YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

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

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.