Stories of courage and leadership, told by young leaders striving to overcome difficult odds, are a highlight of the work that we do.
Our talented video editor and social media team have collected some of the more telling moments for your enjoyment today from around what is now an international Hope network.
"If you think something is hard...just get through it. If you think that you can do it, know that you can do it." - Naziha
"You should always listen to someone else's point of view before you start arguing with them." - Vashawn
"The most valuable thing I've learned is being nice to people and giving them a second chance." - Marwah
Ibrahim, a student at Malik Academy: "Hope Collaborative is great for teaching young people how to deal with certain relationships, problems, and everyday life."
Nayeliz, a young artist at Boys & Girls Clubs: "Once I knew it was like problem solving—about conflicts, and related to your life—then I got more interested too, because for me it sounded more relatable."
The lessons and insights gained from each learning module are as diverse and unique as our participants.
Like Aja's insights on empathy—"you have to learn how to place yourself in their shoes...to understand what they're saying."
Hope participants are connecting leadership goals to their work at school and in their personal personal lives in new and exciting ways that have rich meaning and connection. When asked if he identifies as a leader, Mohamed smiles and says, "I'm getting there."
As are we all.
Such is the leadership journey