Tifany Hill is a woman of many hats who is looking to leave her innovative mark on all that she does. As an entrepreneur and creative spirit, she is taking part in new opportunities while embracing all of life lessons picked up along the way. Tifany Hill took a moment to talk about why community building, health and new business ventures are now her main focus.
A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Tifany has always understood the importance of community members coming together. “I grew up in the Orange Avenue Apartments, which was given the name South City by the tenants who lived there. It was our own little world,” shares Tifany. “We may not have always seen eye to eye, but we saw our parents stand together as a community when we felt an injustice was done against the well-being of the people who resided there.” Tifany’s father, Mr. Oliver Hill Sr., a community advocate and President of the Orange Avenue United Tenants Association, made a constant effort to ensure fair treatment of those living in the community.
Although not a part of her original plans, after completing high school, Tifany decided to join the Army. “I used to turn and go the opposite direction when I saw the army recruiters walking around at my high school,” Tifany shares. “I originally was going to join the Marines with a buddy, but then I got cold feet and left half of my test blank. It wasn’t until my attempt at college and a two week failed job that myself and my best friend made the decision to join the Army.” Tifany’s first duty station was in Germany where she served as a combat medic. It was also her first experience of being told that she was going to war. “We were deployed to Iraq before the start of Operation Desert Storm. I ended up being hospitalized during my advanced training due to a delayed reaction to some live virus vaccines and was told by the doctor that she wouldn’t allow them to give me any live vaccines for deployment,” Tifany says. “She said if we give you those and you get over there and have a reaction then we would have to send you back. You can imagine the look on my face after hearing that and being told I still had to go over there!”
Thankfully, everything turned out well. Tifany survived the storm, but ended up getting a medical discharge. “My time in the Army was a wonderful experience. It is not for everyone, and there was times that I wished I could walk away,” Tifany shares. “But when you meet some of the most amazing people that become like a family to you, the hard times don’t seem that bad anymore.”
Since then, Tifany has made it her point to put her time and focus into things that allow her to expand on her passions. She is the CEO of A Walking Brand, a veteran-owned and operated event consulting company with services including event coordination and management.
READ MORE IN THE JAN/FEB 2018 ISSUE!
AFIYA Magazine looks to enhance the awareness and knowledge of wellness issues important to African-American women while providing a platform for us to grow, expand, and develop within our personal and professional lives.