An unexpected call, letter, now more likely a Facebook message or a text, invokes a special kind of joy. It’s a beautiful thing when someone takes the time to reach out and share that they are thinking about you!

“Sometimes, a voice from the past can validate your path and inspire your future,” says Nancy Gale. And that is just what happened, when after almost 40 years, Gale heard from a former grade school classmate.

Gale’s long-ago classmate, Bambi, now had a teenage daughter, Bennette. Both mother and daughter followed JAMAH on social media and regularly checked out JAMAH.com. Both were big fans of the bags created by a woman Bambi knew, but the bags were out of their price range.

Undeterred, at age thirteen, Bennette started scouting used JAMAH bags, knowing that they would get even better with age. Eventually, she found two on eBay and got her funds together to purchase both. 

Bambi shared with Gale that their family had moved to North Dakota and it was quite a transition for a teenager trying to fit in and find her own way. The JAMAH bags – and the fact that her mother knew Gale – gave her a source of pride and something to show off to her new friends.

Motivated by the style of JAMAH’s photography, Bennette organized a photo shoot. In a wheat field with rusty cars and tractors, the images showed “how a country girl would style JAMAH.”

The photos were stunning!

This story moved Gale beyond words. It brought together her two biggest passions: the importance of building an American luxury design house and working with young people to help them achieve their goals.

“Hearing from Bambi and having her share her daughter’s story was truly humbling,” shared Gale. “I often speak about the intrinsic connection between JAMAH and my non-profit, high school entrepreneurial program, AMBITION. That Bennette was so resourceful in finding JAMAH bags and then using them to express herself is a powerful confirmation of the interconnection.”

JAMAH’s mantra is “Be Who You Are, while AMBITION’s is “Cultivating Solution-Driven Thinking.” 

Bennette is the personification of both. At an age when so many seek confirmation via big brand logos and wearing what everyone else does just so they fit in, Bennette followed her own vision and created her own statement. Choosing not to go with the easy and obvious, choosing not to follow the herd, Bennette showed a self-confidence beyond her years. That she took it to the next level by producing a professional photo shoot demonstrates both her creativity and her empowerment. 

“It is clear that Bambi has done a great job raising Bennette,” concluded Gale. “Independent. Confident. Resilient. Brave. These qualities will serve her well. What an honor this process has been. She inspired me to keep true to my vision.”