“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

I will love.

And my voice will be heard on my own terms – strong and powerful, yet sincere and heartfelt.

"You are capable but maybe too quiet," a teacher once told me while at high school.

"You may be too nice to be successful in this industry," a well-meaning mentor advised as I started my career.

For a moment, I thought maybe I ought to shout louder until my voice is heard? Or become more aggressive to prove I belong?

But my Christian-rooted belief that love is the ultimate gift has never changed. And while love is bold, love does not scream. Rather, love listens, shows empathy, and speaks with conviction.

I will be most impactful being true to myself.

Home is where my heart is. I am going to invest in the economic development of Africa so that the promise my generation sees today can become a reality for the next.

As I pursue this journey, I know that who I am and how I impact the people in my life matters more than what accomplishments I achieve.

— Dami Adesanya