Week 5:
Power of value-laden networks, leadership mentors, and taking B-C-D- (Breadth, Context and Depth) into account.

July 23, 2021

This past week has imbued me within a broader network and structure of social change. It is quite imperative for young change-makers to not only learn about grassroots organizing but to also deepen their understanding of practical leadership. Practical leadership refers to the real-life, on-the-ground, emotionally, and psychologically invested leadership of leaders. It is practical leadership where one can compare and contrast the theory from reality and the ideas from concrete vision.

One of the best ways to inculcate such values is to constantly seek other, more experienced, and established leaders. To connect with such leaders, comprehend their passion, and learn from their life stories of how they fared through numerous challenges to get to where they are today. This kind of learning adds the wisdom of pragmatism and discernment to young leaders who are just now seeking to involve themselves in grassroots organizing. I have been very fortunate this week to have been able to connect with some wonderful leaders and be able to learn from their life stories.

This is a picture from our dinner with Miss Mindy, who just retired from her job. Miss Mindy is a caring, upright, and intelligent leader who served on Governor Charlie’s team in Massachusetts.

One of the important rules I have learned this week is to immerse myself in a diverse set of leadership roles and seek perspectives from diverse leadership journeys. This kind of broader knowledge allows one to meditate on the common issues that leaders face in today’s world, regardless of their industry.

Moreover, it is crucial to put oneself in an environment where those leadership lessons can be actively applied, refined, and amended. The SMP continues to be the most important aspect of practical leadership for me.

These are some pictures from our Art class. It’s a joy to see the creativity these kids bring to the program.

I believe one fantastic development that has happened is how the kids have gotten used to taking many, many selfies throughout the day. It is the new normal after Covid’s long year.

Miss Annie continues to cook delicious food. I believe I will be homesick, missing all the amazing food she cooks once the camp is over.

I thought it would be wonderful if our kids could write her thank you notes. Here, Miss Annie and Miss Sarabel (her helping hand) are smiling after receiving thank-you notes from my kiddo-sea horse team. Gratitude is such an incredibly important aspect of life. We as young leaders must develop the habit of appreciating all the people who contribute to our stories, especially those in our stories’ backgrounds.

In addition, I met with leaders from (Muslim American Society) MAS Boston, MAS (Public Affairs And Civic Engagement) PAC, The Islamic Seminary Boston, including other places. It especially pleases me to see Muslims contributing in so many different fields to the larger American Fabric, knitting a little bit at a time. From engineering to medicine to any other field, we find American Muslims bringing the service, kindness, and ethos of communal pluralism of Islam.

Moreover, the Mayoral elections are around the corner. And guess who visited our church on Sunday? This is Mayor Janey. I had the chance to listen to and interact with her.

Speaking of Sunday, guess what happened in Sunday School? Yes! I was teaching again, I can’t help but remember my friends calling me Professor Sunny, and I feel such a prediction may be coming true. I led a conversation on Muslim Celebrations on the 4th this Sunday. This experience in public scholarship is significant to my interfaith harmony advocacy, and I am extremely grateful to Reverend Burns for his continued, personal, and valuable mentorship for all my experiences as the interfaith intern @ The 4th. 

This Sunday, various different groups from the Boston area came together to hold a vigil. Many different leaders, such as Senator Collins, attended the event. Here Reverend Burns can be seen speaking to the audience at St. Angela Catholic Church.

Imaam Faruk is a very kind-hearted, merciful, and compassionate Muslim dedicated to making the Muslim community and the larger society better. Imaam Farukh spoke at the Vigil.

Lastly, how can I write a post about values, networking, Breadth, Context, and Depth, and not mention Reverend Burns? Here’s one of our many selfies, which I took at the Vigil. The most important learning from this past week has been of considering the whole and not the portions. Reverend Burns has taught me the importance of approaching projects with ample knowledge of Breadth, Context, and Depth.

Week 4: Power-Conversations, Inter-faith scholarship and the Loneliest Whale