Aspiring Leaders Program Pillars
Where I Come From
I am a doll from across the seas,
A gift returned with gentle ease.
Expected to sit, poised and bright,
A treasure kept in perfect light.
Louisiana cradled me near,
With scents of roux and voices clear.
In laughter rich and tales spun tight,
Where love is food and warmth is night.
My grandmother’s wisdom, soft yet strong,
Echoed in hymns, a guiding song.
“Never burn the bridge you cross,
Lest you feel the weight of loss.”
Yet, I once believed love must be earned,
Through perfect steps, applause discerned.
I painted myself in hues not mine,
Until I chose my own design.
Now, I am a canvas, bold and free,
A tale untold, a melody.
A bridge that joins, a flame that glows,
A spark within that ever grows.
I do not dim—I stand and shine,
Through words, through love, this voice is mine.
And when they meet me, they will see,
The power to rise, the strength to be.