Kizwauna Miller is one of those young people who believe in grasping opportunities for self-development and growth. She also believes in setting high goals and trusting God to help her achieve them.
So far the 21-year-old has represented Barbados at two international conferences – the Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC) and the Collegiate Presidential Inaugural Conference (CPIC) – and they have taught her lasting lessons.
During an interview at her Black Rock, St Michael home, she shared her experiences at these two events and explained why more of her peers should take advantage of similar opportunities.
The aspiring actuary, who is studying economics and math at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus, participated in GYLC back in 2008 when she was a student at Harrison College.
That experience not only taught her leadership and negotiation skills but also opened doors from which she continues to benefit.
“We discussed a lot of global issues. I remember discussing the issue of oil and countries having veto power. We were divided into groups and . . . every day you would have a large group meeting.
“They would present to you an issue and as a group you would then go out to represent the country. You would have to present the issue and fight for your country’s right to be able to have access to certain things.
“What stood out to me in the GYLC process were the leadership skills that were developed and the ability to negotiate on critical issues,” she explained.
It was her participation in this conference that led to her being invited to this year’s CPIC, which included attending the January 20 inauguration of United States President Barack Obama.
“It was interesting to network with a lot of high-achieving students from all over the world,” she said of the conference which hosted about 1 000 students.They heard presentations from various well known figures in the United States, including political commentator and media personality James Carville, his wife Mary Matalin and former politician Jeb Bush.However, it was Reverend Jesse Jackson’s speech that Kizwauna found most interesting.
“He spoke about us being somebody in society. He also went back to his days with Martin Luther King . . . about how he was a humble young man coming from humble beginnings but that no matter your predicament or your circumstance, you can still . . . be somebody in life and reach your dreams, your goals,” she recalled.
The young woman, who enjoys playing dominoes and road tennis and socializing, also revelled in the chance to learn about the participants’ different cultures, including her Filipino roommate’s.
The inauguration held special significance for Kizwauna because Obama was the first African American president.
“I was proud of Obama, to see a black man being inaugurated for the second time. I remember while watching the election process, I was like, ‘Dear Jesus, help Obama’ because it would’ve been a total different feeling if Mitt Romney had won.”
To see the historic event, she had to experience wintry conditions for the first time and a very early start to the day.
“I remember that morning we woke about 3:30 and there were about 30 buses to transport the scholars to the square. My bus was always the first batch, so we left around a quarter to five.
“We were there first and it was pitch dark . . . and outside was cold. Around nine it kind of warmed up because the sun came out but then it quickly faded and outside was gloomy. I couldn’t feel my feet [but] I was just moving.”
Unlike her experience in 2008, many of the conference participants had heard about Barbados. Some wondered why she had left the island’s warmth to brave the cold of Washington while others simply wanted to know if she was from “Rihanna’s Barbados”.
“In 2008 when I went to GYLC I had that problem where people would ask, ‘Is that in Africa? Is that a part of Jamaica?’ But my roommate actually knew about Barbados because she said she was planning a trip to the Caribbean and Barbados would be one of her stops.
“As big as the world is, it is yet so small because I met a German and she was studying at the University of Reading in [Britain] and she knew three Barbadian students. I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I know them, they went to school with me’,” she recalled with a smile.Attending CPIC allowed Kizwauna to make lasting connections with a number of young people, something she believes would benefit other youth.
“After attending CPIC I was also given an invitation to attend another conference – the International Scholar Laureate Programme (ISLP). I’m not sure if I’ll be going but it just opens up more doors for you to grow and develop as a young person.”
Kizwauna believes that more young people should get involved in developmental and educational activities since many aren’t interested in politics, current affairs or other things that could impact their future.
She advised them to set reasonable goals and try their hardest to achieve them.
“The Bible says trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding, and I have found that to be true. I believe in leaning on Him to provide.
“If you fall short of your goals, don’t feel like a failure because you only fail when you stop trying,” she said.
• Positive Youth is a series highlighting the efforts of some of the youth in our nation who are engaging in positive pursuits. If you know of any such people, please contact Natasha Beckles at 430-5459, natashabeckles@nationnews.com, Bryan Walker at 430-5492, or bryanwalker@nationnews.com