My LSC 2018 Graduate Remarks

On the 25th of October, 2018, I graduated from the Leadership SouthCoast 2018 program and had the privilege of giving the remarks on behalf of the graduating class. Below are my remarks and a few pictures from the event.

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Good evening everyone, Leadership SouthCoast Board of Directors, Organization leaders, family, friends and the Leadership SouthCoast Class of 2018.

It is with great pleasure that I stand here to address the audience today. I am so grateful to have my peers believe in me, so thank you Class of 2018 for giving me this honor.

When I moved here over two years ago, in May of 2016, I knew absolutely nothing about New Bedford or Fall River, even the SouthCoast as a whole. Well, not exactly “nothing” – I was aware of the weather, a few of the recreational places, but that was it. Upon graduating from UMass Dartmouth though, I became more aware of the community I lived in, I had been exposed to places and organizations like the Dartmouth YMCA, E for All, amongst others.

When I learned that I’ll be participating in a leadership program called Leadership SouthCoast, which engages, educates, and empowers diverse individuals to become active community leaders in a vigorous network, I was highly elated. I was so thrilled that I would finally get to learn more about my community, not only that, but I will contribute positively to the community’s growth to improve and strengthen the SouthCoast region, via embarking on several community projects. 

Leadership SouthCoast, broadened my knowledge to the entire SouthCoast community. While everyone else is from the area, I believe I speak for all the cohorts that we’ve grown to know more and appreciate our surroundings. During the past ten months, we learned quite a lot about the public health, education system, economic development, environmental sustainability, criminal justice, the government, Arts & Culture, basic needs, so much so, that we visited significant areas ranging from Sister Rose house, the State House in Boston, Fall River Justice Center, Round the bend Farm where we had the most natural meal ever.  

Above and beyond the community, we’ve also learned the importance of positive leadership! Positive leadership! Another essence of which Leadership Southcoast revealed. “Identifying a need, deciding on the best course of action to address the need and have others respond in ways that are similarly forward moving. Positive leadership, the act of advocacy, showing gratitude and social force;” We applied these throughout the course of this program, significantly in the projects we all embarked on and presented just last week from our respective agencies - the Regeneration Project, YEAH Corps, Rise Up for Homes, Partners for A Healthier Community - Household Store Home Project, New Bedford Public School - Educators Resource Guide, FR Mayor’s Youth Council – Youth/Adult Collaboration and the Azorean Maritime Heritage Society – Capacity Building Project, which ended in a wonderful Azorean way, “para nosa saude”, meaning “for our good health”

Working on these projects brought us all together and allowed us to realize the messiness of learning as it helped us grow, enhanced our leadership skills and indeed brought to light the impact and importance of positive leadership. 

Leadership SouthCoast has been such an amazing experience for me. Today of course, is not just about me, but all of us the graduating class of 2018! So, when I asked my peers about their experiences, some responses I got were, quote “My thought/high point is that the LSC program brought together good people; and gave each of us the opportunity to establish friendships that will last long after our class graduates… which would have otherwise never happened.” Another cohort said, quote… “This year at LSC has taught me to embrace my strengths and given me a deeper sense of the direction to focus my energy.”

We’ve all gained knowledge on the community, self, and of course leadership. We commenced our journey with a welcoming retreat, found our Strengths throughout this journey and learnt to develop our weaknesses through the StrengthFinder assessment, and we’ve transformed. Transformed our minds, thought, perspectives and biases. It is now time to launch! 

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Below is a picture of the LSC 2018 graduating class!