Youth Interview | Stacey Abrams

Before Stacey Abram's interview with Chicago Sun-Times's Mary Mitchell, the author, non-profit CEO, and record breaking political leader met three young women making moves of their own in Chicago.

Tatum Thompson, Andrea Salamanca, and Haviland Byrd are members of GRL PWR, MIKVA Challenge's Young Women in Leadership Council.

Below is the transcript of GRL PWR's backstage interview.

Q: What are 5 words you'd use to describe yourself?

Abrams: I am...writer, public, servant, Black, woman.

Q: What advice do you have for young people who are starting to plan their future?

Abrams: I’d say, number one, think about what you want and more importantly think about why you want it. Because often we have ambitions, we never investigate why we have those ambitions and when new things occur we aren’t able to adapt as well. Particularly when you’re young, you have all these grand ideas about what you want. Make yourself think about why because you usually go from "Here’s what I want," to "Here’s how I get it. I want a degree I’m going to college."

The middle question is, "Why do you want that degree?" Which leaves you space to suddenly realize maybe the degree you think you want isn’t necessary, or you need a different degree for what you want. If you never think about the why of things you often get caught up in just doing to do.

You three do not strike me as high achievers who are gunning, always running, trying to get things done — that was deep sarcasm. And so what I would say, especially to young people, always think about not just "what" but "why." 'Cause the why also gives you permission to change your mind and you’re told so often that you’re supposed to just know. You don’t have to know.

I’ve changed my mind — I’ve been a romance novelist, tax attorney, politician, entrepreneur — I’m like a reality show waiting to happen. But that’s because I had to figure out why I want things and I let myself have the space to try it out.

Q: Who do you look up to the most and why?

Abrams: The person I look to the most for how I live my life and model my life is my mom. Beyond just being my mother she was the first Black woman to be an elder in the Methodist Church, which is really hard in Mississippi. She led three small congregations that were all fighting about who would get to be in charge [and] convinced them, after 40 years, to actually consolidate and share the resources. She led the first desegregated prom, pre-prom, in our community.

What I learned from her, she said, “You always meet people where they are, not where you want them to be.” Meaning so often we want people to agree with us now. We want them to change now.

And what she would say is “Look, you gotta go where they are. Understand their journey. Figure out what their challenges are. And real leadership isn’t making people do what you want, it’s working with them to get them where they need to be.” So, my mom first.

MIKVA Challenge develops youth to be empowered, informed, and active citizens who will promote a just and equitable society. The GRL PWR Council is apart of MIKVA's Young Women in Leadership Initiative.

Haviland Byrd (17) is a a student at Alcott College Prep and a member of the CPS Student Advisory Council.

Andrea Salamanca (18) is a student at Jones College Prep.

Tatum Thompson (18) is a student at William Howard Taft High School.

Support from our members and donors helps us compensate students for their reporting.