TONYA WINBUSH

Born and raised in Anderson, South Carolina—the youngest of four—I learned early that neighbors are family and every small kindness matters. Returning home after active duty in 2000, I set about building a life centered on my four daughters. Those years teaching, fixing, and juggling everything taught me grit, humility, and a stubborn belief that people can solve problems when they come together.

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I joined the military originally to fund college, and that decision changed me. Serving again with the Army National Guard from 2009 to 2016 sharpened my sense of duty and showed me how leadership looks in quiet moments—listening, showing up, and doing the small work that keeps a community safe. School followed alongside service: I pursued public-service and criminal-justice studies and later communications, each step helping me turn experience into tools I could use for others. Those classrooms and the deployment left me grounded, confident, and restless to put what I’d learned back into my hometown.

 

That restlessness became action. I spent time working with New Foundations, a local group home for youth, led the Anderson County Democratic Party, and helped charter the Anderson League of Women Voters. All meaningful work that revealed both the power of neighbors organizing and the gaps we still need to fill. Being chosen as a James Clyburn Fellow and completing SC Emerge opened doors to mentors and strategies I’d never imagined; they also reminded me that leadership is an apprenticeship you never stop. Today, I’m an active member of the  VFW Post 6089 and serve as Secretary of the Anderson County Branch of the NAACP—roles that keep me connected to veterans, families, and the everyday people who make Anderson resilient.