My first big project as a social change intern was to lead two seminars for Y Mentors. Through creative thinking, and with Patti Neiman’s help, I was able to put together a meaningful and reflective seminar. The seminars consisted of activities that I experienced in a social change study abroad program to Cape Town, South Africa.
My trip taught me the concept of Ubuntu, “I am who I am because of who we all are.” I translate that to mean that we are more alike than we are different and therefore we need to work together and learn from one another in order to build a strong, authentic community. I incorporated the power of Ubuntu in my seminar because I wanted the Y Mentors to share their voices by motivating and inspiring one another to continue to be a positive role model to their "Mentee’s".
Leading the Y Mentors seminar was definitely an unforgettable experience because it enabled me to step out of my comfort zone and share my voice. My experience helped me realize that leadership is not about leading, it is about hearing and learning from others. When you lead you can choose to overpower everyone, but when I led, I chose to give everyone the power to share their voice.
I believe that I am who I am today because of the empowering individuals that are in my life and when we all work together we form a strong, diverse and equal community.
“Like peace, justice, love, freedom, and order, authentic community is forever an incomplete unfinished process, but always full of possibility.” (Juan Moreno).
What is your definition of an authentic community?
What does leadership mean to you?
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