Last month, BALM interviewed several of the women who run student clubs and organizations at Brooks to learn more about their experiences as women in leadership. Here are their responses.
Wasila: Welcome, everyone! We have a few questions for you about being a woman in leadership. What clubs and organizations do you run?
Dani (she/her): I’m a senior. I’ve been captain of the bowling team for a year and VP of the service learning club.
Elisa (she/her): I’m a senior. President of student ambassadors.
Saniya (she/her): I’m a senior. Math team, French honor society, national honor society, and chant leader for the cheer team.
Kyla (she/her): I’m a senior, President of PSAC.
Who do you look up to?
Saniya: My mom. She always put herself in leadership position, so I mimic her.
Dani: Also my mother. I make a lot of my choices based on her.
Elisa: Also my mom, and other previous presidents. Mrs. Dolan. Maya Branty.
Kyla: My mom. Holding it down. And Elisa. If there wasn’t a president Elisa, there wouldn't be a president Kyla.
How do you describe your leadership style?
Saniya: Assertive but friendly.
Kyla: Collaborative. Everyone has a voice in the discussion we make.
Elisa: Empathetic.
Dani: Allow them to voice their opinions and feelings, but also have structure. Open and callable. No dictatorship.
Does being a women impact how you lead your team?
Kyla: Yesss. Me and my xx-chromosomes. My assertive nature wouldn't have been approved more because I’m a girl. Fight stereotypes.
Elisa: Exactly. Being assertive for a woman is differently viewed for a man. You are able to understand and become empathic for other people. Fight stereotypes.
Saniya: I don’t think so. I resemble a male in his field.
Dani: I have mixed feelings. Angry black woman when being a leader, but you’re just there doing what needs to be done.
How do you motivate your team, your club?
Dani: Think of the medal, think of the pizza place. Think of history being made, as we did make history by making it to finals. Remind them that their time and effort is for good use. This motivates them, as they are doing big things at the young teenage stage in life.
Elisa: Being excited and making connections with the team.
Kyla: Just showing up, at least half way excited for the job–gets my team motivated.
Saniya: Give them uplifting words. The common ground with the leader--empowering them with encouraging words.
What are the benefits of having women in leadership?
Dani: Women are just better at empathizing. We just know and understand.
Saniya: Women just are emotionally intelligent. It comes easier to be a compassionate leader.
Elisa: Seeing men in leadership is almost a given, so it doesn’t motivate other boys as much compared to women in leadership.
Kyla: I was given my position by a woman who saw something in me. I know I can also empower and inspire other girls.
How did your leadership impact you?
Kyla: I didn’t know my style of leadership. Learned how to problem solve, honor and win people’s trust. I became a person others can depend on, and that’s the greatest gift of all.
Elisa: Teaches you how to put yourself in a position to motivate you. Making them feel seen makes me feel a thousand times more empowered.
Dani: I’m the only daughter in my family, so from the moment I was born, I had this motherly instinct to make sure everyone was okay. I want to make sure everyone is okay. I always had the characteristics, and now that I’m in leadership, those qualities have blossomed , as I can extend my compassion from beyond my family. Sometimes all people need is someone to talk to.
Saniya: The skills that I gained. Communication and empathy. How I can approach different people and situations.
How does seeing women in power inspire you?
Dani: I can’t begin to describe it. When you see someone that looks like you, nobody can’t deny it–it feels good. Like seeing a fellow black person on college campus makes me see that they did it, so I can do it.
Saniya: Agreed. It motivates me to take more leadership positions. Shows me that I’m doing what’s right. Look at our American vice president–she’s amazing.
Elisa: Agreed. When I see a latina in a position of leadership–I didn’t know it was possible. Shows me that I’m capable to achieve more. From latino households, it’s refreshing because you don’t know you were allowed to do that.
Kyla: Agreed. She did it with a similar lifestyle, background–it’s definitely something that can influence me.
How do you handle conflict in your teams?
Dani: Service learning club–we don’t have much conflict. There have been times when things get off task. For the bowling team, there have been times when I wanted to leave.. But remember why you and them are there. Your goal.
Kyla: For clubs like the student advisory council, PSAC–it impacts everyone else. So communication and collaboration is essential.
Saniya: Still a group effort. Communication. Reassurance.
Elisa: You’ve got to remind people of your purpose.
Think about your future careers. Will being a woman be a challenge in that?
Saniya: Definitely
Kyla: Yeah
Saniya: I want to be a lawyer. Like Kamala Harris.
Kyla: She held a CEO position in a white male dominated industry. What she learned here–what I learned is that there is nothing stopping us now. She has the ability to endure.
Do you respond to criticism? If so, how?
Dani: Criticism has a bad connotation, but it’s actually helpful. Lets you look at things from both sides.
Saniya: I take it to heart. It’s a learning process.
Elisa: I work really hard, so it can hurt even when you work hard. But I’m just 17 and still growing, so I’m open to growth. But listening to people on my team is great.
How did you acquire your positions?
Kyla: I stumbled into it. I’m the president of PSAC. I joined PSAC in 11th grade online. The previous president and VP just abandoned me and I had to just take over. The sponsor said I was capable and amazing for the spot, so I’ve been doing it. And then the title became official.
Saniya: I’m passionate about math, so the sponsor sent an email and after noticing my skills, made my the captain.
Elisa: I picked up the jobs people didn’t want to do for BALM and the titles came. For service learning club, my dedication and activeness gained me the spot. For my work duty too, PSAC gave me treasury. In student ambassadors, I started off as first assistant.
