Everything is new again.
Spending this semester in the Native American Political Leadership Program through George Washington University put me into a new world in Washington, DC. I’ve been impacted by challenges and opportunities, and grown from being open to learning and stepping outside of my comfort zone. My time here has transformed my perspective on the world, the United States, my community, and myself.
My knowledge and skills have been greatly enhanced. I’m beginning to get a deeper understanding and vision of who I am and what I need to do and how I can accomplish those things. I realize the importance of surrounding myself with people who can help me accomplish these goals and help to strengthen me as a leader for what I need to do. This experience is just a step at making my dreams for my community and Native peoples a reality.
It’s a small victory, but overcoming many small mistakes and hard times during this experience has made it so much more important. I realize now more than ever that being open to learning and working to strengthen ourselves as individuals is one of the most important qualities for leadership.
I am finishing up my final projects, and working to map out more in detail my community’s vision for our language revitalization program. With the support of my professor Peggy Flannagan and her community organizing class, my ability to put my Wanapum community’s vision in to action is closer to a reality.