Representation Starts Locally

A Local Leader Lab Q&A with Ornella

“Your local neighborhood, your local demographic, local government is where the change happens.”

What motivated you to step up for your community?

I identify as a Black female. I didn’t always, because I was born and raised in Jamaica. When I moved to America, it was the first time I realized that my identity was Black.

Upon moving here, I also experienced the lived experiences that came with that identity. A lot of times, I feel like Black females are silenced.

I’m really driven around making sure people’s voices are always heard, no matter their identity, especially in spaces and times when decisions that impact them are being made.

What made you decide to join the Local Leader Lab?

Everyone felt like they were in despair. I kept being a part of conversations around “our democracy is failing” and I kept thinking that by definition, democracy is “by the people, for the people.” If it’s failing, that means we’re not operating correctly in it. That’s what made me decide to do something about it.

Your local neighborhood, your local demographic, local government is where the change happens, because daily interactions impact you. While the federal nation can feel so far away, daily, you’re in your neighborhood, dealing with your neighbors, your local politician, and the decisions they make impact you. I really adored the local, immediate feel of the Lab.

How has the Lab influenced the way you approach your goals?

It has given me strategy, pausing and clarifying what I care about. Defining issues clearly. The Lab provided tools to take meaningful action. Mapping out people who value the same issue allowed me to reach out and have conversations, leading to identifying gaps and next steps.

What’s been the biggest impact on you since joining?

My confidence. I now truly believe I can act on an issue I’ve been thinking about for the last three years. I have not acted in a solid way about it, because I was lacking the confidence. “Do I know the right people? Do I know the right things to do?”

Sometimes we think action is this grand thing, but it’s having a conversation with the people around you to get some insight, right? It’s talking to partners that value the same issue that you do. It doesn’t always have to be this large thing. Let’s just begin the conversations, and that’s action sometimes.

This group has not only increased my confidence, but it has reshaped what I define as leadership. A leader is someone who identifies an issue and is willing to take action on it.