Samantha McCary
Program Manager
Bay Area Community Resources
Samantha, also known as Samm, has been drawn to the out-of-school time field since she was a child! Her family and friends were everything to her and still are. As she got older, she began to learn the importance of friendships and what it meant to be a friend. Losing many loved ones at such an early age, including her father at the age of nine, taught her to hold on to and cherish those closest to her.
As a teenager, Samantha began to lose close friends to street violence and other causes. Samm believes this is what truly pushed her towards working with youth. She wanted to make a difference in her community and have an impact on kids that resembled her, came from the same place as she did and shared similar struggles.
Samm worked at many childcares and youth facilities around the ages of 18 and 19. However, it didn’t really click for her until she became an afterschool instructor in the LEAPS Afterschool program in Alameda, CA. She had her own class of 2nd/3rd grade students, in which she taught music. Samm would teach music lessons that included songwriting, poetry, dance, different genres of music and a little history that went along with it all. She was combining what she loved into one job, music and working with people.
As Samm explored different positions at different schools within the after school field, she got her degree in Psychology. This pushed Samm to step outside of her box even more. She eventually landed her own program, that later led to managing several after school programs. Her consistent, thorough and meaningful work ethic shined through in every venture she embarked upon. She continues to push herself to be the best version of herself, remain creative and true to her passion.
Samm’s life mission is to reach her fullest potential and to help others do the same! She wants to help more leaders to acknowledge, accept and step into their strengths! She wants to see more leaders that look like her, have seats at different tables and be apart of bigger conversations. She wants to be a voice for those that may be afraid to speak up.
Samm is also a singer and songwriter. One thing she can say for sure about the music industry is that it teaches you that you are your biggest critic! You can determine how successful you will be or won’t be. You have the power to be great, but you have to believe in yourself! You may get a million “no’s” before you get one “yes”, but no matter what, you keep pushing!
Samm believes that we must stand for something, or we will fall for anything! She wants to be that leader who will stand up and press on against all odds that are meant to make us fall, but in the long run will inspire and encourage a new generation of leaders!
““Stand for something, or fall for anything.” ”