Dawn of a New Era

Wednesday January 20th, 2021

What is today you may ask, it is Inauguration Day. A day where fanfare takes place in Washington D.C. and the transition of power occurs. Well due to covid, and law school, and various other obligations - I did not get to go to the inauguration, but that doesn't mean I diden't take the time to reflect on how luck I have been in life. Eight years ago, in 2013 I got to be at President Obama's 2nd Inauguration. It was a very exciting time for me, especially as a 15 year old.

See I was a nerdy child, you wouldn't find me at summer camps during summer vacation from school, and you wouldn't find me at sports camps either. Well ... I did do swimming camps but they were like a random one or two week long sessions, but I digress. Instead you would find me at Conferences. Yes, you read that right, you'd find me at Political conferences were I would be broadening my education and beginning to build the foundation I needed for the rest of my life.

It all started in fourth grade, I was 10 - I got invited to the National Young Scholars Program, I got to go to seminars, and workshops on how to strengthen my communication skills, work on being a good leader, and setting goals for the future. It was a really supportive community to be apart of with like minded and driven individuals! It became a continuous thing, each year I would get an invitation letter back, and I continued to attend different levels and forums, National Young Scholars Program Alumni at 11, the Jr. National Young Leaders Conference (12) The Jr. National Young Leaders Conference Alumni (13) Nation Young Leaders Conference (14) the Presidential Inauguration Conference (15) and outside of that I went to People to People international to London at (16).

During these conferences I got to travel, through the city in New York, Boston, Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. I was visiting historical sites, I got to go to museums and meet so many amazing people. People I still keep in touch with now actually. Its crazy as time goes by I've stayed in touch with at least one person from every conference, depending on where we are well meet up ever so often, well network, and connect - it was a great experience. For me I wouldn't want to change whether I attended the conferences or not. I was able to have a "vacation" from my family. It taught me the importance of independence and that opportunities like that are hard to come by.

I was able to lay the foundation into my own interests at a young age. I was able to explore history, politics, I was able to get hands on experience - working in the Senators office for two weeks as apart of the program. I was able to go to hearings, and see how much ... or really how little gets done on a daily basis. I was able to talk to my personal elected officials, and feel like I was not being talked down to. The conferences not only gave me experiences I would have never had, but they gave me skills that I could take with me throughout life! For that I am grateful.

I am grateful that I got to look at the world as if all the opportunities were available for anyone ... even though as we get older we know that isn't necessarily true but for me I thought the world was a giant place of opportunity. I was able to have experiences most kids didn't get, I was able to go to historical sites and learn about them, spend time in museums - I was able to go to work shops and continue my learning throughout the summer when other "normal" kids were playing and having fun.

The exposure I got laid the foundation for me to want to go into political science and economics. It pushed me to know I wanted to go into law - and be able to create a meaningful change, whether that was writing policy and creating new laws, or if it was enforcing or interrupting laws. I have many options and through these options, I know I will be able to do something meaningful one day. I have been on this path since I was 10 - learning, growing, sacrificing, studying. And I wouldn't give it up or change it for anything in the world because I know one day I'll make a difference, and I'll be able to touch peoples lives in some way, even if the impact is small.

Outside of that, I was reflecting on what a small world this is and how everything comes full circle. So when I wanted into a foreign policy class my junior year, spring semester at a new university (I transferred my junior year of college) I was put in a group for a project. At one of the meetings one of the girls had asked if I attended Jr. NYLC ... I looked at her and I was like I did, and than I proceeded to pull up a photo of the two of us from like 6 years prior. She said she recognized my voice on the first day of class, but wasn't 100% sure it was me. The funny thing is folks, you never know who you're going to run into, you never know who will come back into yourself. I consider this girl a really good friend, we went on to do an internship / fellowship together, we took classes together. She is someone I truly appreciate having in my life!

People walk in our lives for a reason, they also walk out of our lives for a reason. You know know when they'll pop back up into our lives. But thats the thing, they are meant to teach you a lesson, help you grow, and they are meant to leave a mark on you in some way. It is always really cool to run into someone you might not have expected or thought you'd run into again, but that's the thing about life, It isn't predictable and you can't anticipate who you'll see again and when it'll happen. It just does! I'm thankful I crossed paths with her, because that semester was a rough one, and I felt like I had someone in my corner making things little less crazy and scary. She's a great girl and I'm so glad we've seen each other grow, and how far we've come since meeting in our awkward youth as children not yet grown into ourselves!

While It's a new "Era" sometimes we need to reflect on the past and look at the good that has come, and remind ourselves how far we have come - because sometimes things are rough and we dont think well get through it - but than we do and its something to be proud of. What is something you occasionally take the time to reminisce about? What is something you would never want to "undo" in life - that you are proud and thankful for having the chance to do? What is something you thought was weird or unconventional at the time but has shaped you into who you are?