Submitted by Chely Thimothee Paul
Leadership is often misunderstood and misused. Even the leaders are at times shocked that they were chosen to lead. They lose faith in themselves and rob the community and the world of better way of life.
Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
I don’t believe there could’ve been a truer phrase spoken.
So, what is it about those rare ones that make them commit? Is it the Almighty? Faith? Courage? Luck? The way I see it, it’s the people that they surround themselves with. The encouragement that they find in their company on a daily basis.
Let me introduce you to someone amazing. I met Guithele Ruiz-Nicolas years ago volunteering in Lauderhill in the hot sun. I could feel her spirit in her words. I mean that to say I could feel she was truly present and not there to get her picture taken or earn a few more points with the community. Born to a large family with 10 children she proudly said that her parent’s emphasized the importance of Family and living well with one another. Born in Haiti she moved to New York at the age of 11 and came to Florida in 1986 where she witnessed the mistreatment of Haitians coming by boat and where their courage was traded for indignity. Perhaps that was when her spirit began to stir oblivious to the path that the Almighty had chosen for her.
As a candidate for Broward County Commission, District 9, I asked her what did she want the community to know about her and of course I asked questions about her family. When I found out that she had lost a son, I couldn’t believe it. The courage and the strength it takes for someone to still find the light within themselves to want to represent a community and help others to experience a better way of living through education and opportunity. After having experienced major loss.
Not her first rodeo, Guithele was the President of the Haitian American Democratic Club, was former Vice President of Hispanic Unity of Florida, and currently on the Board of University of Miami Circadian Health Science sleep study, working on closing the gap of health disparities amongst varying communities. Been around the world goes without saying, lol.
We salute you Guithele Ruiz-Nicolas for answering the call to leadership, for believing in yourself and honoring all the generations that came before you and did the same. I believe you’ll represent us with dignity and class.
