Success or Happiness, maybe both?

My greatest friend and the person I look to most is Lishana Turner.  She is, in my eyes, the epitome of greatness in my life.  I’m not just saying that because I’m her friend.  Anyone who meets her and gets to know would know that she’s destined for great things.  She has such a excellent work ethic—which I should take notes on—and is just an all around humble, empathetic, and generous individual.  That said, I wanted to know what it is that drives her and what her passions and goals were for the future.  I wanted to know how she planned on “making it” in New York, or anywhere for that matter.

Here are some things she had to say:

1. What is your general definition of “making it”?  Do you think it has to do more with success or happiness?

My general definition of making it would be reaching a place in life where I do not have want for anything and I am able to use whatever I attain, whether it is money or knowledge, and give it back to those less fortunate than I am. And when I say want for anything, it is not only in reference to just materialistic things, but socially as well, as far as my relationships with people go. I also just don’t want to be another statistic as an African American. I guess I feel like making it in my eyes would be a little of both success and happiness but more so happiness. If I achieve everything that I wanted career-wise, that would make me happy.

2. How does that definition compare to “making it” in New York? (Does it change at all?)

That definition doesn’t change too much honestly coming from New York. It does in a sense that people hold you to different standards depending on where you’re from. It isn’t really about making it in New York but making it from the Bronx. Because I’m from the South Bronx, there is an image that most females, especially African American females display or are labeled by. I do not want to be a product of my society, and in saying that I mean that I can follow what most females in my society are doing. There are many friends that I have gone to elementary and middle school with who have children now or are currently pregnant and/or not attending school. Not taking away from whom they are as a person, because I understand things happen and that may be where they want to be in life, but I see my future differently. I want to be able to achieve what I want in life and be able to say, that I wasn’t supposed to have it this way but I worked hard to get where I am.

3. Is your goal in life to be successful or to be happy?  If it is to be happy, how do you define happiness?

My goal in life is to be both. I know that’s not an easy answer, but I personally closely relate the two. It also depends on what one defines success as. The two are not far in my opinion. My success is measured by how well I achieve goals I set for myself. If I achieve those goals while maintaining my humility, friends, family, and other important relationships, that would make me happy as well.

I see a lot of children whom I work with in the summer, and even children just coming up, who don’t have the exposure to different opportunities and therefore take part in activities that essentially add nothing to their future.

4. How do you see yourself accomplishing your life goal(s)?

I see myself creating my own social work organization, which would be a community outlet and a social work office as well, consisting of a decent amount social workers fulfilling their duties. I know that I will have to become a social worker first in order to have the experience but I want do something bigger that helps people at a broader scale. Hopefully I have a chain of these offices throughout the city and possibly state. I understand how an education adds a certain advantage to where one goes in life, so I plan to use my education to the fullest.

5. What steps are you currently taking to get you there?

I am currently attending school at the University at Albany with the intent of becoming a Social Welfare major and criminal justice minor. I plan to use the information I attain in college and the people I meet to intern and learn more about how to start your own business. I am also going to be doing volunteer work this summer and throughout the fall semester, to better my people skills and get more experience.

To date, Lishana is on the step team at SUNY University at Albany called Precizun (pronounce like precision).  She hopes to be on the E-Board soon, which is the committee board for the organization and consists of president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and public representative on and off campus.  She plans to do volunteer work through the school at different facilities throughout Albany.  She says, “I didn’t really get my participation up in UA but sophomore year will be my year.”  And when not tending to her studies at UA, Lishana works with children every summer.  All of this is why my best friend is my role model.