City Year today, public policy next year

Every time I had a slumber party at my house, my mom would always come down and yell at me. Not because I was her daughter but because I was the loudest. She would say, “Susan I can’t hear anybody talking but you.” In high school, teachers would say, that they didn’t have to see me to know I was in class because my voice well made it known. In college I was given the award, “most likely to be heard from a 10 mile radius.” Because of all of this I was never proud of my voice. I was ashamed of it. But as time went on I started to realize that I could use my voice to my advantage.
Taking that idea and mixing it together with the desire to help people, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to be the voice for those who couldn’t be heard or speak for themselves. Working with City Year this past year has given me the chance to use my voice for the students that I serve in Philadelphia. I’m able to hear their stories. Stories that I am able to see first hand and see what must be done to change the system that is failing them.
After City Year I plan to continue to fight as an advocate for change in a flawed system. Not only am I being prepared by hearing the stories of my students but also by the leadership training that City Year provides for its corps members. The connections and networking I’ve been able to gain through City Year events and functions are priceless and will help me in the future. I hope to work in some form of public policy setting where I can use my voice for my students and their families, so they can be heard and not ignored anymore. City Year is preparing me on a daily basis for this.
City Year has provided me with not only the chance to put my words be put into action by being a voice for my students, but also by continuing to harvest the idealism that is inside of me. The idealism that I use on a daily basis to know that I can make a difference in this world through my voice. The voice that I once thought would plague all my future goals. But in reality is now the key to my future goals.
Everyday that I put on the red jacket I’m not only using my voice by standing up for the students I serve but also for something bigger, the idea that young people can change the world. Which is something that I love using my voice for.

Susan, 22, corps member, Comcast team at University City HS