Deanna Hamilton didn’t choose purpose. It chose her.
“I would have to take that back to growing up in a house full of women who, as we know, get it done,” she shared during her interview on The Chundria Brownlow Show. “I watched my mother… she bought that entire block.”
As Senior Vice President of Development at LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), Hamilton leads with a vision that was shaped early—one rooted in service, equity, and community. “I call it passion work,” she said. “It is trying to ensure that my community and minority communities specifically really have a foothold to stand in for economic mobility.”
That clarity didn’t come without resistance. Deanna recalled being one of the only women, and often the only woman of color, in her finance classes. “The hurdle was always having a voice in the room,” she said. “And then add to that, a woman of color, made it even that more difficult.”
Still, she showed up, spoke up, and never backed down. “I had so many of those instances,” she said. “Especially being the only woman of color in the room often… thank God I was raised by some very strong women who always taught me never to cower, that my voice was valid, that my intellect was real and factual, and that I should always, always never ask for permission.”
What Purpose Really Looks Like
“Purpose really means identifying what is truly, truly in your soul,” Deanna said. “What is that thing in your soul that excites you?” She encourages people to go deeper than goals or income. “Forget about looking for the job with money. Forget about trying to appease your parents and what they desire you to be,” she said. “You really have to dig deep into the unconsciousness of your soul and tap into that.”
At age 25, that inner voice led her to therapy for the first time. “It was the most life-changing and game-changing decision I have ever made for myself,” she said. “It made me dig a little deeper into my shadow work to understand really how to listen to that intuitiveness, how to understand that soul purpose.”
Her advice to mentees: “Once you understand what that purpose is, you will begin to make life-defining decisions that will make everything else easy. The money will come, the people will come, you will attract your tribe… all of those things.”
A Day at LISC
“A day in my life at LISC is very energetic,” Deanna shared. “We are 365 days, 24-7 boots on the ground to ensure that we are deploying capital in spaces and places that ensures that people have the ability to build 360 holistic communities.”
It’s not just about strategy—it’s about supporting teams, stakeholders, and funders in a way that aligns with real community needs. “The work is so transformative for communities,” she said. “It is the most fulfilling work I have ever done.”
Staying Grounded
Deanna is clear about one thing: caring for herself is not optional. “I ground myself every morning,” she said. “I wake up to prayer and meditation. And then I put myself to sleep to journaling.”
She also doesn’t hold back about lessons learned. “There was a time in my career where I was self-sacrificial to the point of exhaustion. What I am speaking to you now is wisdom and lessons learned,” she said. “You are no good for anyone else until you are good for yourself.”
📲 Follow Deanna on Instagram: @deannalhamilton
💼 Learn more about her work at lisc.org
🎥 Watch the full interview with Deanna Hamilton now:
The Chundria Brownlow Show 
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