By Amber Little Turner, Candidate, Chester County Recorder of Deeds
Amber Little Turner
By the time I was 16 years old, I had been a ward of the state, homeless, lived in countless foster homes, and was a teenage mother. I felt like my life was completely over and my future prospects dismal. However, my mother always reminded me that women especially must be strong and persevere no matter the circumstances.
My name is Amber Little Turner and I am running for the Chester County Recorder of Deeds. I am a life-long resident of Chester County and reside in Coatesville with my husband and four children. Chester County is a remarkable place with top-notch schools, award-winning open space programs, low-taxes, and a fiscally responsible county government. It is for these reasons that I chose to raise my children here just like many of you.
As someone who has dedicated my entire life to public service and helping those in my community, I understand the honor and integrity it takes to be an elected official. I was fortunate to start my professional career with District Judge Gwenn Knapp, who took a chance on a young girl from Coatesville. I spent a decade of service in the court system and it allowed me to learn the importance of public service and grasp the realities facing many in our community in regards to the legal system. I chose to leave my position with the court to start my own business assisting families and small business owners gain access to affordable legal services. I grew my business to serve over 700 clients in 10 states. Additionally, I worked under former State Representative of the 74th District, Harry Lewis Jr. as a constituent outreach specialist meeting and assisting thousands of residents throughout my community.
I am running for the Recorder of Deeds office because I believe my personal experiences are what truly set me a part as a candidate. As stated before, my childhood and early adulthood were filled with many tribulations. I grew up in Coatesville with my mother, stepfather and 3 siblings. My stepfather was a drug-addict and was in and out of jail throughout my entire life. I’ve been a visitor at Chester County prison more than any child should ever have to be. There were many times my mother, siblings, and I were homeless, living in shelters throughout the county after my father would sell our possessions to buy drugs. Because of our economic struggles, from the ages of 10 – 14 years old I became a ward of the state and lived in several different foster and residential homes. By the time I was 16 year old, I was a teenage, single-mother. Despite my fear, life did go on. I pursued my education, raised my children, and defied the statistics to get to where I am today. Along the way, I met my now husband. We went through the Habitat for Humanity program to purchase our first home and that remains the home we live in 11 years later.
If elected to the Recorder of Deeds office, I will take the hardships and lessons I have endured in life and use them to improve the services provided to our citizens. Transparency, integrity, and compassion are important components of my campaign. I want to enhance efforts to stop real estate and land fraud, create a fraud task force to protect our seniors, and modernize the office, allowing for the ability to pay and print records online. Customer service is and will always be my top priority.
As a fellow Chester County taxpayer and resident, I understand the hard work and dedication public servants give to our community. It is with this understanding that I humbly ask for your support on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5th. If elected, I will continue with good stewardship over the office of Recorder of Deeds and remember where I came from that got me where I am today.
