My name is Naureen Singh and I am a recent graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Last year, I had the opportunity to be a part of SALDEF’s 5th annual Leadership Development Program (LDP). My participation in LDP left a profound impact on my journey as a Sikh American in Colorado. I encourage all of my fellow Sikh American youth to take advantage of this transformative opportunity and apply today! 
Colorado, in comparison to other states, has a small Sikh population. Throughout my life, I would seek out opportunities to meet other Sikh youth and learn more about the Sikh American community. My search led me to SALDEF, and in the summers of 2014 and 2015, I participated in the SikhLEAD Internship Program. The internship program showed me the importance of Sikh representation in the government and taught me how to educate my fellow Americans about my faith. During both summers, my cohorts and I organized “Langar on the Hill,” an event that attracted public officials and simultaneously raised awareness for Sikhism. I left the internship program feeling inspired to continue using my voice as a Sikh American to bring about real change in Colorado. I was eager dive into the work; however, when I realized that I needed to learn more hard and soft skills to engage with the Sikh community I decided to apply for SALDEF’s SikhLEAD LDP. LDP exceeded all of my expectations. During my two residency programs, I gained invaluable tools necessary for effective leadership. With the workshops, one-on-one trainings, and various exercises, my LDP class and I learned how to take each of our unique stories and create narratives that empower ourselves and those around us. Most importantly, we learned how to articulate our stories with honesty and poise, or as we called it in our training, to speak our truth. 
The greatest take-away I had from LDP are the lifelong mentors and friends that I made in my class. My SALDEF mentors used their experiences and knowledge to help me solidify my own goals, and my SikhLEAD peers provided me with the community I was searching for. I gained a support system with countless resources that will now stand with me during my journey as a Sikh leader. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been selected as an LDP leader; the experience changed my life. If you, or someone you know, is interested in leadership and community development, I would encourage you to apply today! Applications are due by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on Monday, January 9, 2017. Start the journey to becoming a more effective Sikh American changemaker at www.SikhLEAD.org today!
