About The Author
Tamara Morgan is a Berkeley, California native. Her faves include: the color yellow, peach cobbler, pizza, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the smell of jasmine wafting in the wind, hummingbirds, ginger ale, Love Jones, live music, and the sound of her late husband’s laughter.
Throughout her life, Tamara has been supported by a sister circle of women who pushed, pulled, prodded, and praised her as she worked her way through community college and UC Berkeley, graduating with high honors in Legal Studies, and as she entered Stanford Law School as a single mother of two daughters and guardian of her teenage sister. While at Stanford, Tamara juggled the roles of mother, law student, girlfriend, newspaper carrier, research assistant for a law professor, federal district court extern and summer law firm intern. The load was heavy but she kept her goals in sight at all times.
As a practicing attorney and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader, Tamara was committed to providing the same type of support and encouragement to young women, people of color, and families facing adversity as she received along her journey. To that end, she has served on boards of nonprofit organizations devoted to the support and empowerment of at-risk, marginalized, and disadvantaged individuals.
Tamara and her daughters founded Crystal Stair Enterprises to blend their values, skills and entrepreneurial spirit to foster their commitment to supporting, nurturing, and empowering women, youth and people of color. To that end, they have hosted numerous Define, Be, Love Yourself (DBLY) workshops for women to gather, learn and inspire one another. In 2020, they created the Why He Matters campaign, to acknowledge and celebrate Black men. The name of the organization was inspired by the Langston Hughes poem, Mother to Son, that acknowledges the obstacles and challenges that can cause people to stumble, fall or give up, yet encourages perseverance and determination.
One of Tamara's greatest joys is reveling in the successes of her three adult daughters. One has a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and provides therapeutic behavioral services to children and their caregivers, another has a Masters’ Degree in Social Work and works for county social services, and another is the only woman in California to coach a boy’s varsity basketball team while also completing her Master’s Degree in Creative Writing and Screenwriting. All three women continually demonstrate their commitment to marginalized communities and youth, cultural competence, and the principle of "reaching as they climb."
Lastly, Tamara is grateful for her granddaughter and two grandsons, who keep her young, busy, and focused on the future.
