My name is Ivyanne Jellibean Smith. Aside from being composed of a unique middle name (yes, it was legally given to me), I am also made up of values that explain my character from the inside out. I value service, kindness, ambition, integrity, and adaptability.
Service: To provide support to others and give back to those in need.
You may wonder why each of these values specifically define me. I value service because our society is full of inequity, and I am a social activist that wishes to make everlasting change by partnering with specific groups of people who have been marginalized, mistreated, and who do not always have the ability to succeed in the way others do.
Kindness: To love others unconditionally and provide empathy towards others.
I value kindness because our world is full of hate, and I believe that kindness has a rippling effect. It is my goal to make others feel loved and to remind everyone of their worth when our society can be so unjust, so hateful, and often degrading.
Ambition: To reach for the stars, never limit yourself and never believe that anything is impossible.
I value ambition because I have always been a dreamer, and I have first handily seen my visions come to life through hard work and determination—anything is possible if you dream and if you have the drive.
Integrity: Doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
I value integrity because I believe it is crucial to build trust and loyalty through your lifestyle. Truthfulness and honesty are the best principles to live by. These are crucial aspects to being an intentional person. It's never a hard decision if its the right decision.
Adaptability: To be flexible in every situation, to expect the unexpected, to be able to change your pace or direction at any given point.
I value adaptability because it opens the door to learning experiences. My arts and sciences degrees have allowed me to be adaptable, apply my skills within many settings, and overall have taught me to function in ambiguous spaces and handle unexpected situations successfully.
These values make me a service driven developer, passionate community partner, and an unwavering social justice promoter.
I am always looking for inequities within our society to dedicate my time to, and I am passionate about serving communities of people who are experiencing struggle. With this, I am inclusive, adaptable and compassionate. I am a go-getter by never saying no to opportunities and dreams. Motivation, drive, persistence, dedication, and determination are a few traits that I encompass. Unwavering describes my steady and resolute nature when it comes to the work I commit myself to. I have an asset-based focus on all issues and I never back down from the challenges that adversity can often pose. Adversity does not scare me but rather it inspires me in my work and service.
You may wonder why I do what I do. I place myself in situations of adversity in order to learn how to empathize with people of different backgrounds. I am intrigued and excepting of difference and want to build on this in my work. I give back because I see the need in our community to spark change, and I believe I am completely capable at playing a part in making that change. I work with children who are seriously ill or disabled because I am passionate about the disabled community and see how these individuals are marginalized. Similarly, homeless people and children within the foster care system hold a special place in my heart because I see opportunity for their futures and wish to support them in prospering. I carry myself to a high standard of kindness and sincerity through all of my work simply because I know what it feels like to be mistreated and degraded by those around you. In relation, my ambition is reflected through an anti-bullying campaign that I started in high school in order to spread awareness. I learned what it means to be ambitious and dedicated when my campaign quickly reached the district level and I received an award from Barack Obama for my commitment to service and my community. I have been able to translate all of the skills that I have learned throughout my development and plan to do so moving forward in order to create necessary change.
My ultimate goal is to continue on as an engaged leader in efforts to solve the inequities that currently exist throughout our different societal systems. I see myself doing this by continuing to engage with families and children living in adverse situations. I also envision myself committed to my goals by learning all sorts of different backgrounds, giving back, and fulfilling my passions of working with many different communities.