The views and opinions expressed in this "Student Voices" article are solely those of the author and are not endorsed by the Center for Public Leadership.
By Keylin Rivera, MC/MPA, Equity Fellow, 2025
As a CPL Equity Fellow and graduate student at the Harvard Kennedy School, I’ve had the privilege of engaging with some of the most pressing challenges of our time and none looms larger than climate change. This semester, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel hosted by the Center for Public Leadership titled “Climate Change: Leading with Authenticity.” The experience reminded me not only of the urgency of the climate crisis, but of the importance of staying grounded in values like empathy, integrity, and compassion as we lead.
The panel brought together climate leaders from the public and private sector who forged powerful paths by remaining true to themselves in spaces that often demand compromise. What stood out most was how each of them brought their full selves into their work whether advocating for frontline communities, steering corporate responsibility, or shaping equitable public policy. They didn’t just talk about net-zero goals or adaptation strategies they talked about what it means to lead with heart, and how authenticity is not a weakness but a superpower in the fight for our planet’s future.
As someone who’s worked across grassroots campaigns, government agencies, and climate-focused nonprofits, I’ve often wrestled with the tension between institutional expectations and personal values. It’s easy to feel pressure to conform to speak a certain way, minimize parts of your identity, or pursue paths that seem more “polished.” But this panel reinforced that meaningful leadership doesn’t emerge from performance; it’s born from purpose.
One speaker shared how staying rooted in community helped them navigate high-level decision-making with clarity and accountability. Another described how vulnerability became their strength in building trust across sectors. Their stories affirmed something I’ve long believed: we need more leaders who are not only technically skilled, but who are unapologetically themselves, leaders who are driven by justice and grounded in lived experience.
This message couldn’t be more aligned with CPL’s mission to cultivate principled, values-driven leadership. Through fellowships, events, and peer engagement, CPL has created a space where we’re encouraged to explore who we are not just what we want to achieve. The panel was a perfect reflection of that ethos. It didn't just offer career advice; it offered a call to action: to lead with authenticity, even when the path isn’t clear or conventional.
I left the conversation deeply inspired not only by the panelists, but by the students in the room who asked thoughtful questions and shared bold visions for the future. If we are to tackle the climate crisis, we’ll need all hands-on deck approach. But more than that, we’ll need leaders who are willing to bring their full selves to the table, who listen as much as they speak, and who understand that real change starts with real connection.
I’m grateful to CPL for making these conversations possible and for continuing to invest in the kind of leadership the world so urgently needs.