By: David Lee
W.B. Ray High School
“A lot of guys and even evaluators won’t take you seriously as a woman, I’ve had sexist comments said to me, but to be honest, I just laughed at them”, Spandana Palyam expressed.
Spandana Palyam is the 79th Lieutenant Governor of district two and seven, and has shared her experience as a leader in youth and government, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Spandana Palyam is a devoted leader of district two and seven, with the experience and determination to back it up. Spandana started her youth and government career as a freshman, winning Distinguished Delegate in media, and advancing to state. Palyam also became the youngest ever media co-editor of the state, attended the conference on national affairs, and the Youth Advocates Program in D.C. on National Advocacy day. However, her journey didn’t start with perfection. Spandana found that she struggled with insecurity and imposter syndrome. She struggled with the experience of being seen differently because of her identity, and found that she wasn’t taken as seriously because she was a woman. However, Megan Dern and Missy Garcia, female leaders of Austin pushed her to stay committed to her journey of civic duty. When asked how she responded when discriminated against, Palyam gave me a steadfast answer, “To be honest, I just laughed at them. My brain just translated that experience into, “It’s not about me, they’ve got their own things, and if they truly believe that, then that’s just because they haven’t seen anything differently”. As a queer person of color myself, I found that this answer was deeply inspiring. There are moments when I struggle with a marginalized identity, but it was heartwarming to see such a successful leader like Palyam devoted to civic duty.
Palyam also expressed more advice for leaders that struggle with being treated differently. “focus on what matters to you, don’t ever try to abandon what you value, just to cater to other people just to make them like you more.” Palyam also found that these experiences were essential to her growth, allowing for her to mature into the leader that she is today. Palyam found that Youth and Government pushed her to be more confident, to assert herself no matter what challenged her. “No matter where you go, there will always be haters”, Palyam expressed.
Spandana Palyam is a visionary leader and inspiring heroine for anyone that struggles with their journey in leadership, showing that anything is possible. Through the challenges she faced in YAG and YMCA, Palyam was able to build her confidence, self security, and above all else; her commitment to civic leadership.
