Public Allies Arizona’s 13th class will graduate on June 28, the completion of a 10-month AmeriCorps program that places emerging young leaders at local nonprofits for full-time paid apprenticeships. (Find out how you can get involved as an Ally or a Partner Organization.) In this post, meet Class 13 Ally Samira Amin, who was placed at Mesa Arts Center Foundation.

“A leader must lead, but also be ready to follow. They must be aggressive, but not overbearing. A leader must be calm, but not robotic. They must be confident, but never cocky. A leader must be brave, but not foolhardy. They must have a competitive spirt, but be a gracious loser.” –Jocko Willink

Why did you want to join Public Allies?

 I was seeking an opportunity to gain experience in community development. What made me want to join Public Allies was learning the skills to develop and grow as a leader, which I knew would benefit me personally and professionally. After receiving my bachelor's degree, I knew I needed guidance to figure out what direction I could head in with the skills I have.

What is your favorite part about being an Ally?

How supportive the cohort is, and how much they believe in me. I never knew what I was capable of until Public Allies pushed me and gave me the tools to be stronger than I thought I was and more brave than I thought I could be. I learned so much about myself and there is comfort in knowing I have support from others who are growing and developing like I am.

What do you hope your future holds?

I am excited to be doing a second year of Public Allies! My favorite leadership action is continuous learning, and since I moved here from the east coast to be in this program, I feel like there is still so much to learn. I want to implement the leadership skills I have developed so far in building capacity, collaborating with great organizations and inspiring others.

What has been your biggest takeaway from the program so far?

I realized that things don't get any easier; they just get easier to manage. Good leaders can take any situation and run with it. They don't complain and they don't put the blame on others; they just figure it out.

What advice would you give to someone interested in participating in Public Allies?

I would let them know that this program allows you to learn so much and opens doors for so many opportunities if you allow it to. What you put into the program is what you are going to get out of it. I would also let them know that they are going to be challenged in many ways, but will learn so much from the Public Allies experience. 

Samira Amin is part of Public Allies' Class 13. She was placed at Mesa Arts Center Foundation. Public Allies Arizona is a 10-month apprenticeship program designed to develop the next generation of civic leaders.

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