Izumi de los Rios Kobara
When I think about leadership, it brings to mind the leaders in the world, the many people who hold power and the worth and substance they bring to the world with the authority they hold. Do the leaders of our world bring about social justice? This question interests me, puzzles me, frustrates me. I truly believe that there are people out there that want to and have the ideas to make positive change in our world. But their inability to attain true power because of their integrity or non establishment ideas infuriates me. The way that we pick leaders in this country and in the world is imperfect. And we live in an imperfect world, I get it. But to me the true purpose of leadership is to work for social justice in a way that excites you. Leaders are best when they are passionate, intrigued and invested in what they are working on and the reward is justice, not money or fame.
When you see one of the leaders rise up against odds, against socio economic misfortune, against the establishment you see true leadership. For example Cesar Chavez or Bernie Sanders have the type of passion and honor that you expect from leaders but frequently we do not see.
The future of leadership is promising for these people. America has begun to recognize the problems in the power structures and we certainly have begun to recognize them at BHS. I believe that people fighting for social change and social justice are the true leaders of the millennial generation and I see them at BHS.
This is the only course of action in our school, our country and our world. It is becoming increasingly clear that we need reform on environmental protection, investment in renewable energy; we need solutions to the embedded racism and sexism in this country; we need innovation in restorative justice; we need to halt disenfranchisement and so much more. This is why the leaders of the future will have to be social justice advocates, people of color, women, LGBT etc.
Hellen Keller said, “Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each others welfare, social justice can never be attained. And I really believe that day will come.