Shekinah is one of our 2018 Leadership Competition winners. You can check out her winning entry here and her bio below.
Describe yourself in 80 words or less.
My name is Shekinah Taderera, I am African Australian and originally from South Australia. I have travelled in many places around Queensland whilst home-schooling with my larger than average family. I believe that my unique growing up has contributed to my care for people and social change. As, I complete my senior year in high school, I hope to pursue a career in social psychology with the end goal of helping youth overcome barriers, whether it be physical, mental or environmental.
How old are you, what grade are you in and what community/town do you live in?
I am 17 years old, I’m in year 12 and I live in Port Douglas, Far North Queensland.
Why did you enter Country to Canberra’s Leadership Competition?
I grew up quite shy, this conflicted my desire to talk about issues that were personal and important to me. This year I’ve been motivated to ‘seek discomfort’ which means challenging myself in ways that will help me grow as a person. This competition is a wonderful opportunity to gain leadership and public speaking skills. Initially, the concept of empowering girls to achieve more than what is expected propelled me to enter.
What do you hope to get out of the Power Trip to Canberra?
I hope to connect with likeminded people who will not only inspire me to change negative stereotypes and expectations but will also broaden my knowledge on female leaders and their pathways to politics.
Who is your role model and why?
Although I look up to my parents greatly, an external figure who I look up to the most is actress and activist Yara Shahidi. She is a young voice and leader who does amazing things such as advocating equal rights, human justice and natural beauty. From her work, I feel motivated to exceed all expectations, challenge trends and achieve great things.
What’s your favourite thing about living in rural Australia?
Living so far away from a major city, means that my community is very small, this means that there is no traffic delays or rushed environment.
What are you passionate about?
I am extremely passionate about spoken word poetry, youth and the concept of inspiring the next. We live in a society, where media has a major influence on how we treat others and see ourselves. I hope to change the negative effects of this by talking about my own experiences with the intent to hopefully inspire someone else.
What’s your favourite quote?
“Speak your truth, write consciously and love kindly.”
What’s your main goal/ambition right now?
Right now, I’m focusing on gaining new skills, creating lasting memories with my friends and writing a lot more.
Tell us a couple of things you do to relax/have fun?
To relax, I love to write poetry and watch inspiring Tedx/ Youtube videos. For fun, I like to hang out at the beach with friends.
How do people stay in touch with you?
Usually through instagram, @kikiki84
Shekinah’s Power Trip is kindly being sponsored by AgriFutures Australia!
