Ms Kelly Chan Ka Yu, a current student in the English & Education Double Degree program, completed the SUSI Madeleine K. Albright Young Women Leaders Program and shared her wonderful experience!

In 2023 summer, I was fortunate enough to be one of the 80+ participants of the Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) Madeleine K. Albright Young Women Leaders. The 5-week intensive program, indeed, broadens my horizon and inspires me a lot.

The first week took place in Washington D.C. where I had several discussions related to global women, ranging from the impediments faced by women in different locations to various cultural expectations for women, with participants from 22 countries. Not until then did I realize the fact that many women are still in horrifying shackles, and are uneducated and abused. Simple things like menstruation are not well-introduced to women, leading to the misconception that menstruation is dirty and hideous, rather than a purely natural biological process. Child marriage and forced marriage are no strangers to women in these places. Undoubtedly, these women have been living in the dark every day since they were born, being treated as men’s products, rather than human beings. I feel terribly sorry for women who have to experience all these. Humans are born to be equal, I fervently believe. To make a change, all of us bear the responsibility to show respect to different genders and voice for those unvoiced. None of us deserves any form of discrimination or violence.

Starting this year, the program is named after Madeleine K. Albright, a former United States secretary of state. Along our journey, we, the participants, learned about her history and the key personal qualities contributing to her success. Seemingly, both showing empathy and being open to different ideas are crucial when it comes to finding common ground. She taught us not to hold a negative and aggressive attitude toward our ‘enemy’, but to initiate an open conversation for communication, reminding us of the importance of managing our emotions. During our stay in Washington D.C., to honor the legacy of Madeleine K. Albright, we were lucky enough to meet the sister of Madeleine K. Albright and her former colleagues and listen to the beautiful stories of this remarkable woman. To these speakers, Madeleine K. Albright is not only an incredible political leader but a wise person who makes positive changes to their lives.

For the remaining 4 weeks, we studied adaptive leadership at the University of Kansas. Truthfully speaking, never had I expected that I could gain so many enlightening takeaways there. First and foremost, they taught me that leaders are not a single individual, but everyone who displays leadership qualities. In other words, you and I can be the “leader”. Very often, we may solely rely on the leader, hoping that he/she can resolve certain social issues for us while neglecting the impacts we can bring to our society. Leadership, in fact, can always start with you. What if we are the ones who can learn and experiment and make a positive change? Never ever underestimate our ability and be the change.

Another takeaway is that conflicts can be useful which brings positive impacts. As an ISFJ individual who values people’s feelings so much (too much), I always avoid conflicts in different ways: employing work avoidance mechanisms like telling a joke or a story and temporarily reclaiming responsibility for the tough issues. I felt enlightened after I had realized the values of conflicts: getting each view on the table and coming up with the best solution. Conflict can be good. conflict can be useful too once we listen actively and communicate respectfully.

The third takeaway is the culture of Lawrence, Kansas. At the weekends, we often explored and shopped in downtown Lawrence (I was in love with that place). One fun fact about the locals: they love reading a lot. Not only do they enjoy reading books, but they also relish discussing them with their friends, including children. What amazes me is that there are many local bookshops downtown that receive unlimited support from the locals. The reading culture is hugely celebrated by the locals, unquestionably. Back in Hong Kong, lamentably, it appears that people do not enjoy reading, generally. However, the benefits of reading are obvious: being knowledgeable and reducing stress. While being overwhelmed by the technology-oriented world, maybe reading would be a great idea to detox.

I am sincerely thankful for this amazing opportunity which makes my summer unforgettable. I am very grateful that I have become one of the SUSI sisters since this summer. I miss all the girls I met who were kind-hearted and ambitious. I am certainly empowered after this inspiring journey, being brave enough to fight for my goals — improve the education received by students with special education needs. The things I have experienced and the people I met this summer will always be preserved in my memory.