Editor’s note: The following was written by Thea Sreynit in response to the question, “What does Students For Liberty mean to you?” It is published [sic], in its entirety. You’ll see why.
People around the world, they all have their own purpose to do something. Also, the same as me, I have my own purpose to find the one place that I can grow, improve my speaking, express my ideas, and new experiences. By the way, I found an organization called Students For Liberty.
My name is Thea Sreynit. I am from Cambodia. I study at two universities in graphic design and literature and I am interested in improving myself every day. I love learning something new and stepping out of my comfort zone. But sometimes I also feel unsure of my English. I still continue to practice and improve with confidence.
When I first joined Students For Liberty, I was even worse unsure of myself and didn’t fully understand what it was. I have opinions but I don’t know how to express or say them. But sometimes I also was shy about expressing my opinion, especially in public. I also feel like my thoughts didn’t matter or that I wasn’t really a leader. But Students For Liberty became the place where anything changed.
From my first event, I feel something different. Support, encouragement, and guidance from the regional coordinator. During that time, I also met a young leader who believed in freedom and peace as deeply as I did. Their character leads to something that inspires me. I also found that young leaders should fight for similar values in their own lives. Their courage proves me to be braver.
Every workshop, the same conference, and roundtable discussion introduced me to the Power Idea. This let me understand the principles of freedom which they are abused, not abstract theories. And they also helped me to learn how to express my opinion clearly (in Cambodian language and eventually English language), listen to others respectfully, and define my beliefs with confidence.
SFL is also a platform which gives me the opportunity to let myself understand and explore who I am and what I stand for. They also taught me about practical skills in which I can take the idea or value I believe in and turn it into action.
I also learned how to organize events, communicate with the audience, and manage a project effectively. Every activity challenged me to push me out of my comfort zone. The more I protest, the more I realize that young leaders have enough ability and also can make real action in their community.
This is a piece of my experience in Students For Liberty. But for now, my journey is still going and I work forward with confidence, purpose, and responsibility. And one more is the last: joining Students For Liberty was a turning point that helped me to find my voice.
