Blog post#2

 The Development of Impact: Our Joint Review of Global Changemakers

  Before working on this comprehensive project, my idea about a changemaker was quite narrow-minded. Social change to me implied something that had happened in politics or at some key points in history mentioned in textbooks. At that time, I failed to understand the range of options available to a person seeking to make a profound contribution to society across decades and various domains. Nonetheless, after doing research on my assigned subject – Usain Bolt, but mostly due to listening carefully to my classmates' presentations – my viewpoint expanded significantly. This project demonstrated to me how people managed to change the world in all sorts of areas, ranging from sciences to sports.

  One of the lessons I took away from the project was that a significant amount of persistence and tenacity are essential for a successful career as a changemaker. Indeed, despite the field and time period, all the individuals we discussed faced a certain degree of resistance to their ideas. Even such a prominent athlete like Bolt encountered many hurdles on his path to glory. It would have been simple for a person to give up under pressure. The common pattern that emerged from the analysis of all those leaders is that real change takes time and cannot happen overnight. This is one of the key lessons I will keep in mind while striving to achieve my long-term goals as a student.

  For my individual presentation, I chose to investigate the life and achievements of Usain Bolt. Of course, it was known before that Bolt was extremely fast and won many medals. However, looking at him from the angle of a changemaker revealed how professional sport can help bring socioeconomic progress. Bolt made huge investments into Jamaica's infrastructure and education system to build the better future of his native country. Thus, he became the symbol of pride and inspiration for the entire nation. Nonetheless, Bolt is just one example of how people try to make the world a better place with their unique skills. Comparing him to other leaders we examined, it becomes clear that his role is far from accidental.

   Undoubtedly, listening to the presentations of my peers was the most exciting part of completing this assignment, giving me a chance to observe how humans change the world throughout several decades. It became evident that what it means to become a changemaker depends on the time period. Some of the speakers focused on heroes of the mid- to late 20th century who challenged oppressive laws, stood up for basic rights of human beings, or even put their lives at risk to support a good cause. Other students discussed scientists and humanitarians whose years of dedication and work in labs or poor districts saved millions of lives without receiving recognition in mass media. The diversity of stories conveyed the lack of a ready-to-use template to revolutionize the world, since it can be achieved by loudly changing the globe or silently making a difference locally.

  Moreover, the comparison of our work showed how the nature of the challenges changes with time passing. While leaders of earlier decades had to overcome isolation and communication difficulties, today, they have to be able to operate in a much more complex environment where media scrutiny is inevitable. Yet, the fundamental traits of a changemaker remain the same across ages: courage, empathy, systemic thinking, and readiness to devote one's life to others are qualities that helped both a 1960s activist and a 21st-century celebrity.

  In addition, analyzing various cases of global changemakers taught me that there is no fixed definition of a leader. In my previous view, a leader was someone with authority who commanded other people. After working on this project, however, my perspective on leadership changed completely. I discovered that leading does not necessarily mean managing or ordering people around; it can consist in establishing standards and being inspired by others. Any of us can be a leader by excelling in something and motivating others to do the same.

  Finally, this assignment taught me the importance of cooperation and collaboration. Despite the myth of heroic single figures who singlehandedly brought about revolutions, none of the people we discussed accomplished their mission on their own. All of them had a team of helpers who supported them in the struggle for good, and every achievement was preceded by an army of followers and friends. Collaboration seems to be key to creating sustainable change because only together we can make an impact.

  Another important lesson was that it does not take much to change the world, at least initially. Sometimes, we idealize what it means to make a change and think that if something is not immediately visible on a global scale, then it is not important. However, looking back on the stories of other changemakers revealed that the global impact usually starts from small things done on a local level. Any action we take to help another person, to improve a nearby district, or stand up against discrimination can have long-lasting effects.

  It feels good to know that this assignment forced me out of my academic comfort zone. Now, I had to analyze social mechanisms instead of providing basic information, and presenting Bolt helped me to form a basis, while listening to the presentations of my classmates gave me the context needed to comprehend the material more deeply. This experience showed me that learning is most effective when it helps synthesize new ideas and draw parallels between seemingly unrelated things.

  To conclude, this project turned out to be an extremely enlightening academic experience for me that has fundamentally transformed my understanding of my role in this world. Transitioning from the specific case of Usain Bolt to the discussion of all the other inspiring people showed me that any person, regardless of the period or the area, can make a difference in the world. With whatever skill we have, we can improve this planet by applying our efforts to benefitting others.