Social Impact Heroes: Lily Lloyd, Miss Washington Teen USA 2019, is inspiring high school students across the US to get involved with their local food banks
“If things are meant to be, they will happen.” I have learned that there comes a time in your life where you must learn to let go. Through this awareness, I am able to entrust the details of my life with God and have a thankful mindset full of gratitude.
As a part of our series of interviews featuring prominent female leaders, as well as an opportunity to reflect on Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, I had the pleasure to interview Lily Lloyd, Miss Washington Teen USA 2019. Lily Lloyd is the ASB president, National Honor Society vice president, an official science scholar and a Tri-M Music Honor Society member. After realizing that hunger affected people she knew, Lily created a nonprofit at the age of 15. Through her Smize Foundation she has committed hundreds of volunteer hours toward inspiring high school students to be involved with their local food banks. Lily also represents her state of Washington in the Miss Teen USA pageant system.
Thank you so much for joining us Lily. You are in a position of great influence. What would you do to encourage the community, society, or politicians to help form a more gender balanced world?
Society can help address a more gender balanced world by endorsing active participation of all groups in society and promote equal distribution of power and influence between women and men in government. I believe there are still too many challenges the younger generation of women face in voter knowledge and participation in government.
As the Associated Student Body Executive President of my high school, I have encouraged my female classmates to be engaged in how we govern our school and promote campus involvement. On the march towards political gender equality, it’s imperative that I lead my female classmates to strengthen our voices because we need to change the culture of women in leadership and create positive change through action.
It takes the influence of a woman in leadership to really push a young woman to act. My mother for example, is an elected local official and serves as a School Board Director. In her case, a female politician encouraged her to run and that encouragement boosted my mother’s confidence to run in the November 2017 election. Through outreach and encouragement, we can inspire more women to get involved in government, build their confidence and achieve a diverse representation.
The experience I have gained through leadership has prepared me with confidence to get involved in politics on the local, state and even national level. I believe that electing more women in government not only promotes gender equality and strengthens democratic institutions but also makes real and substantive contributions to government.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
I define leadership as building relationships with others to serve the greater good. Relationships are everything. We interact with others every day and I have made it my mission to try to form meaningful relationships with those I meet, especially with new students and teachers. As a leader at my high school, I put an emphasis on being genuine because I want my peers to know that I value the trust they have given me to govern our school.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“If things are meant to be, they will happen.” I have learned that there comes a time in your life where you must learn to let go. Through this awareness, I am able to entrust the details of my life with God and have a thankful mindset full of gratitude.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I have been following Zendaya since I was a young girl and became an avid fan of her acting career on Disney. What I love most is her positive outlook on life and being her unapologetically authentic self.
Over the years, Zendaya has made it her life mission to give back to her community and is using her platform to boost donations. #HashtagLunchBag, is an organization she started to end hunger and build community in Los Angeles. I admire her leadership and inspiration to continue to serve others.
At the age of 15, I founded a 501 ©(3) nonprofit, Smize Foundation, after volunteering my summer feeding kids in my local park. When I recognized some of the teens and even parents waiting in line for a free meal, I realized that hunger affected people I knew. I seized the initiative to create change and have committed hundreds of hours, recruited dozens of high school volunteers, collaborated with city stakeholders, legislators and state senators to leverage resources.
On December 4th, 2018, I received a Proclamation, Resolution No. R2018–162 acknowledging the hard work and dedication to the citizens of Orting, Pierce County and the State of Washington. My work does not stop here, I have more work to do and goals to accomplish.
It would be a dream come true to have the opportunity to meet Zendaya one day to thank her for inspiring me, share our life stories and maybe even exchange a few beauty tips!