I Am No One — and Yet, I Am Uniquely Enough
This essay was written after participating as a youth panelist at the 6th Seoul Dialogue on Africa(2023), an annual forum hosted in Seoul that brings together leaders and experts from Korea and African countries to foster mutual understanding and collaboration. For the first time in the event’s history, a “Dialogue with Youth” session was included — and I had the honor of being invited to speak.
Yesterday, I stood on quite a big stage.
Strangely enough, I wasn’t nervous at all (though, for some reason, I couldn’t sleep the night before. LOL).
Looking back, I think what helped was letting go of self-consciousness.
I am valuable and unique — but only in the space where I define myself that way.
The truth is, most people don’t care about me as much as I think they do. I can’t please everyone. But if what I share resonates with someone, then that alone makes this moment meaningful.
It simply means I was invited to this stage not because I am exceptional, but because my story happened to align with the direction of this event.
(At the makeup shop I went to for the first time before the event, the stylist bluntly said my speech was awkward — worse than some of the foreign guests who came in. 😅 I’ve heard similar things before, like “Are you a foreigner?” So I just smiled and thought: You might lack tact, but it’s okay. You don’t have enough influence in my life to upset me. And hey, thanks for the unsolicited feedback — maybe you’re just saying what others haven’t. 😄
After the event, though, someone came up to me and said they loved my voice and the way my slight regional dialect colored my tone — it was charming. That reminded me: I can live my life in my own rhythm. Though sure, I’ll try to improve my delivery too!)
Still, in that moment, I felt certain of the path I’ve taken and the one ahead.
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That certainty comes not from ego, but from self-respect. It’s not about how others evaluate me, but how I see myself — on my terms.
At the event, the theme was what kind of opportunities Africa can offer for the youth. I said something along these lines:
“Since experts and professors have already discussed the current realities in depth, I’d like to speak more from a young person’s perspective — and imagine the future. We, the youth, need to be people who can envision what the next 20–30 years will look like, and have the courage to move toward that vision.
Africa invites us to reflect on the lenses we’ve used to undervalue other parts of the world. It helps us question the criteria we’ve been stuck in. It’s a treasure trove of alternative values that challenge how we understand many of today’s global issues.
If we engage with Africa more deeply and thoughtfully, I believe real opportunities will follow.”
Following the crowd might be easier. But who knows where that road will lead?
Taking your own path comes with risk and uncertainty. But if life is inherently uncertain anyway, we might as well walk it with sharpened values and steady philosophy. That’s what makes each of us unique.
After the session, several people came up to speak with me, including some young folks who said they hoped to start a business in Zambia. I couldn’t give them technical advice, so I simply told them this:
“Hone your philosophy. Nurture your conviction. Because without it, it’s too easy to fall apart when things get hard.”
Before the session, I worried whether my message — focused on humanities and dreams — would feel out of place, especially after a series of presentations centered on economics and policy.
But then I remembered: this was the first time in Seoul Africa Dialogue’s history that a youth session was even included. Maybe there’s a reason I was invited.
So even if my words feel a bit abstract or idealistic today, that’s okay — no one can predict the future anyway. I’ll keep talking about humanities, Africa, and the possibilities ahead for all of us.
Because even if I am no one special, I am uniquely and meaningfully me. :)
