February 2023
Just returned from wonderful travels to Indonesia and the Philippines. Since 2015, I have led the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) on Civic Engagement. This U.S. State Department project brings the best and brightest young people from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to University of Nebraska at Omaha and our partners, Arizona State University and Portland State University, for a deep dive into civic engagement and peaceful coexistence. For more on this innovative program, please click on this short YSEALI video.
The recent in-country workshops were an opportunity to reconnect with many amazing young leaders, and to eat some of the, ummm, traditional food of the region like Jollibee in the Philippines. What a joy to live into the lives of these alumni of our program.
One young leader is working to reintegrate former combatants who have now put down their arms against the Philippines government in the southern island of Mindanao. Another is advocating for inclusive policies and practices for deaf people in Indonesia. Another has taken a social entrepreneur path and started a locally sourced coffeeshop and coffee distribution business to provide jobs in his village. I could tell inspiring stories about each and every one of these young leaders.
To accompany these changemakers on their journey is a gift. And accompanying me on this journey to S.E. Asia was my 21-year old daughter. She won a grant from Oberlin College and Conservatory to present at the YSEALI workshops on “Creativity in Leadership” (music is a great testing ground for leadership skills like listening, knowing when your voice should be the loudest or softest in a group, and improvisation). Ilana also studied the gamelan, a traditional Indonesian percussion ensemble. So proud of the incredible young leader Ilana is becoming!
The call to leadership takes family, allies, mentors, friends and even foes. Maybe you too could benefit from a coach or consultant on your leadership journey. Please let me know if you would like to talk.