Too often, people see problems in their communities and wait for someone else to initiate positive change. Anne Frank aptly put it, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Think about it. You have the power to be the change you want to see, and whether you dream big or small, there is a place for you to make a difference.
Professional Dimensions, one of Milwaukee’s top women’s professional associations led by CEO Lauren Feaster, recently held the Ideation Summit at Alverno College. This year’s theme: ‘Rethinking Everything, the Power of Advocacy.’
The keynote speaker, Emmy Award-winning Sports Journalist and writer for the Atlantic, Jemele Hill, encouraged the audience to drive positive change by not just opening doors but holding them open too for the next generation of leaders. But in a moment of reflection, he noted that it’s not even about the door anymore. She posed the question, “How will I change the room? If it doesn’t look different when I leave, what did I accomplish?”
While you ponder how you will shape the room, think about how you will pick your battles. Understand that your advocacy will have consequences, both intended and unintended.
Where is your line in the sand, and how far are you willing to go to bring about change? Whether you are bringing people together in service, for play, in learning, or in search of justice, think about how far you are willing to go to reshape a space.
As you set out to make a difference, look to those who prepared the room for you. Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries spoke on campus when he was in town for the NAACP’s 99th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner. He spoke about the generational gap between the leaders who brought us through our darkest moments and the people who are trying to make a difference today. As you prepare to make your mark, Dr. Jeffries recommends that you find people who were once in your shoes.
Search for the past leaders of clubs, organizations, and movements, check out old newspapers and archives, ask people who have been around long enough to remember who was making moves, and spark up a conversation. Google is free, and it’s so easy to find people online, so search for them and ask questions, ask for guidance. Learn what hurdles they overcame to make a change. But before you do, articulate what it is that you want. Don’t wait passively to make the world a better place. Put your ideas into words, and put your words into action. “What makes a difference is when you decide what kind of a difference you want to make.”-Jane Goodall
