Andrea Orwoll

For me, it is all about the community and seeing the community grow and be able to advocate for itself. I'll never forget one of the little girls I taught while working on the Zuni Reservation in New Mexico. She came up to me the second year I was there and told me she was going to be an attorney and advocate for the reservation. I was excited! I know I wasn't the only one to influence her, but even to have a little impact – changing someone's trajectory – I thought "I hope she grows up to become an attorney" because the Native reservations really need it. Being able to change the trajectory of even one life impacts the wider community. I have refused to be one of those people who wants to change the world when they're in college and then when they hit the real world, they say "Oh no, it can't be done." I refuse to believe it can't be done.