Makayla Venable

I attribute my success to the community support I received after losing my dad and grandma when I was young. My teachers and mentors saw something good in me when I could have fallen through the cracks, and they stepped in and helped shape who I was. Playing sports and going to the Boys and Girls Club taught me resilience and empathy, and the importance of showing up for others during difficult times. Those challenges made me stronger and more determined to serve my community, to reach my hand back just like someone else did for me. I also have to credit my friend Andrea Jackson, who has been involved in rural politics for a very long time. When I told her I was thinking about running, she put me in the rooms I needed to be in, always has great ideas, and I can call her when I'm mad, frustrated, or happy. She's a safe space for me who pushes me and saw things in me that I didn't necessarily see in myself. Her love for community is just something you can see all through her.

The best advice I received was from my mentor Andrea Jackson when I first told her I was thinking about running. She told me straight up, 'It's not gonna be easy,' but she still put me in the rooms I needed to be in and pushed me forward. That honesty and support taught me that you can't wait until you feel completely ready, because you'll never be completely ready. A lot of leaders start before they feel qualified. Your experiences and your perspective and your voice have value, and life lessons can teach you more than school. Don't ever let anyone convince you that you don't belong in spaces where decisions are made.

My advice is that you can't wait until you feel completely ready, because you'll never be completely ready. A lot of leaders start before they feel qualified. I went to college but didn't graduate because I just didn't enjoy it, and I've learned that your experiences and your perspective and your voice have value, and life lessons can teach you more than school. Don't ever let anyone convince you that you don't belong in spaces where decisions are made. Especially being so young, you have to know your why, because people will try to pull you in all these different directions, but if you stay true to your why - and my why was my community - you'll go far as long as you don't lose your focus. I also want young people to know that it doesn't matter where you come from, but it matters where you're going. A lot of us aren't born with a silver spoon, so I'm all for showing people that you can do anything as long as you put your heart into it.

The most important values to me are community service and reaching back to help others just like someone helped me. I've always told people, I don't ever want to be the smartest person in the room. If I am, then I need to be in a different room. I love connecting with people from all over and surrounding myself with other successful women - I'm totally a team player. I strongly believe not just in my community as far as home, but in building connections with other influential women. I get told that I'm too humble, and people say 'you do realize how kind of badass you are?' but I don't do it for that recognition. I do it because I want to show young people that it doesn't matter where you come from, but it matters where you're going. Staying true to your why is everything - my why was my community - and as long as you don't lose your focus, you'll go far.