WHAT IS AN IMPORTANT QUALITY OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER?

"When I think about leadership, one thing comes to mind: responsibility. A leader has the responsibility to guide others towards a common positive change. They must be empathetic and encourage others towards a positive goal, using their qualities and skills to benefit everyone. To me, the most important qualities that a strong leader should have are the ability to listen deeply, communicate clearly, take initiative, and being consistent. And lastly, it's also important to remain consistent, keep your words and goals straight even when things go wrong. It is also important to remember that adaptability is essential, change is not always linear, so it is crucial to remain flexible."

WHAT'S A COMMUNITY-BASED ISSUE THAT YOU CARE ABOUT?

"Within my community, I have seen frequent examples of racism towards Hispanics, especially for those with a strong accent, or who haven't learned English yet. Older adults who struggle may lack a higher education degree and the time to take classes because they work long hours. I know this because I have volunteered with many organizations targeting Hispanic immigrants. In the future, I will use my voice, my knowledge, and my experience as a tutor to challenge the common and socially internalized idea that they are incompetent or unable to learn. I plan to help build up individuals with the confidence necessary to practice and develop their language skills."

TELL US ABOUT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE THAT INSPIRES YOU?

"I met a 62-year-old woman who began telling me about her life one day. She immigrated to the United States at 18 years old and was only recently able to return to her home country. She told me, 'The immigrant does not leave by choice, but because poverty and hunger are scarier than death'. This made me reflect on why I am so interested in working with the immigrant communities. I want to help people like her. They are often born into poor, unsafe and unstable countries, where their only path towards a better life is immigrating to an unknown place. I sympathize with them because they leave their families, their language, their memories, and come to a country to help their loved ones. I believe that they suffer and face racism, discrimination, xenophobia, and the difficult process of learning a new language and culture. That’s why I feel called to advocate for those who have been dehumanized and labeled as 'aliens'."