What Empowered & Poised Means to Me
By Sydnie Singleton
Back in middle school, I was a victim of bullying. I was picked on for having glasses and braces, and for being overweight. I began to speak up for myself and other kids who were victims of bullying.
Ever since I can remember, my parents have emphasized the importance of making a difference, not just in the world generally, but specifically in my community. In addition, on a personal level, it has always been important to me to make a positive impact on the lives of the individuals around me.
That’s why I eventually came to the realization that I wanted to do more than just speak up. Deep down inside of me, I knew that something more needed to be done.
That’s when the idea for Thinkie Winks, a company I co-founded, came to be.
Thinkie Winks is a company that celebrates the uniqueness and individuality of children, and inspires them to think positively and dream without boundaries. That’s where our slogan, “Think It! Be It!” comes from. It means that children can be anything they put their minds to. We use Thinkie Winks to go into the community to empower children.
By getting involved in my community through Thinkie Winks, I have had the opportunity to inspire children by giving them hands-on learning experiences and new opportunities. I have been able to lead entrepreneurship workshops at inner city elementary schools, as well as for local chapters of Solon’s Girl Scouts of America and the Boys and Girls Club of America.
I vividly remember visiting an elementary school to give a presentation at an after-school program. There was a little boy in the back of the classroom who was extremely enthusiastic about participating in the activities and discussions I was leading. One of the teachers leaned over and whispered to me to make sure that I called on that little boy because he had never been interested enough to engage with any of the other program visitors.
That little boy was labeled as the “troublemaker” of the group. The fact that he was so eager to get involved in the Thinkie Winks activities and presentation set off lightbulbs in my brain. That was the moment when I knew what I was doing was working - and making an impact.
The whole reason I am so passionate about helping children is that there is a huge need for children to know their worth, especially children who are subjected to stereotypes and racial discrimination simply because of the color of their skin.
I’ve found that too many children aren’t aware of their capabilities, or of the power that they hold to not only be whatever they want in life, but also to change the world. This unfortunate reality impacts many children, especially children of color.
As a member of the Black community, I understand the struggle that comes from just being born with black skin and living with the labels that are placed on us even before we learn to say our first words. As someone who has been bullied, I know what it’s like to feel as though you’re not enough. And sadly, children of color are often told - implicitly or explicitly - that they’re not enough.
That’s why, to me, being empowered and poised has everything to do with what you’re doing for others. I feel empowered and poised when I am lifting others up. In my life, that means supporting the Black community and the children that belong to it. Through Thinkie Winks, I focus on the empowerment of children who feel like they are not enough - the ones society often fails to lift up. Because of the work I’ve done so far and that I intend to do in the future, being empowered and poised is all about work that is bigger than myself - and that changes the world, one child at a time.
Children and youth are the future. That’s why I work to let children, like that little boy labeled as the “troublemaker,” know that they too have a chance to make a difference in this world and have a voice that needs to be heard. They deserve the chance to be empowered and poised, too.
