Where The Light Breaks Through
A Leader’s Story of Love, Loss, Learning and a Fierce Return to the Light
A memoir about the courage it takes to lead, heal, and tell the truth about who you really are—on the outside and on the inside.
In sharing her story, she lights a path for others doing the hard work of healing, leading, and living more authentically.
Instant Amazon Bestseller
Reached #1 New Release in Epilepsy during preorder
#2 in Nonprofit & Charity
#5 New Release in Women’s Personal Spiritual Growth
Amy’s work and story have been featured in The Washington Post, Louisville Business First, Today’s Woman, and more.
For Amy Meredith, advocacy is personal. In this powerful memoir, she shares her journey from a free-range 1980s childhood to becoming a first-generation college graduate, guardian to her younger sister, and a visionary leader behind Louisville’s day shelter for women experiencing homelessness. Her life has been shaped by resilience and purpose.
Behind those achievements, a deeper journey was unfolding. After becoming alcohol-free in 2020, Amy began to unearth the truth she had long masked: she was neurodivergent, carrying sensory, emotional, and social complexities she had spent decades hiding. As the world moved through seasons of upheaval, grief, and transformation, she answered her own call—to live, lead, and heal with full authenticity.
With honesty and heart, she takes readers inside building a nonprofit from the ground up, leading through a pandemic, and championing epilepsy and neurodiversity awareness. This is a story of courage, community, and the transformative power of storytelling to spark change.
Why I wrote Where the Light Breaks Through
For as long as I can remember, I wanted to write a book. I’ve been a writer since the fourth grade, when I won a poetry contest and felt, for the first time, the power of my words on a page. I carried that knowing with me for decades, the feeling that a story was living inside me, waiting for its moment.
Where the Light Breaks Through is the book I always knew I’d write, but couldn’t have written any earlier. It took founding UP for Women and Children, leading through a global pandemic, choosing an alcohol-free life, healing from complex trauma, and meeting a volunteer who became our shelter manager — and eventually a guide on my author journey — for everything to finally click into place.
As an advocate, I’ve always believed in the power of our stories. In a world that feels increasingly divided, sharing what is real — what is human — is how we connect, how we soften, how we spark change.
I wrote this book for anyone who has ever carried responsibility on their shoulders while quietly losing parts of themselves inside. For the women who lead, the caregivers who hold it all, the people rebuilding after the breaking.
My hope is that these pages help you feel less alone, more seen, and more willing to speak your own truth. If 2025 taught me anything, it’s this:
speak up, speak out, and be bold.
Keep shining your light.
— Amy
A stunning, heartfelt story of resilience, purpose, and hope.” “Where the Light Breaks Through is a beautiful and deeply moving story. Amy’s honesty and courage shine through every page. This book took me through the rawness of grief, the strength of advocacy, and the heart of true leadership. It brought tears to my eyes more than once. Amy reminds us that even in our darkest moments, the light can still break through.” — Lauren Tomlinson, Goodreads Reviewer
A stunning, heartfelt story of resilience, purpose, and hope.” “Where the Light Breaks Through is a beautiful and deeply moving story. Amy’s honesty and courage shine through every page. This book took me through the rawness of grief, the strength of advocacy, and the heart of true leadership. It brought tears to my eyes more than once. Amy reminds us that even in our darkest moments, the light can still break through.” — Lauren Tomlinson, Goodreads Reviewer
“Heartfelt, funny, and filled with raw reflections that make you pause and think.” “Reading this book felt like talking with someone who isn’t afraid to share both the laughter and the hard truths of life. What inspired me most was Amy’s perspective on being both a mother and a leader. She shows that you don’t have to choose one over the other, and that resilience and love can guide you through both roles. A motivating story of healing for anyone stepping into leadership or needing the reminder that getting back up is where the strength shines through.” — Bailey Allen, Goodreads Reviewer
“Heartfelt, funny, and filled with raw reflections that make you pause and think.” “Reading this book felt like talking with someone who isn’t afraid to share both the laughter and the hard truths of life. What inspired me most was Amy’s perspective on being both a mother and a leader. She shows that you don’t have to choose one over the other, and that resilience and love can guide you through both roles. A motivating story of healing for anyone stepping into leadership or needing the reminder that getting back up is where the strength shines through.” — Bailey Allen, Goodreads Reviewer
“A survivor, an innovator, and a truth-teller.” “I know this author personally and have watched the incredible organization and team she has built. Now that I’ve read her story, I get it! She’s a survivor, an innovator and, more importantly, a truth-teller. Thoughtfully written. Beautifully expressed. This book will be invaluable to women and girls everywhere as Amy embraces the challenge and complexity of being neurodivergent. I can’t wait to see her next chapter—literally and figuratively.” — Lee Cochran, Goodreads Reviewer
“A survivor, an innovator, and a truth-teller.” “I know this author personally and have watched the incredible organization and team she has built. Now that I’ve read her story, I get it! She’s a survivor, an innovator and, more importantly, a truth-teller. Thoughtfully written. Beautifully expressed. This book will be invaluable to women and girls everywhere as Amy embraces the challenge and complexity of being neurodivergent. I can’t wait to see her next chapter—literally and figuratively.” — Lee Cochran, Goodreads Reviewer
About the Author
Amy Meredith is the co-founder of UP for Women and Children and recipient of the Louisville Business First 2025 Most Admired CEO Award and 2023 Louisville Business First Nonprofit Visionary Leader Award. Her debut memoir, Where the Light Breaks Through, Amy shares her story of resilience, leadership, and reinvention — inspiring readers to rise above adversity.
