Andrew Yang Youth Leadership Workshop on Feb. 20, 2024
Andrew Yang visits Durham, NC for the first MOVENC Youth Leadership Workshop
(by Phoebe Xu, Enloe High School, February 20, 2024)
On February 20th, an unassuming Tuesday afternoon, I walked into a conference building in the Research Triangle Park in Durham, NC, ready to unlock valuable leadership advice from Asian political legend Andrew Yang.
Andrew Yang was the guest speaker for the first Youth Leadership Workshop hosted by MOVENC. The event was highly successful, with more than 40 middle and high school students from all across the North Carolina Triangle in attendance. During the 2-hour session, we commenced with an interview session with Andrew, a Q&A session, a debate about valuable leadership skills, and concluded with an inspirational statement from Andrew Yang.
I could feel the eagerness and buzz of excitement the moment I entered the conference room. It is a rare opportunity for a public figure to visit our small community to advocate for leadership, and we were all ears the moment Yang stepped toward the center stage. During the interview, Yang discussed topics from growing up with immigrant parents to his career and presidential campaign. It was gratifying to hear from a public figure who shares the same cultural background as me, since he related to our teenage struggles of finding our path through our American and Chinese cultures. Yang went on to discuss his professional journey and how he went from an attorney to a presidential candidate. He addressed us by explaining how we often think of careers as rigid occupations, such as being a firefighter, astronaut, or policeman, but in reality, the professional world is fluid and full of opportunities for individuals to find their true passions. As a high school junior with college applications right around the corner, I am as lost as ever about what I want to pursue in college and beyond. I will carry this advice with me as I challenge myself to explore new interests.
The second segment was a debate activity that asked a big, even a little ambiguous question: “What is the most important superpower/skill a leader can have?” Communication, influence, courage, initiative, all teams brought up qualities of great leaders. I believe a leader can’t be defined by one trait, instead the synergistic effect of these four skills, and many more, inspire others to take action. A leader is a fluid word. Leaders can be found everywhere, from the unassuming bypasser who helps you on the street to a team leader at work; we all have the power to be a leader.
Yang closed the workshop with an inspirational thought. He encouraged us to become a better version of ourselves and find opportunities to be leaders. He gave us a small signed journal and encouraged us to all write our goals within the pages. Again he harkened back to his improbable journey from a late-blooming Chinese boy to a presidential candidate. Yang exclaimed that he was living proof that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. One fateful day he wrote “My goal is to run for president” in his notebook, and those words became a reality. Similarly, he encouraged all of us to write down our goals, no matter how fantastical, in our notebooks and work towards achieving our dreams.
I’m thankful to MOVENC for this unique opportunity. Not only was I able to meet Andrew Yang, but I was inspired by his words of advice. I have met one more role model who will influence my life far beyond this unexpected Tuesday afternoon.
Andrew Yang: Challenging Cultural Norms by Embracing Failure
(by Caroline Wang, East Chapel Hill High School, February 20, 2024)
In the world of American politics, few stories are as inspiring as that of Andrew Yang, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, who defied convention to become a national figure and a presidential candidate. His transformation from an introverted, “angry” teenager to a prominent figure offers valuable insights into the Asian perspective on failure. In a typical Asian household, where success is often tied to academic achievements, Yang’s experiences underscore the significance of embracing failure for personal and professional growth. At the MOVENC Youth Leadership Workshop on February 20th, 2024, Yang shared these insights through interviews and engaging activities with presenters Eric Ye, Katie Shen, and Maggie Su, offering a unique perspective on navigating uncharted paths.
Andrew Yang’s early years were marked by the familiar pressures of a typical Asian household, with expectations of excelling academically and securing a stable job. Describing himself as a “skinny, scrawny, nerdy kid,” Andrew recounted how, in third grade, he would cry when it came time for him to present in front of the class. He notes that, like many Asian boys, he was a “late bloomer,” undergoing significant personal growth as he became increasingly involved in his school’s plays and theater department. This sheds light on the pressures faced by Asian youth and the transformative power of embracing one’s unique journey. The question that naturally arises is: How did this all-too-relatable Asian kid overcome these challenges to ultimately ascend to the status of a national figure and even run for the highest office in the country?
Yang’s career path, from lawyer to CEO to nonprofit leader, highlights life’s unpredictable nature, where outcomes rarely align with our initial expectations. He illustrates this with his nonprofit leadership experience, where securing supporters and fundraisers yielded a 15% success rate, contrasting sharply with the high academic standards expected of Asian children. Yang stresses the value of embracing failure, noting that the benefits and recognition from rare victories outweigh the multitude of setbacks. He encourages us to pursue our endeavors boldly, without fear of failure holding us back.
Yang addresses the dichotomy between academic expectations and real-life challenges, illustrating this with a teen in the audience aspiring to spread a religious message. He emphasizes that even if the aspiring spiritual leader reaches just 5% of the intended audience, the impact on those individuals is profound. He contends that while academic success often demands perfection, real-world success is about accepting and learning from mistakes and celebrating each victory that comes along. This perspective challenges the prevalent notion within Asian households that perfection is the only acceptable standard.
