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January 2018
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#InspireConfidence with Brooke Lopez4/9/2018 #InspireConfidence with Brooke Lopez Brooke Lopez is no stranger to advocacy and public service. Currently, she works in a full-time position with IGNITE National as the Texas Programs and Communications Director. She also works as an Ambassador for the Latino Center for Leadership Development, where her focus lies in their Policy Institute. Her next steps in life include attending UNT Dallas College of Law in Fall 2018 and running for office again one day.
Three Definers: Adjectives: Tenacious, Ambitious, and Intellectual Descriptors: Feminist, Latina, Activist What are you most proud of? I recently graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas this past December as the first from my family to attend and complete college. Additionally, I will also be the first person for generations in my family to attend law school. I am most proud to represent the Lopez name in a journey that is now greater than myself; when folks say they feel “pressure to perform” when they accomplish great feats like this, I have to disagree with them because I feel rather honored to begin our legacy. I can’t wait to continue my journey later this year. Can you tell us about your personal journey with confidence? At the age of 18, I decided to file for a place on the ballot as a candidate for Wylie, Texas City Council. Leading up to that moment, I had never felt truly confident in myself as a leader, let alone a potential elected official. It all began with a political leadership conference in D.C. that I attended in high school. At the time, I had never traveled outside of Texas without my parents, let alone to Washington, D.C., the capitol of the United States. During the conference, I met young women from across the country that aspired to change their communities as I had; we all held so much in common though we had never met. I had to force myself out of my comfort zone, as an introvert, to mingle with these powerful yet intimidating fellow activists. I had always identified as an outspoken individual but could never quite harness my ability to verbalize my thoughts into actions. Then, on the final evening of the conference, we were given the opportunity to stand in front of a crowd of hundreds of people, where we could declare our wish to run for office one day. And there I was, standing by myself on the stage with a light beaming across my clammy face, declaring my intention to run for public office. Only a week prior to this, I was a girl who stood steadfast in fear of public speaking and traveling alone. My journey towards confidence to run for office and eventually serve as a public appointed figure for my hometown began with a singular microphone, a spotlight, and a crazy idea that I could make my dreams, a reality. The best way that I have found will inspire confidence in others is to lead by example. As a young Latina activist, I have chosen to reach out to communities of young women who identify with what I represent. For example, I work for the non-profit IGNITE National, an organization that builds political ambition in young women. As the Texas Programs & Communications Assistant, part of my job allows me to work onsite, weekly, at high schools across the Dallas-Fort Worth Area, particularly campuses that are Hispanic serving institutions. Within this capacity, I serve as a mentor for young women hoping to become politically engaged in their community by sharing first-hand knowledge on policy, civic engagement, and leadership. By showing our participants that, they too, can become successful powerhouses of activism, I am able to inspire confidence in them.
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