Sweat Anonymous

One hundred degrees, one hundred dollars raised. True leadership takes sweat, especially under the blazing afternoon sun smack dab in the middle of downtown. However, it was under these temperatures that I demonstrated my own leadership capabilities in my self-organized charity concert.

In a xenophobic society that scorns innocent people, I knew there was much I could do to make my community immune. Although not in the same circumstances, I could only empathize with the struggles of my town's numerous refugee families who search for homes, as I myself have an unstable living situation. I couldn't solve this problem single-handedly, but I could make a great effort to bring about an equally great change using what I loved most: music. It was through a downtown charity concert that I made my mark in my community.

As exciting as the undertaking was, it was through sweat that from behind the scenes I pulled my group together. I made use of my summer arranging pop pieces, testing phrases on my violin, reserving a stage, arranging for a brownie stand, and meeting players who were just as invested as myself in helping others. Even with stress from schoolwork, life at home, and the inconsistent schedules of my teammates, it was up to me...