Andrew Yang’s experiences provide a unique lens through which to examine the Asian perspective on failure. By challenging the cultural significance on academic perfection and promoting a more embracing attitude toward mistakes, Yang contributes to a shift that better prepares Asian youth for the realities of the real world. As we delve into Yang’s insights, it becomes evident that embracing failure is not a setback but a valuable tool for personal and professional growth within the Asian community. This mindset, nurtured through the experiences shared by Yang, serves as a foundation to grow and prepare the youth leaders of the future for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
MOVENC 首场 “青少年领导力研讨会” 在RTP举行：特邀嘉宾 Andrew Yang 称美籍华裔青少年将成为化解美国政治两极化的强大助力
2/20/2024【华e生活南卡哥伦比亚伊馨报道】
2月20日下午，由 MOVENC C3 (Margin of Victory Empowerment Foundation）主办的首场 “青少年领导力研讨会”（Youth Leadership Workshop) 在北卡研究三角园区（RTP）成功举行。此次研讨会旨在鼓励华裔青少年积极参与社会政治事务，成为变革的推动者和领导者。穆淑云主席亲赴纽约邀请到了著名美籍华裔政治家、企业家 Andrew Yang (杨安泽) 先生作为特邀嘉宾。
在筹备小组的精心组织下，研讨会吸引到了来自研究三角地区的四十多位初高中学生参与。出席研讨会的还有陪同前来的家长、活动赞助人、主办方领导、及多家华人媒体。活动现场气氛活跃而热烈，全程掌声笑声不断。
三位小主持人，Eric Ye, Katie Shen, 和 Maggie Su， 在繁忙的课业和大学入学申请之余，抽出宝贵的时间提前做足了功课。首先由他们代表在场的青少年向嘉宾提问。在回答问题的过程中，Andrew 分享了自己作为年级中仅有的两名华裔学生在成长过程中经历的困扰和挑战。然而他并没有让少数族裔的身份束缚自己学业和职业发展，反而充分发挥自己的聪明才智，转劣势为优势。这份灵活和坚韧使他在第一次创业失败后，能迅速整顿心情，再次大胆尝试，并获得了巨大的商业成功。公司被收购后，Andrew 创立了名为 “为美国就业” 的非营利性奖学金计划，旨在 “通过动员美国下一代企业家在美国城市创业来为美国制造就业机会，并为这些创业者提供创造就业所需的技能与资源”。 Andrew 并没有止步于此。2020 年，他参加了总统选举民主党初选。次年，参与了纽约市长竞选。为了更好地实现自己”重振公平、繁荣的经济” 的政治理想和抱负，Andrew 成立了独立党派前进党 （Forward Party)。Andrew 从一名内向腼腆的华裔男孩成长为著名企业家、政治活动家的人生历程，给现场的华裔青少年及家长带去了极大的鼓舞和启发。
接下来的环节是团队辩论。辩论题目是：“对于领导来说，最重要的一项超能力/技能是什么？” 辩论小组成员有十分钟准备时间，接着由一名代表来陈述观点。四个小组给出的答案分别是：修辞与共情 (rhetoric and empathy)、沟通 (communication)、勇气 (courage)、及变通 (adaptability), 并提供了详实的论据。接下来的交互提问 (crossfire debate) 尤为精彩。这个环节对辩手的逻辑思维能力、语言组织能力、及现场反应速度要求极高。辩手们一边要迅速挖掘新素材以反驳对方的攻讦，维护己方的观点；另一方面要迅速找出对方论点中的逻辑漏洞，并发起有力进攻。参与这个环节的各小组代表们均表现出了令人敬佩的勇气、临阵不慌的冷静、默契的团队协作精神、及灵活组织语言的能力。小组代表的总结发言进一步强化了各组的观点。四个小组各有特色，难分伯仲。Andrew 对每个小组的表现给予了充分肯定。最后，变通（adaptability）组被判定胜出，获得了由主办方颁发的特别奖品。主办方同时赠予所有辩论参与者人手一本由 Andrew 亲笔签名的笔记本。 Andrew 也鼓励孩子们随手记录下自己的人生目标，因为这样更容易梦想成真。
接下来的自由提问环节，孩子们就领导力这一主题提出了和各自经历及兴趣相关的问题，Andrew 分别给予了精彩的回答并提出了建议。笔者印象最为深刻的是他强调在解决美国当下尤为突出的 “political polarization” (政治两级分化）问题中，华裔青少年将会成为一股起关键作用的力量, 原因是 ”We Chinese are system thinkers”（中国人自古以来就是系统思维者) 。Andrew的这一观点极具前瞻性，也通过数位华裔部长（比如能源部长朱棣文，商务部长骆家辉，劳工部长赵小兰）的任职获得了初步验证。华裔孩子有着丰富多元的文化背景和价值观：他们既吸收了西方文化的精华，比如独立自主意识，又继承了中国文化的精髓，比如全局式思维。笔者认为，对诸如政治两级化 (political polarization) 此类社会顽疾的治疗，中西医结合才是最有效的治疗方式，因为这一方案既注重局部，同时又关注整体。从这个意义上来讲，华裔青少年未来为美国社会的稳定、发展、和繁荣做出的贡献将是其他少数族群无法替代的。
在和孩子们的现场互动中，Andrew 充分展示了一个领袖人物的人格魅力。他的言谈举止散发着自信、真诚、幽默、睿智。同时，也表现得和蔼可亲、平易近人，为孩子们树立了完美的榜样。这样的热情互动一直延续到了晚上的新春晚宴。他耐心地和孩子们及家长亲切交谈并一一合影留念。
MOVENC主办的首场 “青少年领导力研讨会” 对研究三角地区的华裔孩子们来说意义非凡。它不仅为孩子们提供了一个和政治明星 Andrew Young 见面并亲密互动的机会，也在他们的心灵中埋下了一粒种子、点燃了一颗火苗。在未来的日子里，这粒种子将继续吸收阳光雨露的滋润，生根发芽，直到长成参天大树。有了这颗火苗，孩子们将拥有披荆斩棘、朝着自己的人生理想和崇高目标一路迈进的勇气，遇到挫折和困难时也会学会灵活变通。这不仅是未来美国，也是未来全世界需要的领袖人物。加油，华裔青少年们！未来在你们脚下，世界在你们手中！
特别鸣谢：摄影师 Liya 提供活动现场照片