Wasila: Welcome, everyone! We have a few questions for you about being a woman in leadership. What clubs and organizations do you run?
Dani (she/her): I’m a senior. I’ve been captain of the bowling team for a year and VP of the service learning club.
Elisa (she/her): I’m a senior. President of student ambassadors.
Saniya (she/her): I’m a senior. Math team, French honor society, national honor society, and chant leader for the cheer team.
Kyla (she/her): I’m a senior, President of PSAC.
Who do you look up to?
Saniya: My mom. She always put herself in leadership position, so I mimic her.
Dani: Also my mother. I make a lot of my choices based on her.
Elisa: Also my mom, and other previous presidents. Mrs. Dolan. Maya Branty.
Kyla: My mom. Holding it down. And Elisa. If there wasn’t a president Elisa, there wouldn't be a president Kyla.
How do you describe your leadership style?
Saniya: Assertive but friendly.
Kyla: Collaborative. Everyone has a voice in the discussion we make.
Elisa: Empathetic.
Dani: Allow them to voice their opinions and feelings, but also have structure. Open and callable. No dictatorship.
Does being a women impact how you lead your team?
Kyla: Yesss. Me and my xx-chromosomes. My assertive nature wouldn't have been approved more because I’m a girl. Fight stereotypes.
Elisa: Exactly. Being assertive for a woman is differently viewed for a man. You are able to understand and become empathic for other people. Fight stereotypes.
Saniya: I don’t think so. I resemble a male in his field.
Dani: I have mixed feelings. Angry black woman when being a leader, but you’re just there doing what needs to be done.
How do you motivate your team, your club?
Dani: Think of the medal, think of the pizza place. Think of history being made, as we did make history by making it to finals. Remind them that their time and effort is for good use. This motivates them, as they are doing big things at the young teenage stage in life.
Elisa: Being excited and making connections with the team.
Kyla: Just showing up, at least half way excited for the job–gets my team motivated.
Saniya: Give them uplifting words. The common ground with the leader--empowering them with encouraging words.
What are the benefits of having women in leadership?
Dani: Women are just better at empathizing. We just know and understand.
Saniya: Women just are emotionally intelligent. It comes easier to be a compassionate leader.
Elisa: Seeing men in leadership is almost a given, so it doesn’t motivate other boys as much compared to women in leadership.
Kyla: I was given my position by a woman who saw something in me. I know I can also empower and inspire other girls.
How did your leadership impact you?
Kyla: I didn’t know my style of leadership. Learned how to problem solve, honor and win people’s trust. I became a person others can depend on, and that’s the greatest gift of all.
Elisa: Teaches you how to put yourself in a position to motivate you. Making them feel seen makes me feel a thousand times more empowered.
Dani: I’m the only daughter in my family, so from the moment I was born, I had this motherly instinct to make sure everyone was okay. I want to make sure everyone is okay. I always had the characteristics, and now that I’m in leadership, those qualities have blossomed , as I can extend my compassion from beyond my family. Sometimes all people need is someone to talk to.
Saniya: The skills that I gained. Communication and empathy. How I can approach different people and situations.
How does seeing women in power inspire you?
Dani: I can’t begin to describe it. When you see someone that looks like you, nobody can’t deny it–it feels good. Like seeing a fellow black person on college campus makes me see that they did it, so I can do it.
Saniya: Agreed. It motivates me to take more leadership positions. Shows me that I’m doing what’s right. Look at our American vice president–she’s amazing.
Elisa: Agreed. When I see a latina in a position of leadership–I didn’t know it was possible. Shows me that I’m capable to achieve more. From latino households, it’s refreshing because you don’t know you were allowed to do that.
Kyla: Agreed. She did it with a similar lifestyle, background–it’s definitely something that can influence me.
How do you handle conflict in your teams?
Dani: Service learning club–we don’t have much conflict. There have been times when things get off task. For the bowling team, there have been times when I wanted to leave.. But remember why you and them are there. Your goal.
Kyla: For clubs like the student advisory council, PSAC–it impacts everyone else. So communication and collaboration is essential.
Saniya: Still a group effort. Communication. Reassurance.
Elisa: You’ve got to remind people of your purpose.
Think about your future careers. Will being a woman be a challenge in that?
Saniya: Definitely
Kyla: Yeah
Saniya: I want to be a lawyer. Like Kamala Harris.
Kyla: She held a CEO position in a white male dominated industry. What she learned here–what I learned is that there is nothing stopping us now. She has the ability to endure.
Do you respond to criticism? If so, how?
Dani: Criticism has a bad connotation, but it’s actually helpful. Lets you look at things from both sides.
Saniya: I take it to heart. It’s a learning process.
Elisa: I work really hard, so it can hurt even when you work hard. But I’m just 17 and still growing, so I’m open to growth. But listening to people on my team is great.
How did you acquire your positions?
Kyla: I stumbled into it. I’m the president of PSAC. I joined PSAC in 11th grade online. The previous president and VP just abandoned me and I had to just take over. The sponsor said I was capable and amazing for the spot, so I’ve been doing it. And then the title became official.
Saniya: I’m passionate about math, so the sponsor sent an email and after noticing my skills, made my the captain.
Elisa: I picked up the jobs people didn’t want to do for BALM and the titles came. For service learning club, my dedication and activeness gained me the spot. For my work duty too, PSAC gave me treasury. In student ambassadors, I started off as first assistant.
ANU ATOMORI
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CHASE JONES
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