Leadership in Action Project Week 5: Learning and Listening at SpeakOut and Beyond
As my LiA in Sydney, Australia was coming to an end, I was able to engage with various tasks and events and continue to learn and grow meaningfully at SpeakOut.
Like
Be the first to like this
Throughout my time at SpeakOut, I experienced significant growth not only as a leader but, more importantly, as a human being. In many ways, the work I did at SpeakOut was mostly with things I had experience in previously, including graphic design, writing emails and blogs, planning events, and more. However, what I appreciated most about SpeakOut was that it pushed me to experience new things, including interacting with survivors of domestic violence, food pantry initiatives, Australian immigration and family law, and so much more. In fact, Maria Kissouri, SpeakOut's CEO, was especially vital to my growth and the support the organization provided me to grow as a leader. Maria not only embodied SpeakOut's mission but also went beyond her role to support my growth as a leader during my Leadership-in-Action project.
Most interestingly, SpeakOut allowed me to join various meetings and events that members of the team were attending. Perhaps one of the most relevant to leadership and the mission of Laidlaw’s second summer was a LEAD Workshop led by the Professional Development Association. At this workshop, various caseworkers and representatives from different organizations across New South Wales were present to workshop ideas to better lead within their communities and also gain a valuable network to connect and be able to better support their clients and community members. Most of those present worked in the context of immigrant communities, which Australians call CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) communities. The workshop's discussion was quite relevant to my work at SpeakOut as well, given that I helped with English classes for immigrant women that the organization hosts.
Each Monday, SpeakOut sends a representative to teach immigrant women at a nearby elementary school, and I was able to participate in this activity. I will forever be grateful to SpeakOut for letting me participate and also lead some of these classes. This experience truly showed me how much I hope to dedicate my future to being an educator and lifelong learner.
In addition to these experiences and skills I received from these programs, SpeakOut's CEO supported me in partaking in various events related to my interests, including human rights, family law, poetry, and community advocacy. Early on in my leadership-in-action project, Maria and I were able to attend a panel talk from the Australian Human Rights Commission. The talk began with an Aboriginal man beautifully explaining that human rights have always existed in various cultures and should always be respected. The session was quite insightful, and I was able to get a better understanding of Australia's anti-discrimination law frameworks, including their policy centered on human rights.
I was also able to attend the final GSFLPN Sydney Family Law Symposium due to Maria’s support and encouragement, especially after she found out I was interested in law. Unfortunately, given government cuts, there will no longer be any more of these sessions, but I greatly appreciated the opportunity to go to the symposium and gain a better understanding of Australian family law and how it relates to domestic violence and immigration, which is the focus of SpeakOut's work. Furthermore, I was able to attend a poetry slam in the last weeks I was in Australia. Hosted at the Bankstown Arts Centre, the poetry slam was truly a special night. Maria had come to know my love for poetry, and she suggested I attend. Perhaps one of the most moving and insightful events was this one, as I not only was able to enjoy so many beautiful pieces and performances, but I saw firsthand the beauty of community and the extent of New South Wales' incredible diversity. The room was full of people from different backgrounds, creeds, and areas, and the beauty of it was how they came together in community to appreciate and support each other in pursuit of their art and advocacy.
One of the last things I was able to attend in my last week at SpeakOut was a meeting with another NGO, Muslim Women Australia. As SpeakOut and MWA were founded in the same year, their partnership goes back decades. Being able to sit in their joint meeting was very powerful for me. I saw firsthand the succession of impact and advocacy work. I was further empowered by all the immigrant women from both MWA and SpeakOut, and how they embodied their community work and showcased their passion for their work. I left the meeting feeling inspired to continue to do my own research and scholarly work for my community.
Ultimately, my time at SpeakOut was one of much growth. I was able to strengthen previous skillsets, but also push myself by learning about things I was not aware of, especially as related to Australian policy, law, etc. Furthermore, everyone at SpeakOut, but especially Maria, the CEO, was instrumental in this growth. Maria helped me understand that true leadership starts with holding oneself accountable and meeting people where they are at. Despite being just an intern, I felt like one of the community, and I have come to understand that is what being a leader means: fostering the community for all. I will forever be grateful for SpeakOut, Maria’s leadership, and the opportunity Laidlaw extended to me to embark on this journey. I hope one day I can become a community leader like Maria, others at SpeakOut, and all the other amazing leaders of organizations I interacted with on this trip.
Elaheh Khazi
(She/Her)
Laidlaw Scholar , Columbia University
Please sign in
If you are a registered user on Laidlaw Scholars Network, please sign in