By: Tania Salmine
Barack Obama said: ‘We are the change that we seek”.
These past few days have been all about change and how we manage our differences to create a great community. I’ve come to the USA with strong convictions of what I wanted to do back in my country. I was sure of what I was doing and how I will present myself to everyone here, but after the Community Service Partners meet and greet on Monday, I have realized that in order to be understood, I have to change my pitch depending on whom I was talking to. Changing the way of doing things doesn’t necessarily mean that the goal was changing too. Different leaders act differently according to their own perception of what they can do better. I personally think that being a leader is all about trying and trusting the outcomes: if it doesn’t work at first change your way of doing things and just start again.
My visit to Atlanta made me think deeper into those changes. I spent about 45min at the Civil and Human Rights Museum and I was literally crying throughout the exhibit, especially at the audio description of what it felt like to be a black person back in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s period. After visiting this history, I was moved about the convictions of change from all those individuals who had been to war against oppression and humanity’s rejection to think out of the box. People were afraid to change and so is my society today! It is much easier to stick to what we already know, than change our perceptions of the world — we treasure our comforts even though it may disadvantage others. Let us stop and think: what if this change was part of a bigger picture? What if this change was the creation of a better future for new generations? What if this change had to start with me?
So here is my conclusion: I am in the United States of America because I know the weaknesses in my society, but above all, I am here because of my willingness to help. I’m looking forward to creating my strategic plan, researching alternative solutions and applying them in my society. I am here because I am the change I want to bring to my community and, who knows, I may come out of this Leadership Institute with an idea even more beautiful than Mary Latimer McLendon’s who wanted to make the world a better place for women. Her journey helped her come up with the great idea to create a water fountain with her image above it so that every time the men in office, the ones elected to bring positive change for all — but failed to deliver, would bow down to her when quenching their thirst! Mary’s thirst for equality will forever be inspirational to me.
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