Building an Inclusive Community - Reflection from the Best Representative

So many of us worry about fitting in, but it is our willingness to put ourselves out there that can foster inclusivity for all, including ourselves.

The Best Representative of the Power for a Better Future Buddies Without Borders Online Forum, Gabby Louise Wieczorek (the Walker School, USA), shared her observations on her journey of building a community with her international teammates:

Gabby Louise Wieczorek (the Walker School, USA) The Best Representative of the Power for a Better Future Buddies Without Borders Online Forum

"When I started this forum, I was really nervous because I had just joined BWB this year as a high school freshman, and I had no idea if I was going to fit in here.

Thankfully, I branched out and tried to show confidence in who I am as a person, and I knew that if I did not fit in, I would still learn new things or just be able to have had a great experience.

Looking back at when I started, I would definitely tell myself to not be so nervous and be more excited for the experience I am having. I honestly had no idea what the Paris Agreement was, but because of this forum, I learned the importance of it and what it really does. I also learned that the U.S. is not a part of the agreement, which was really shocking to me as I did not know that.

My forum mates have been really impactful to me as we are from all different parts of the world, and even though our schedules may not always line up, we have connected in ways that I would not have expected. I have learned so many things from all about them, including things happening in their countries, advice since I am younger, and just things about them that are really interesting.

From this forum, I have really learned to not be afraid about others and that even if you have not met someone before, it is worth it to get to know them and not be scared. Going forward, I am going to take this experience and try to improve in my contribution to climate change and research about other countries and their impacts. I do hope to meet many others around the world and learn their experiences while trying to create new memories of my own."

The Best Representative Award is granted to one of the Top Five students who accumulated the most points during the forum based on their research and writing skills, and was subsequently chosen by their peers from the forum community for their communication capabilities.

Please join us in congratulating Gabby and all the forum participants for their collaborative efforts to build an inclusive global community. The Forum Outcome Report is now published here.