Brand Ambassador Spotlight: Why I Love Being A R.Riveter Brand Ambassador by Mary V.

There has been a beautiful shift in the world of trying to build a village. A place of encouragement and unbridled support, a construct of community that aims to nurture. No matter who you are, a sense of belonging is more than just logging in to social media and checking statuses. R. Riveter has formed a community of women that I not only feel close to, but I feel as though I have found my kindred spirits.

I grow up as a daughter of Air Force parents. My dad left the service when my sister was born to not only be an incredible father, but also an amazing military spouse. My mom, the history maker, served for 20 years as an Air Force pilot. Not only was in a minority for her position in the service, she was also in the first class of females at the Air Force Academy. Though we moved from place to place, new bases and new faces never seemed to lack an air of community and most importantly, home.

Riveter shares in that beautiful characteristic, a feeling of home. Not only are their products made by spouses of military personnel, but the allow for a community to be built around common ground. Being a brand ambassador for R. Riveter allows me not only to connect with women that share experiences and life lessons with me, it allows me to open up and to share with others. I'm a mother, a wife, a daughter. While I may not have every facet of my being in common with the amazing women who are part of this community, we share what matters. A passion for our families. A love for our country. A want to give back.

I love being stopped and asked where I got my purse. I always smile and say,

Without fail, I receive on of two answers- a resounding heck yes or a sense of interest in secret not yet told. I pull out one of my R. Riveter postcards and after probably much longer than the askee and I anticipated, I have a discount code in their hand and a smile on both our faces. The connection to military isn't just from family serving. It's from your best friend in high school, your friend's husband who enlisted after deciding to switch careers, your neighbor down the road. Military life is a choice folks make with a full heart, fully knowing what is in store. Sharing that sense of honor with those you are close with is just one of the perks.

So, with that ramble, yes. I love being a brand ambassador for R. Riveter. I have pride in what I was chosen to represent. I have the privilege to work with an amazing brand, with women who inspire me and show me daily how to be a good human. I am beyond honored to share this title with a handful of ladies who deserve nothing less than the world.