  

 

    Amanda has hosted and performed on stages big and small across the country and internationally. A self-taught phonetographer, and curator of all things cool, and always giving all credit to the Most High, she believes that the spirits of our ancestors walk with us every day and is determined to share her personal legend with the world.