Engaging. Vocal. Impactful. That’s how I would describe my experience at this year’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Leadership Summit with HealthMPowers.
Over 30 youth representatives from 20 counties across Georgia came together, some returning, some brand new (like me), ready to initiate change in their communities. This year’s leadership summit was held at HealthMPowers’ headquarters in Norcross and included two days brimming with creativity, leadership, facilitation and initiative. The idea for It started with a plan to help unite current YAB representatives with new faces, all while furthering HealthMPowers’ goal of creating a positive change in fitness and health across Georgia. The summit implemented this through segments of board meetings, group networking, and most importantly, the “Learners to Leaders” training modules.
As a first time attendee, I must admit I struggled with social anxiety. I think anyone can attest to the fear of being new, more particularly, the fear of being unwelcomed as the new person. Social anxiety can be a real pain, and I most certainly had a bad case of it before this summit. Yet, upon arrival, I found that my anxiety slowly but surely dissipated–all thanks to the people I met. Whether they were fellow YAB members like Emanuel Palax Ocampo and Eve Scott, or HealthMPowers staff like Anaise Quirindongo, Director of Evaluation, everyone created a space where I felt seen, heard, and valued.
As the name suggests, HealthMPowers focuses on equitable access to physical wellbeing through education, especially for youth. Endowing our young leaders, including me, with ways to make a change is a great first step towards accomplishing our goal of improving our wellbeing. The “Learners to Leaders” modules first builds a foundation of defining health, then moves to strategies on advocacy and how to evaluate a plan for a solution. Along the way, several individual and collaborative activities were included to ensure we put what we learn to practice. There were opportunities at every turn at this summit to just learn–whether it was about advocacy, health, networking, or public speaking, it was all about getting involved. As a brand new YAB member, it was my first encounter with what HealthMPowers stands for.
From Day 1 all the way up to Day 2’s closing, I made so many amazing memories just meeting people through fun-filled days of genuine conversation, resulting in new peers and friends alike. I am beyond grateful to have met so many incredible people through this summit. I truly believe HealthMPowers has encapsulated the importance of unity, which begins with opportunities like this.
Moreover, I can most certainly attest to feeling empowered and ready to make a change after my summit experience. Every attendee is now equipped with a voice that is heard and given plenty of support by peers. That goes incredibly far for any youth looking to help create impact in a world normally driven by adults. As I mentioned earlier, I especially enjoyed the “Learners to Leaders” modules, as they were, by far, the most essential in helping strengthen the voices we already have. I have to give HealthMPowers all due respect for putting together such amazing tools to empower the youth, especially all of us who attended the summit.
As an upcoming advocate not just for myself, but for those around me, attending the leadership summit was a total gamechanger. I came in anxious, unsure of myself, but willing to give it a try. It can be quite a challenge to step out of your comfort zone, but it was definitely worth it after. I broadened my perspective thanks to all the great individuals around me, picked up new strategies for how to create initiative and impact, all while still having fun. While there, I put everything I learned into practice so many times, and got a chorus of feedback and support from everyone.
I enjoyed the short but meaningful journey on which I embarked–with so much excitement for my future with HealthMPowers! This summit proved without a doubt the importance of including youth on the mission to better health for every Georgian out there, and doing it with enthusiasm!