Name: Isabella Ennever
Grade: Year 11
Age: 16 Years
School: Casino High School
Hometown and State: Casino, New South Wales
LIFTING US UP – How can women and girls empower each other and their communities in times of uncertainty and change?
“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” - Eleanor Roosevelt.
As a tea bag is submerged in boiling water, it begins its dance of osmosis. The water slowly filters through the tea bag and in the process is flavoured and coloured by the contents within it; the once transparent substance becomes vibrant and beautiful. Although slow and sometimes tedious, if the water is not at a cooperative temperature, the teabag will still have an effect, albeit a humble one. When placed in boiling water, however, it acts fast and hard, it’s flavoured particles performing harmoniously with the harsh environment to produce the perfect cup of tea.
Rural communities in Australia, including mine, have been submerged over the course of 2020 in the boiling water. Drought, fires and COVID-19 have all challenged rural towns and their residents, but, throughout it all, our NSW premier Gladys Berijiklian has embodied the strength needed to guide us through these social and economic hardships, as well as accepting the changes that continue to come with them. Our Premier’s empathy and kindness over the past several months have taught me the difference between authority and leadership, two concepts I previously thought as interchangeable. Gladys’ leadership represented how it is not always having the power to make radical changes that makes the most difference, but the ability to show relatability and empathetic engagement with audiences such as the rural communities of NSW.
A woman’s potential leadership is not always obvious until a time of crisis. Recognising the qualities we all possess to make changes, whether subtle or decisive, is instrumental in empowering women in times of uncertainty. We will only be able to empower others by accepting the leadership within ourselves. India’s only female Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, suggested “the power to question is the basis of human progress”. Leadership is having the courage to inspire, encourage and promote female strength and, as shown by Gladys Berijiklian, this leadership is what assists individuals and communities in overcoming hardships. Positive female leadership is an integral aspect of inspiring young women in times of uncertainty. Gladys is an example of how effective leadership creates authority with honour and recognition. In order to empower girls and women in contemporary society, their leadership needs to be cultivated by those who have had experience in leadership roles and the support of their peers.
Perhaps it is comical to refer to women and girls as tea bags, but the positive colouration of our voice on the individuals around us during social change is undeniable. Through being brave enough to share our ideas and kind enough to stimulate others to do the same, we develop an environment where every young woman feels capable in a crisis to use her knowledge and experience in a leadership position. Change is the boiling water and, as Australia’s rural communities face setbacks, we must encourage young women to strive to be the leaders they want to see. Empowering young women in uncertainty is not about fixing the problem for them, it’s about stimulating them to become a part of the solution. Margaret ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher once expressed “you may have to fight a battle more than once to win it”. By empowering the girls in our classrooms, our friends, our family and our emerging colleagues, we lift up a generation of confident female leaders to continue the legacy of women who have navigated their nations through past and present crises. As once preached by the Ancient Chinese Philosopher, Lao Tzu, “Tea is the elixir of life.”
This Power Trip is kindly being sponsored by AgriFutures Australia