Alumni Essay 10

When I joined Youth Lead KC, I did not fully understand what leadership really meant. I thought it meant being in charge. What I learned is that it means being responsible, not just for the work, but for the people around you and the impact you leave behind.

During my time in the program, I served as the operations leader for our group project. That role taught me more than I expected. I was responsible for making sure things ran smoothly, that everyone had a role, that deadlines were met, and that the team stayed on track when things got difficult. It sounds straightforward, but in practice it required constant communication, patience, and the ability to make decisions under pressure while keeping the bigger picture in mind. There were moments where I had to step up and moments where I had to step back and let others lead. Learning the difference between those two things was one of the most valuable lessons I took away from the program.

Before Youth Lead KC, I led through action. I worked hard and hoped others would follow. After the program, I lead with intention. I understand now that a real leader builds other leaders. It is not about being the loudest voice in the room or having all the answers. It is about creating an environment where everyone around you is growing, contributing, and moving toward something meaningful together.

I plan to carry that forward in everything I do. At my next chapter in college, I will be pursuing a double major in Public Health and Entrepreneurship while participating in Air Force ROTC. Every single one of those paths demands leadership, and not the kind that sits at the top and gives orders. The kind that gets in the trenches, listens, builds trust, and drives results. Youth Lead KC helped shape the leader I am becoming and gave me a real foundation to build on as those responsibilities grow.

To me, leaving a legacy means making an everlasting impact on my community. Not the kind that fades when you leave the room, but the kind that outlives your presence. It means building something, starting something, or changing something in a way that continues to serve people long after you are gone. I think about the communities in Kansas City that shaped me, the people who poured into me without asking for anything in return, and I feel a deep responsibility to give that back in a bigger way.

My legacy will not be built overnight. It will be built through every decision I make, every person I invest in, and every problem I refuse to walk past without trying to solve. I want to be remembered as someone who saw inequality in healthcare, in opportunity, and in how people are treated and did something about it. Not because it was easy or profitable, but because it was right.

Youth Lead KC planted something in me that I intend to grow for the rest of my life. Leadership is not a title. It is a commitment to something greater than yourself, and leaving a legacy is simply what happens when you honor that commitment every single day.