Introducing Our 2023 Veteran Storytellers

Carmela Hampton (she/her)
US Air Force, 2012-2022

Carmela, first and foremost, is capable. She was born and raised in the concrete jungle of New York City where her childhood included iced coffee, chopped cheese, bacon egg and cheese, and 25 cent juices or Arizonas. Unfortunately, it is also where the basis of her trauma took place and knew she needed to escape family and the New York streets in fear she’d end up in jail or worse.

In 2012, she joined the United States Air Force. Carmela eventually started her self-healing journey after hitting rock bottom in 2021, learning how capable she truly is. She became an active real estate agent and investor in 2022, selling over $3 million in real estate and helped over thirteen families in 2023 alone, with two toddlers in tow. In addition, she found her passion in purchasing distressed/abandoned properties to renovate and restore for families to live and love again. After ten and a half years of service, in May of 2022, Carmela medically retired from the Air Force and now calls Texas her home. She is a full time mama and real estate entrepreneur enjoying life with her husband and two boys. She is indeed capable!

Enrique Luis A. Hartmann (he/him)
US Army, 2000-2004; US National Guard 2006-2009

Enrique has lived with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder since returning from Iraq . He also has been living with other mental health challenges since primary school.

Enrique has been impacted by the stigmas revolving around mental health his whole life. He feels that by talking and sharing his struggles , he will inspire other people to be open about their own trials. Enrique believes that if conversations about mental health become ubiquitous, the stigmas will eventually fade away.

Victor Tafoya Rodriguez (he/him)
US Marine Corps, 2003-2009

Raised in a small, rural town in central Mexico, Victor is a first-generation immigrant and English learner. California has been his home since 1997. At 17, he joined the military and was went to boot camp in January 2003; by then, he was 18. After graduating high school and having no guidance on pursuing a college education, he joined the United States Marine Corps to gain a life experience of service, confidence, and, eventually, the benefit of an education program that will help him pursue a college degree.

Serving with the US Marine Corps he deployed in 2007 with Operation Iraqi Freedom. While serving as a reservist with the US Military, Victor came across an opportunity for an internship at a local television station in Sacramento. He recently graduated from Sacramento State University with a degree in Intercultural Communications. 

As a Veteran and a journalist with over 15 years in the field, he brings an array of experience that he hopes can motivate others with similar backgrounds, both veterans and first-generation immigrants. While working at ABC 10 in Sacramento, California, the pandemic didn’t stop many families from going to work.

Sarah E. Alder (she/her/they/them)
US Army, 2000 – 2008

Sarah was born and raised in Ogden, Utah, comes from a large family with six other siblings and calls Utah and Colorado home.  She served in the US Army from 2000-2008 and has been serving the LGBTQIA+ and veteran community for over 15 years. Sarah is trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). 

Many instances have required that she utilize these tools and resources to provide support for friends, family, and even herself in moments of severe distress. Sarah is extremely passionate about advocating for normalization and destigmatization of suicidality and mental health as a human experience. Sarah lives in Larkspur, CO with her wife and 15-year-old daughter.

When Sarah has time wealth, she greatly enjoys traveling anywhere in the world, visiting breweries and coffee shops, road cycling, hiking and even handywoman projects.