It was never my goal to be a leader, but here I am.
To be honest, it never really occurred to me what it meant to be a leader. I never knew that what I did or my involvement in projects and events was considered leadership at all.
Many tasks were difficult and I struggled accomplishing some of them. But with the help of others, I was able to complete whatever needed to get done.
Those were the moments that, looking back, made me realize leadership wasn’t about a single person.
It is also not about status or self-recognition. Instead, it is about the ability to bring people together for a common cause, including making our communities a safer and better place.
Over the years, God has opened doors and placed some of the most amazing, intelligent individuals in my life who have helped develop and shape me as a leader.
One such person is my mother who has played an integral role in my development. Her love is a force of stability for me.
As a single mother, she works hard at what she does, showing me the importance of discipline, responsibility, independence and compassion.
While I couldn’t see it then, she saw the potential in me and what I could achieve in the future.
Role models like this shaped my leadership.
I can recall how, from my elementary years through intermediate to now as a senior in high school, teachers and advisers would never fail to remind me of how far I can go when I continue to work hard. When I doubted my abilities, they continued to encourage and invest in my success.
As I reflect on my development in leadership, I realize that it came about, not from wanting to be a leader, but from a heart wanting to recognize an issue and make a change.
Other youths have also influenced my growth.
Some of them faced heartbreaking adversity and are now using that experience as a catalyst to help others who are facing similar challenges. While the hardships and challenges were different from my own story, the feelings and emotions that emerged from these experiences resonated with me.
As a spiritual person, I believe that everything has a purpose.
This past year, I’ve had the privilege of attending a training that focused on empowering women and girls in the film industry. At this training, I met other youth who intend to use film as a medium to tell their stories that will bring attention to important social issues that echo my own.
Like many youth of our generation, these women are emerging as leaders in their field because of their experience and desire to help others.
I don’t know everything about leadership, but I do know that I want to make a difference. We need more leaders like these.
On Nov. 15, there will be a youth leadership conference, called “Emerging Leaders Hawaii,” that will not only teach students how to be leaders but help them discover the leaders that already lie within (see CenterForTomorrowsLeaders.org).
Many students have great potential to do incredible things; they just haven’t realized their full capability.
We are hoping to empower, equip and encourage Hawaii’s students to be the change their communities need. They have it in them. We just need to bring it out.
