We recently had the chance to connect with Amber Bogan and have shared our conversation below.
Amber , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Most weekdays follow a pretty consistent rhythm. I’m a huge fan of time blocking! I start my mornings with devotion and a workout, then shift into parent mode with my husband as we tag team getting the kids ready for and off to school. From there, I kick off my work day as a Senior Manager of Organizational Change Management for a national utility. You can often catch me using my work breaks to run arrands for my children’s book publishing brand, Little Bogan Books. Evenings are for family dinner, extracurricular activities, and bedtime stories st. I really value time to connect with my family no matter how busy my days gets. Last but not least, I usually end the night with a little quality time with my husband before we’re off to bed.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a wearer of many hats… wife, mama, author, social entrepreneur, and corporate leader. The common thread through all of them is joy. My life is a blend of creativity, purpose, and intentional design. Whether I am navigating motherhood, leading organizational change in corporate spaces, or building a brand rooted in representation, I am committed to showing what it looks like to live a life by design and choose joy on purpose.
My work spans far beyond books. I speak, create, design experiences, and help families and communities see what is possible when we lead with imagination and authenticity. Little Bogan Books is one expression of that. It is a publishing brand I founded to celebrate Black childhood through joyful, everyday stories. Through my books, events, and growing literacy partnerships, I am continuing to expand the ways families see themselves reflected in stories.
Today, I am developing new picture book series, strengthening community collaborations, and planning my inaugural Family Literacy Festival. At the same time, I am sharing my own journey as a woman balancing ambition, motherhood, faith, and creativity. At my core, I believe that stories, whether told on pages or lived out loud, have the power to shape identity, spark imagination, and change lives.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What a thoughtful question. I believe what often breaks the bonds between people is a lack of understanding. When we stop listening, when we assume instead of asking, or when pride gets in the way of empathy, relationships can easily fracture. Miscommunication and unspoken expectations can also create distance that slowly grows into resentment.
What matters most is recognizing the power of restoration. In my experience, that comes through love and a willingness to see the other person simply as an imperfect human. For me, that looks like intentional communication, forgiveness, and choosing joy even in hard moments. In any relationship, healing happens when people come back to the table ready to listen, ready to grow, and ready to rebuild with an open heart.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could say one kind thing to my younger self, it would be, “You are enough, exactly as you are.” I would remind her not to shrink to make others comfortable and not to second-guess the gifts God placed inside of her. The path ahead will not always be easy, but she has everything she needs to walk it with grace and strength.
I would also tell her to lean into joy and not be afraid to dream big. The little girl who loved books and stories is the same woman who now writes them, and that is proof that her passions were never random. They were seeds of purpose all along.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
One truth that is so foundational in my life that I rarely articulate it is that joy is a choice. I believe it is something we can intentionally create, even in difficult seasons. It has become such a part of how I live and lead that I sometimes forget to name it out loud.
Another truth is that my faith is the anchor for everything I do. It guides how I show up as a wife, mother, leader, and storyteller. I also hold the belief that representation matters deeply. Every child deserves to see themselves reflected with love and dignity. These truths sit quietly at the center of my life, shaping my decisions and my work even when I am not explicitly talking about them.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I lived a life that made others feel seen, loved, and inspired. That I used my gifts to bring joy, affirm identity, and open doors for others. I want my children to remember me as a mother who poured into them with faith and love, my husband to remember me as a true partner and best friend, my village and greater community to feel proud of the woman I became, and to remember me as someone who built something that mattered.
Ultimately, I hope the story people tell about me is that I left things better than I found them, whether through my books, my work, or simply the way I treated people. That I lived with intention, walked in my purpose, and reminded others of their own power to create joy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://littleboganbooks.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopYGjGB72k9UbvFZg4-uP_ektBYznn6VM0cxhzN6tCD3MXJr_0W
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleboganbooks
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/little-bogan-books_in-case-you-missed-it-little-bogan-books-activity-7272686597999857664-I5X6/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LittleBoganBooks/
Image Credits
Mena Darre of Brand with Mena and Nikia Paden of Iridescent Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
