2023 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award Recipient
Jamila Ahmadova, 17, Falmouth
Jamila has actively worked to improve the quality of life for people in her community by interning with Hope Acts, a Portland-based nonprofit dedicated to serving asylum seekers and refugees. During her time there, she played a vital role in assisting asylum seekers from various countries, such as South America, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, and Rwanda. Jamila's dedication to this cause is evident in her commitment to listening to the stories of these individuals, many of whom have taken great risks to cross borders, while others remain in the country with expired visas. Regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances, all of them share a common goal: to build a better life in the United States. Jamila's personal connection to the immigrant experience through her parents' journey adds to her motivation for this work. Her efforts have a direct, positive impact on each new client who seeks assistance in obtaining the essential document required for working in their new country. Jamila's contributions demonstrate her commitment to improving the quality of life for asylum seekers and refugees in her community through her diligent and compassionate work with Hope Acts.
An important success achieved by Jamila is her effort to establish and lead the Diverse Student Union at Falmouth High School, a club that addresses the lack of representation of minority voices in the predominantly white school. Not only does the club educate white students about important racial matters, fostering understanding, and promoting allyship, it also provides a safe and supportive environment for students of color to freely express their concerns, thoughts, and experiences. This has empowered these students to advocate for their needs and rights within the school community, creating a more inclusive and equitable environment. Recognizing the importance of starting conversations about race and social justice early, Jamila’s decision to extend the club to the middle school demonstrates her commitment to providing younger students with a similar space for discussion and empowerment. This success showcases her leadership and dedication to addressing issues of representation, education, and social justice in her school community.
Jamila has had to overcome bias and discrimination that she faces as a minority, specifically at her school. Despite her remarkable efforts in working for social justice and advocating for a more equitable community, she has encountered setbacks solely for who she is. Instead of being discouraged by it, Jamila has taken it as an opportunity to teach the students and staff about people of different backgrounds through various ways. Whether that be through Diverse Student Union, or implementing diversity trainings through administration, this challenge serves as a powerful reminder of Jamila’s unwavering dedication to dismantling the barriers of prejudice and discrimination that persist in our society and to create a world where individuals are judged based on their character and contributions rather than their appearance or ethnicity.
Honorable Mentions
Kameron Ali, 21, Portland
Kam is involved deeply in the advocacy and support of his fellow university students. Since the beginning of his academic career, Kam has been engaged on campus in student support roles — mentoring and guiding students through the “transition to college” experience. Kam has used his education to prepare himself for future advocacy in the health care field. According to Kam, "A career in occupational therapy would allow for a deeper understanding of the premises of occupational deprivation and abiding by a multi-dimensional model toward understanding personal experiences with poverty, injustice, and broader community engagement. The reality, so I’ve learned, is that my experiences with food insecurity and living in a ‘food desert’ may shape me into a better occupational therapist. Or, in an ethical sense, an occupational activist."
Kam intends to devote much of his professional career to being a humanitarian — sporting the essence of allyship, being a representative, and supporter to all those who are on the pursuit of engrossing fulfillment in day-to-day life activities. Kam believes, "the field of occupational therapy needs practitioners who can continuously empathize with the seemingly complicated health determinants amongst patients of all socioeconomic backgrounds.”
Kam is working to improve the quality of life for students on the University of Southern Maine's campus. He has been promoted to Lead Residential Assistant (RA) — mentoring RA's and creating positive living environments for students. He has also taken on the role of Graduate Assistant for Conduct and Mediation — using restorative justice strategies, he meets with students one-on-one to talk with them about incidents they have been involved in, supporting them through challenging situations without judgment.
Samson Cournane, 15, Penobscot
Samson has advocated for a diverse range of individuals across his community (Penobscot) who are concerned about patient safety. Samson originally started his outreach at the University of Maine where he was supported by graduate students who have recently reached their goal of being unionized. He established an online petition which has over 3,000 online supporters through Change.org. He has brought his advocacy to Washington, D.C., where he went alone to attend a whistleblower conference and had an opportunity to discuss the situation with Sen. Chuck Grassley. He has talked to countless individuals in his community about his cause and has been aided by Indivisible Bangor. Samson has done interviews for local, national, and international news organizations. Samson's original outreach for health care workers has expanded to deal with short staffing issues and larger concerns affecting individuals who work and receive healthcare in his community.