Public Policy Student Finds Purpose in Advancing Housing Equity

ATLANTA — For Amber Paige (M.P.P. ’25), graduating from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies marks the culmination of a journey shaped by purpose, curiosity and a lifelong connection to Atlanta.

A native of the metro area, she returned home after earning her undergraduate degree in strategic legal and management communications from Howard University in Washington, D.C. Graduating during the pandemic left her navigating an uncertain world and discovering her next steps beyond film industry administration roles.

Influenced by her minor in community development and inspired by an internship with the City of Atlanta, where several colleagues were Andrew Young School alumni, Paige discovered a new direction and applied to the Master of Public Policy program at Georgia State University.

Paige’s understanding of policy and of herself shifted almost immediately. On the first day of Clinical Assistant Professor Tammy Greer’s class, the room had barely settled when Greer posed a question Paige had never been asked seriously before: “What is your purpose in life?”

That moment set the tone for every discussion that followed and prompted her to reflect on her motivations, values and the role she hoped to play in her community. It helped reframe not just her academic path but also her understanding of what it means to pursue policy work with intention.

Another formative experience came during a criminal justice policy class led by instructor Alex Camardalle (M.P.A. ’16, Ph.D. ’21). After watching a video on structural inequities, the class launched into a discussion shaped by the experiences of students in the room. Paige said their wide-ranging backgrounds, both personal and professional, brought depth to the conversation and revealed how individuals encounter and interpret systems of justice. For Paige, it became a vivid reminder that thoughtful policy work is inseparable from the realities of the people it affects.

“I had previous experience in discussing social inequities in a more casual setting,” Paige said. “But I didn’t expect them to be highlighted in such a fundamental way across every class. It changed how I see the world and the work I want to do.”

Her time at the Andrew Young School also offered meaningful, hands-on experience. With the school’s support, she secured an internship at the Georgia Department of Community Affairs on the Housing Finance and Development team. She reviewed tax credit applications from developers, evaluated revitalization plans and made recommendations that directly influenced which projects received funding. She also attended groundbreakings and toured rehabilitated facilities, seeing firsthand how policy decisions translate into tangible community improvements.

Paige said the experience gave her a clear view of how policy moves from proposal to implementation and allowed her to take part in creating real, lasting change.

Paige built on this impactful experience in her capstone research, which examines low-income housing tax credits, the nation’s largest tool for promoting affordable housing. She is especially passionate about innovative approaches such as community land trusts, which keep housing permanently affordable by placing land ownership in the hands of the community.

As she graduates, Paige plans to stay in Atlanta and work in the affordable housing space, contributing to the city she loves and helping shape its future.

“It’s bittersweet to leave the Andrew Young School,” she said. “But I’m excited to stay in Atlanta and be part of shaping where the city goes next.”