Faces of Leadership

What does being a current or future leader mean to you? 

It means being able to see the issues in society, care about resolving them, and putting that into action in a way that is responsible and considerate. It's about being patient because change can take a long time. It is also about being brave to take on that responsibility towards achieving a better world.

How do you, as a current or future leader, help to shape a better world?

One of my focuses is young people. Children and young people are told that they are future leaders, but they're made to feel like they're not part of society. They’re influenced by the things that policymakers do now more than anyone because they have to live with that for generations. Involving young people in that conversation around policy and encouraging their engagement in politics will transform their self-confidence, self-belief, and the entire world.

What does being a current or future leader mean to you? 

"For me, being a current leader is about being aware of the challenges, not just [within] myself but many other people face in the world, and especially now where I'm based in Europe and also back home in Nigeria, and thinking about what I can do and who I can work with to solve those challenges.”

How do you, as a current or future leader, help to shape a better world?

"I believe a better world is about people. So how do I take steps that are environmentally conscious? How do I think about sustainability and circular economy? Those are the things that help us shape a better world. How do I invest in people? How do you mentor younger people and sponsor them? Because you must go beyond just mentoring. You must actively guide them to realize their own goals, their own ambitions, [and] their own dreams. Of course, they're thinking of a better world as well. When you invest in people, you're also helping to invest in a better world."

What does being a current or future leader mean to you?

"Being a current leader to me is about honesty, listening to others, and including diversity. I want to see a world where we are all welcomed, and resources are made available to us irrespective of living with a disability."

What is the biggest challenge you've overcome in your academic or professional life?

"As a woman with a disability, we are the most invisible community. Where can we see women with disabilities in leadership positions in politics? The only person I know is Judy Heumann, who was an amazing disability rights activist in the United States who influenced disability policy all around the world. My inspiration is the head of our organization (Fight For Right), Yuliia Sachuk. She is a disability rockstar. She inspired me and showed me that a woman with a disability not only could but should be a leader and that we bring our perspective in public policies and decisionmaking to all the stages. She helped me to believe in myself that I could be one of these woman leaders."

What or who inspires you in your work?

"Whoever I see around me who's striving hard and challenging stereotypes [and] systems that have been put in place to really exclude the minority groups… these are inspirational people. They really motivate me as a person to strive hard and make this world a better place."

How do you, as a current or future leader, help to shape a better world?

"Engaging with people around you to have conversations [that] are hard, conversations that we don't like to usually have, [and] conversations that make us uncomfortable. [Through this] we can also engage with each other and learn from each other [to] create a space where we can [create] a revolutionary concept that can help minority groups."

What does being a current or future leader mean to you?

"I believe leadership is responsibility. As younger women of color, we feel the responsibility of creating the path for others and honoring our ancestors who fought for us."

How do you, as a current or future leader, help to shape a better world?

"One of the ways I'm shaping a better world is by creating a space for other women of color. I'm currently working with Roma girls, reminding them to not listen to voices that try to silence them or belittle them. I also highlight my own identity and experiences in spaces where we had been excluded. We find our strength in our vulnerability, in our sisterhood, and our culture."

What does being a current or future leader mean to you? 

"[It is a privilege] to have these opportunities and these facilities, so I see it as a responsibility to use these things in a good way and to use these things fully… Just as I was inspired and guided by the people who came before me, I [will] do that for the people who come after me."

How do you, as a current or future leader, help to shape a better world?

"I think it's very important to have a dialogue because in the end, we are all humans, and we coexist with each other. You need to build bridges. In the future, I would like to help [young people, especially] from underprivileged communities or from the Global South. I [would] tell them ‘This is how it works’, ‘This is how these spaces work’, [or] ‘You can do this.’"

What or who inspires you in your work?

"The inspiration for my work is my mentor, Kate Young. She referred me to the Public Policy New Voice Europe program. As female Asian leaders, either younger or older, we encounter a lot of challenges and barriers. However, this program has shown me that if we are not afraid to speak up, we can do better."

How do you, as a current or future leader, help to shape a better world?

"I am doing this by being unafraid, speaking up, showing up, and taking opportunities to join meaningful communities, programs, or events. For me, I am engaging in a continuous exchange of ideas, gathering as many resources as possible to facilitate these policy changes."

What does being a current or future leader mean to you? 

"Leadership is about having the awareness to recognize the issues and the problems around you. Leadership is about taking ownership. I wanted to be part of the solution and you don't have to do it on a grand scale. If you're doing something positive to impact society, I think you’re a leader and should be proud of your work."

How do you, as a current or future leader, help to shape a better world?

"It’s about leveraging the privileges and the access that I have through my work [and having] access to some rooms. You know, it's [these] people that [make] the decisions that affect society. The general population does not have the opportunity to be in these rooms [and] to be around these tables where these decisions are being made. I try to amplify the priorities and the issues that [affect] the people."

What does being a current or future leader mean to you? 

As a leader, I always want to make sure that I grow people. A good leader not only leads from the front by example but also can help pull things out of you that you didn't even know were there and stick around to nurture that seed. If you don't see the people you are leading growing, then you have to go back to the drawing board.

How do you, as a current or future leader, help to shape a better world?

I may not change the world, but I'll spark the mind of the person who will. That is the type of leadership that we need. I have something that someone who will change the world needs, and I'm going to make sure that I pour into that so that I'll do my part.