Civic and community engagement go hand in hand. They both involve awareness of values, issues, and social problems. In other words, I need to know myself and have knowledge of the world around me in order to engage in my community.

LeaderShape 2015 team.

While attending LeaderShape during the summer of 2015, I participated in an activity that involved values. I wrote my main values on a shirt. This shirt represented that I wear my values with pride. We then did another activity that involved decisions, which was hard for me because values usually shine through unconscious thoughts and acts. I realized that some of my values were going to have to change. Instead of writing down what values I actually follow, I wrote values that I should follow. Digging deeper and figuring out who I am is now a constant exercise that I do. Without knowing myself, I cannot be the best leader I can be.

The first ever Godwin Middle School Teen Night! The LEAD Office received a grant from Target to fund Godwin activities.

For two years I have been involved with a community partnership between George Mason University and Godwin Middle School. The LEAD Office coordinates workshops, a teen night, and an all-day conference to build a relationship with the students. The InCredAble conference is a prime example of how I have made a meaningful change in my community. During this conference, volunteer facilitators and I work with the students so that they can learn how to become better leaders. By the end of the day, the students know their how to use both their strengths and weaknesses to make a change in their own community.

By passing my passions down to these middle school students, I am not only holding up a legacy, but I am also creating a just society. These students are now knowledgeable about how they can make a positive difference in the world.

On the other hand, I have engaged civically by attending brown bag lunches organized by my fellow Leadership Consultants. The most impactful discussion we had was one involving leadership in black social movements. Multiple speakers attended to share their experiences and knowledge about the topic. I was enlightened to multiple circumstances during which Mason students made racial comments towards black students. I realized then that not everything is what it seems to be. Having this knowledge in the back of my mind, I strive to make a meaningful change for those who are oppressed.

As an innovative student at Mason, I continuously engage in my community. I am honored to have the ability as a leader to speak up against wrongdoings or negative issues. Not only do the Leadership Consultants thrive together in the LEAD Office, but also all students of Mason come together in times of need and thrive as a community. I know what my true values are in life, and I base my actions on those values. This makes it possible to spread my passion for certain issues to those around me. Also, being knowledgeable about what issue I am working with aids me in the process of addressing it.