by Michael Arreygue
Cesar Chavez. The co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union, once said that “students must have initiative, they should not be mere imitators. They must learn to think and act for themselves and be free.” Upon reading this quote and reflecting on my life, how much society has changed, not only do students, but we as people, must always take initiative. Students taking initiative can be seen today, as it has been seen in history.
One must always take initiative not only to create change, but to build up one’s character, self-esteem, and motivate all those similarly situated in any position or circumstance they may find themselves in.
Taking initiative is a quality that many of our employers, peers, teachers, parents, and society look for in the people we admire and in feeling that we can rely on them. Take some time to think of the people in your lives that take initiative. How do you view these individuals? How do others view them? Are they praised for their actions? Are they very much liked? And possibly seen as the go to guy or girl when we have a problem we do not know how to resolve?
I believe that a current event that recently took place, the Parkland student protest shows what taking initiative can do. The Parkland High School students who survived the shooting spoke out against gun violence and gun control. They took the initiative of letting their grief be heard, their true feelings of being let down by adults in the government, by those who trusted to protect them and that they had to protect themselves. This sparked a fire inside students across the country to realize that they, as students, are all in a similar situation that needs to be fixed.
A very true and problematic issue exists that effects the masses of this country’s youth was brought to the spotlight of the nation by the students taking initiative to speak out. Just like Cesar Chavez spoke out about the issues farm workers faced. All of those similarly situated need that one person to grab the bull by its horns and take it down, to respond and kind of follow. That is why Cesar Chavez’s words of “not being a mere imitator” rings so true for me. Why must we wait for someone to speak out, walk out, or be brave enough to challenge a problem for us to finally fight for what is right? Why can we not all be the leaders of change? The leaders of advocacy?
Taking initiative is an essential quality that we all need to practice and strive to instill within ourselves and others. This action of taking initiative is much more than a character or self-esteem builder. This also expands your mind.
When we take initiative we are contemplating, problem solving, critically thinking, which creates the sparks in our brain called synapses. These synapses are the fireworks in our brains that send and receive messages from neuron to neuron with lightning speed through our axons and dendrites, creating bridges in our minds for ideas to flow with fluidity, making new connections, working out our brain and giving us all those insightful “Aha!” moments.
Cesar Chavez must have stressed that “students must have initiative” possibly because it is the youth, the student and the child, who will become the adult who can be the policy maker, advocate, parent and changer of the world. Students are the future of our country and humanity.
We all need you students to be progressive, well informed, and take initiative to create change. Initiative can come in many different forms. There are many who may think or feel the way you do about a certain issue, but do not have the confidence or venue to let that opinion out.
When someone takes that chance to be heard, those who can relate contribute to the fight for the issue. So, speak up, be heard and be that leader that everyone is waiting for. Change is right in front of you and all around you.