Paris Woods - Profile of Empowered Leadership

The Anytown Leadership Institute was a life-changing experience for me.  In the summer of 2001 I arrived at Anytown having just completed my junior year in high school, and honestly believing that I was quite well-versed on issues of oppression.  I mean, I was black after all.  But, by the end of that week, I had learned so much that I had never known before, and I was beginning to view the world around me in such a different light.  I couldn't help thinking about how naive I had been a mere eight days earlier, and I knew that my life would never be then same from then on.  I have since gone on to be a facilitator at Anytown, and have led several discussions and workshops on issues of oppression both in and outside of the St. Louis area.  I've even fashioned my African-American Studies major at Harvard University to focus on the social inequalities faced by minorities in this country.  In considering my plans for the future, helping alleviate issues of oppression is always a top priority.  The institute equipped me with the knowledge, perspective, and tools necessary to enact change, and empowered and inspired me to become a leader for years to come.