YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

I used to think that I could make an impact alone, but now I know that I don’t have all the gifts and talents and having a team can move greater mountains.

I used to not believe that my voice and opinions mattered because of my lack of education, but now I know they do and that I am capable of contributing so much.

I used to think community development was about making a community look a certain way, but now I recognize that community development is about empowering a community to think about what is possible for them.

I used to believe I was only a reflection of the most negative moments of my past, but now I know that I have the power to shape my future with the choices I make right now.

I used to think the change our country needs had to come from national, large scale policies and movements, but now I know that real, effective change must be grounded in local communities and leaders.

I used to believe that coming from public schools and not having a college degree meant that I was less than.

When Public Allies valued my gifts and assets and provided me a place next to my peers, who had degrees and had studied abroad, I then started to believe that my work experience and work ethic did have real value. My experience in public schools gave me a lens that others may not have had. I was not “given” a position. I earned it.

I used to think that in order to be a leader the impact you made had to be radical, but now I know that everyone leads and the change starts with you no matter how big or small.

I used to dream of a society without cages, and now I get to free the people as a Public Defender.

I do not regret my experience in Public Allies; I have learned invaluable skills related to boundary setting, negotiation, effective/mature communication, true allyship and activism, and professional development that I would have not been able to learn elsewhere. Public Allies played an essential role in my admission to graduate school, and I envision a future where many of my fellow cohorts are local, national, and global trailblazers. I have encountered so much passion while also receiving a good amount of support as I nurture my own passions.

Public Allies has given me so much growth during these past 10 months. It has helped me grow internally, develop confidence, and become financially responsible.