OUR GRADUATES INSPIRE ME TO KEEP GOING!
Q & A With Kylie Wilcox, Program and Outreach Associate
What motivates you every morning to get up and support the women in our community?
Leap to Success is unique in the sense that we get to see women come into their own from the beginning of the Leap to Confidence® class to the end. And seeing them at our events is earth-shattering. I love reading and hearing what they have to say about their newfound confidence and how excited they are about the future. They radiate positivity and community and that is what inspires me to keep going every day. We are making a difference!
What part of LEAP’s mission resonates with you the most?
I resonate with every part of our mission, but I think the confidence-building has been so beautiful to see unfold in the women we serve. It’s a transformation, like a butterfly coming into its own or a flower blossoming. I get to see that all the time in our classes, and I’m really fortunate in that regard. I wish I could bottle that energy up like a potion and not just keep it for myself but give it to everyone. Our programs aren’t just about overcoming adversity. It’s about igniting confidence. When I first got involved with Leap, I was at a really low point in my life, dealing with grief, and I found this sense of belonging that is so inspiring. My own confidence has since skyrocketed!
What is something that always makes you feel confident?
Trusting in my own abilities and instincts. Working with Luiza Campos, we feed really well off each other. She’ll give me opportunities for growth and leadership and that makes me feel really confident in my abilities. We are able to both lift each other up. It makes me feel really good about what we’re doing as a team, and what I can do individually to help sustain our programs.
What does empowerment look like to you in everyday life?
I have been really trying to lean into my own empowerment as far as the choices that I have. So, for me, in my everyday life, it’s being in control of my choices and the feelings that come with that. For example, I traveled to Big Bear to snowboard on a day that we had another commitment later that night, which made for a very long day. Knowing that we had a far drive with traffic–back and forth– and we wouldn’t have a ton of time on the mountain (only 45 minutes), I said to myself, “It’s okay. We’re going to make the best of our time.” So instead of getting in my head about it and having negative feelings, I started singing, cracking jokes, and lifting the mood. It empowered me. Yeah, I might be upset for a couple of minutes, and I let myself have that. But then, I say, “I’m done!” And I get over it and make the best of it. That shift has dramatically affected my life in such a positive way, making everything so much easier. That negative stuff just rolls off my back–I let it be what it needs to be and then let it go!
What woman in your life has inspired you most?
I have a lot of really strong women in my life. One woman who comes to mind, of course, is my mom, but I’m going to go a step further and say my great-grandma. I was best friends with her for seventeen years, which was really incredible. She was a beautiful light, not just a servant of God but everybody’s everything. And she did it with a smile on her face so graciously, even though she had a very crippling disease and was in excruciating pain pretty much every day. She did not show it one bit though. Everybody thought they were her best friend; that was just the type of person she was and the kind of light she brought into the room.
I was always so inspired by her, and I still am so inspired. She was very accomplished, even in her career, and it was very noble. I take a lot from her–strength, positivity, gratefulness, and general attitude towards life, as a woman, a mother, and a grandmother.
When I was born, she wasn’t supposed to live more than a couple of months. She ended up living seventeen years, and I highly attribute that to just her positivity and the outlook she had on life. I want that. It’s so precious.
Who would you like to have lunch with, living or dead, and what question(s) would you ask them?
Former President Barack Obama. I just think he is so calm, collected, and intelligent. He is just so captivating. I would love to sit down with him and be in his presence. He and Michelle have this powerful aura. I would probably ask them something random, like what has been their biggest takeaway from being in the spotlight and having such power and influence?
I would love to sit down with somebody just who has made that kind of impact. I’d probably throw in a funny (Chicago-related) question because that’s how I bond with people. It would be something like “Cubs or White Sox?”
