Rebecca Bradley, LSU, Class of 2001
Congratulations 2020 graduates!
You’ve accomplished the first big step in your adult life, a noble professional degree. But unlike graduates before you, you now start your post academic life with an experience worth more than your degree – discomfort. Discomfort forces the strong and empathetic among us to make a change. Discomfort challenges you to shift culture. Now, more than ever this world needs humans and professionals who are strong and courageous. Take this great pause, and welcome the notion of being comfortable with discomfort. No one ever made a shift in culture, in their personal life or in the trajectory of an industry out of comfort. Now that many traditional next steps aren’t available to you, use this time to craft your own story for what is next.
Take a deep breath, remember the strengths of the human. The conscious thinker – who can work with empathy as a secret weapon. The human, who is of nature – not in conflict with nature. You chose to be a steward of the land, the profession that works with natural systems and whom has the power to right many social and environmental injustices. Through your work, you can lead humans back to our connection to the land and help us all find common ground. Now go out, learn and collaborate with the communities and other industries that need YOU.
Be kind, be strong, be courageous – do something that matters.
More fuel for doing something that matters with your next step:
Make yourself a Linchpin, how do become invaluable?
Remember the rules of The Studio
Be a mentor, find a mentor – change a life
Understanding implicit bias, believing black people and the uncomfortable topic of Race.
The Earth is good to me, be good to Earth – understanding Drawdown
