Cade Williams
iBELIEVE is an organization that honestly changed my life. I know that numerous participants who have been through the program have said this, but don’t you want to know why? Let me tell you about my story; then you’ll see why so many people have this opinion.
The beginning of high school was not a fantastic time for me. I got bullied and my home life wasn't anywhere near to being an ideal environment for a teenager, let alone a child, to grow, develop, and mature in. Not shockingly, my personality didn’t fit in with the personas of most of the student population in my class. My interests, past, and traits didn’t align with most kids. It was apparent I was different. I wasn’t taken seriously by most peers; my opinion only mattered to some of my friends.
I live and mostly grew up in Peebles, Ohio. Peebles is a village located in Adams County, which is within the Appalachian region of Ohio. Unlike the majority of my peers, I had been exposed to things that those who befriended me had never experienced before in their lives. Bluntly state it, I hadn't been sheltered like numerous Appalachian children are, identically like most of my classmates were. I have not been confined solely to the area I have lived in most of my life.
When I was selected to attend an iBELIEVE workshop during the summer, I was intrigued. After attending the informational meeting, my interests grew even more. I participated in my first workshop at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. After my first senior high workshop had concluded, my life had been changed for the better. iBELIEVE allowed me to vocalize my opinion and they valued it. I was able to meet a diverse group of kids, gain leadership skills, and was able to express my passion for Appalachia as well as my beliefs. My viewpoints mattered, and I was taken seriously.
Fast forward past two more workshops and being a volunteer staff member for two years, I am now in college majoring in Urban Studies and wanting to come back to improve my small Appalachian town. The theme during my first workshop was that we kids are world changers; our planet is in our hands and we can make positive change. Without the influence iBELIEVE has brushed upon me, I wouldn’t know how to be as empowered as I am as an Appalachian nor would I have the amount of self-confidence I have today. Amongst the many things I’ve learned, this foundation has taught me to embrace the person I am, know people love you and care about you regardless of where you/they are, and most importantly, how to be a leader. Leadership is the key to a better future, regardless if you are an Appalachian defying the cultural, economic, and societal barriers you face throughout life or a kid trying to express themselves in a constrictive environment like I was myself. Darkness blights in a world of chaos, but leadership takes the "b" away that brings light to the despaired.