Alumni Essay 29

Participating in the Youth Lead KC program truly changed how I see myself and what it means to be a leader. Before I was in the program, I thought leadership meant being the loudest voice in the room, confident all the time, or just knowing what to do all of the time. I never saw myself fitting in that image. Through Youth Lead KC, I learned that leadership isn’t always about perfection or having all the answers,but about growth, responsibility, and willingness to show up for others even when it feels uncomfortable. 

One of the ways I grew as a leader with the help of the program was learning how to trust my voice. At first, I always hesitated sharing my ideas because I felt like they weren’t good enough. Youth Lead KC created a safe space for me to be encouraged to participate and engage with others. Over time, I gained confidence and realized that leadership is being able to take control in situations where a leader is needed or coming up with ideas that could help the community. 

Youth Lead KC also taught me how important it is to have some empathy in leadership. I learned to listen to people’s problems first without immediately responding, how to work as a team, and how to support others even when I don’t agree with them. These experiences helped me grow emotionally and mentally. I’ve become more aware of my strengths like being a good listener and my weaknesses like being impatient and getting mad easily. Instead of seeing them as weaknesses, I try to think of them as things I can later fix and as an opportunity to grow.

In the future, I plan to use what I learned from Youth Lead KC to help me get connections and take action in situations. I want to be someone who people follow, lead by example, and encourage others to believe in themselves the way this program helped me believe in myself. Youth Lead KC showed me that leadership isn’t natural and it is something you learn, it shows in everyday actions, choices, and how you treat people. 

“Leaving a legacy” to me, means to show leadership through generations. What I have learned in leadership, I can teach others. It can last across generations. Youth Lead KC is not just an individual learning experience, it is something that can connect others together. Knowing that my sibling is involved in a program I was in, makes me feel like I helped their future. Their involvement can inspire another to join later which shows how leadership can be built and passed down. “Leaving a legacy” matters to me because it’s like a part of me is left, creates continuity, growth, and shared purpose. It means that what I was involved in opens doors for others in my family and communities futures. Youth Lead KC represents more than just a program, it represents tradition to grow, learn, and leadership that passes through generations 

Overall, Youth Lead KC played a major role in shaping who I am becoming. It pushed me to grow, challenged me to get out of my comfort zone, and reminded me that my voice matters. I am grateful for the lessons I learned and confident that they will stay with me as I continue to grow as a leader and work toward leaving a meaningful legacy.