Dream Big, Be Fearless, Be Real: A deeper conversation with Tammye

Tammye Bonner lives by the same words of wisdom she so freely offers others: Dream big. Don’t be afraid to say what you mean and to say what you need. And lastly, be vulnerable.

We sat down with Tammye in her childhood home, where her mother, Theresa, still resides at 90 years old. Both women have received services from Home Repairs for Good, allowing them to age in place and preserve the homes that hold so much of their history. Family photos, albums, and well-loved trinkets fill the living room as Tammye reflects on her life and the path that brought her here.

Tammye was raised in Lockefield Gardens, the first segregated public housing development in Indianapolis. She remembers it as a good beginning—full of life, connection, and constant activity. There always seemed to be a cookout happening, and it wasn’t uncommon to see cars lined up and down Fall Creek for The Dust Bowl, known for producing talented young basketball players. These memories still stand out to her as examples of what it meant to belong to a community.

“Really, when I was coming up, I didn’t have a lot of dreams,” Tammye shares. “Because dreams weren’t really placed upon us. You know, struggle was placed upon us.”

As a student, Tammye knew she was smart. Excelling in English made her an above-average student, but more than that, she always believed she was a star. Education was deeply valued in her family for generations, but a spark was lit when she watched the Channel 6 News and saw Black journalists on television, like Barbara Boyd and Derrik Thomas. “He was so cool,” she remembers.

Seeing people who looked like her on TV planted the seed that would eventually lead Tammye to pursue journalism at IUPUI. After earning her degree, she won a competitive internship scholarship and began working in the newsroom at Channel 13. From man-on-the-street interviews to associate producing evening and weekend news, the experience prepared her well for what came next.

After an accident that left her with multiple broken bones on the left side of her face, Tammye made a decision once she healed: she would go after her dream of becoming an actress. With her mother gifting her a jar of change of around $300 dollars and with a loaded Chevy, Tammye set out for California.

In California, she waited tables and auditioned every day. Her acting career began to gain traction, including appearances in the “California Love” and “Afro Puffs” music videos. But momentum didn’t mean security, and soon she was facing the possibility of homelessness.

Tammye returned to Indianapolis and began the process of trying to buy a home. Housing prices were climbing quickly, and not long after, the housing market would crash. With support from the Operation HOPE program, she was eventually able to purchase a home—just down the road from her mother’s. She had always dreamed of owning a big home like the one she grew up in, and she made that dream a reality by purchasing a building that once housed Martin College.

“Homeownership is in our blood,” Tammye says. Her great-great-grandmother, born in the 1800s, owned a home. 

What she loves most about her own home is the security it provides. It’s tranquil. She likes looking out the windows, seeing the neighborhood, and hearing the voices of people outside while she’s upstairs. She knows her neighbors well—one is a beekeeper, Mrs. Boyd lives down the street, and her mechanic is on the corner. It’s a place where connection still lives.

Today, Tammye is 66 years old and retired. “I don’t do anything I don’t want to do,” she laughs. “And I like that feeling. I’m happy. I’m comfortable. I’m good.”

Home Repairs for Good is proud to support homeowners like Tammye and her mother, Theresa, so they can continue to live comfortably and safely in the homes they love. Be sure to check out our blog post from when we first interviewed Tammye at her home.