Leadership: The Three Necessities by Imani

Leadership: The Three Necessities by Imani - December 2021 Scholarship Essay

A community leader must possess selflessness, collaboration, and determination in order to effectively serve the people they aim to represent. Selflessness is an under-recognized but incredibly important characteristic that separates a leader from a great leader. By being able to put aside self-serving needs, a leader is able to properly use their platform to advocate and guide meaningfully. While any sacrifices made shouldn’t come at the expenses of your mental and physical wellbeing, it is important to be able to recognize and integrate others’ experiences into the work you are doing, so that everyone is equally represented. Next, collaboration means working with the members of your community to ensure their voices are being heard. A leader takes the time to connect intimately with the people around them, showing genuine curiosity in the diversity of their background and giving them equal opportunities to voice their opinions. Collaboration also means working alongside and not just above others, demonstrating that you are willing to engage in the activities and make the changes that you may be asking of your community. Lastly, determination calls for an intrinsic drive for positive change and community advocacy. Leading is an immense responsibility that requires consistent motivation to continue working. Leaders should take the time to reaffirm their values-- this can be aided by fostering connections with individuals in the community.

I’ve applied these characteristics in the leadership positions I’ve had the privilege of taking on throughout my high school and college career. I first started in my local community of Little Senegal in Harlem, NY. I had the opportunity to speak at the Senegalese Association to advocate for the political involvement of the Senegalese government abroad in West Africa to help end rebel-driven conflicts that are negatively affecting our people. I took on the responsibility of researching and talking to officials involved in addressing the conflict to give a platform to the wishes of the immigrant community in Harlem. Additionally, inspired by the cultural stigma against mental health care and the universal mistrust of the medical world, I am pursuing a degree in Psychology and have joined organizations that help provide mental health resources to marginalized communities. Currently, I am an ambassador for Project HEAL, an eating disorder advocacy company in order to help provide eating disorder treatment to underprivileged groups, helping them navigate stigmas and social and financial barriers. Similarly, I am a Peer Mental Health Advocate on my college campus, working intimately to change the state of mental health treatment and working with peers to help them navigate the process. I will continue to join opportunities in which I can uplift larger communities through lower-scale change, such as individual meetings and sessions and through political and legislative advocacy work that will make a larger-scale impact. Regardless of what I am working on, I will carry the qualities of selflessness, collaboration, and determination with me.