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Building Relationships Through Community Connect

By Jarael Madyun, Community Connect participant

(Jarael, far right, with mentor Matt McGarvey and participant Garrett Shepherd)

Today for the Community Connect session we focused on relationships. Each session brings a new level of excitement for me because I am able to reflect on how I can best support others as they develop their Community Connect goals. 

One of my favorite activities today was coming up with a list of big dreams we would like to accomplish if we had an infinite amount of resources. As we roamed around the room, we signed our names under items we’ve done, that others hoped to accomplish. I, again, felt a sense of community, connection, and shared values. The activity was inspiring because it was a simple reminder of how a diverse group of people can come together with similar goals, but we’ve all traveled different paths to be at this session together. The amount of information and resources I was given in a short amount of time speaks to everyone’s commitment to building relationships and the program. 

I have many moments I am grateful for but two moments stick out to me from today’s session. Apparently, I have the superpower of being in a room of 50+ people and identifying who has met Taylor Swift. I am also grateful for the mentor stories and how unique, personal, and authentic they were. Each mentor discussed “relationships” but I received a different message from everyone. Some of those gems include: 

1.       First Show Up/ Keep Showing Up 2.       Amplify voices & create co-pilots 3.       Make connections & ask good questions 4.       Whatever journey you’re on, you will be best supported by others in the community based on the connections and relationships you continue to cultivate.

The mentor speeches were also a reminder to show up as our authentic selves and continue to be vulnerable. I’ve often been in spaces where I question if I can truly be myself. I was happy to see that communicated consistently today. It’s refreshing and inspiring. I want to express gratitude for everyone who showed up today, each week we continue to build a stronger bond and we get closer to accomplishing our community goals. 

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Alumni Spotlight: Catching up with Ajwad Iqbal (YLI ‘20)

You cannot grow as a person if you stay complacent and are unwilling to get out of your bubble. Keep trying new things you never know where they might end up taking you. Finally, get out of your comfort zone!

Recently my school nominated me to be a member of the 2020 National Council on Youth Leadership (NCYL), a leadership recognition program. The program is designed to reward young people who are good citizens and good students who have been active in a leadership position in their school, community, or faith community. Without YLI, I would not have even applied to be a part of the program.

YLI taught me to get out of my comfort zone and seek out new experiences. YLI has brought out the best leadership qualities in me and shown me the importance of leadership and how it can be applied in everyday life. Because of this, I continue to seek more leadership experiences.

Ajwad is currently a senior at Johnston High School and plans to study pre-med in the fall.