Susan Hammond
Board Member
Sue has lived in Redlands since 1972, so feels like a native, but she spent her growing up years in Colorado Springs, in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains and Pikes Peak. That is where her love for mountains, trees, rocks, and streams comes from. When she wasn’t playing outside, you would often find Sue with her nose buried in a book. So, it’s no surprise that she grew up to be a high school English teacher with the Redlands Unified School District. Sue also had a passion for social justice, which led her to obtain her Masters in Education Counseling and a PPS credential from University of Redlands and also become a counselor with the district.
During her career as a teacher and counselor, she organized students to volunteer cleaning up and beautifying areas of Redlands and helping serve meals to homeless teens. Sue served on many site councils, accreditation committees, state writing exam committees, and district English curriculum teams. As a counselor, she worked with students and their families to help the students achieve academic success and build life skills for becoming active, contributing members of their communities.
After retirement, Sue immersed herself in social and environmental justice issues out of her love for her grandchildren and future generations. She became motivated to devote her life to saving our wild places and protecting the fundamental rights of all peoples and beings on this planet.
Presently, she loves singing in the choir, playing guitar and singing in jam sessions with a great group of mostly amateur musicians, practicing tai chi’ and yoga, walking, volunteering with the cold weather shelter and the women’s shelter in Redlands, canvassing in elections, getting out the vote, particularly with young people because she knows the power of using your voice in a democracy. Sue is very involved with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, marches and rallies for the refugees, visits asylum seekers in Adelanto, and is in training with the Elders Action Network to continue to be engaged in crucial issues of our day as an Elder: climate crisis, refugee injustices, equality for All people, protection of children, trees, animals, birds, our waters, mountains…the Earth.
Steps4Life is at the top of her list of critical, valuable, successful organizations in our community that are making a difference. That is why it is profoundly worthy of her time, effort, respect, and love!