#LEADSTAND 4: Dreaming is Responsibility
In 2019, I was living in East Kalimantan, then I moved back to Jakarta after the General Election.
During my time in Borneo (another name for East Kalimantan), I handled macroeconomy issues, especially monetary policy and development issues.
In less than a year, I contributed to issues about the Indonesian Central Bank (Bank Indonesia) monetary policy (2019–2020). I gained information about inflation, taxes, and Indonesian Central Bank rates (BI rate). Finally, I knew there was a complex way to reach stability and balance the economic condition. It built such a reflection on my dreams as an Indonesian citizen. I have been learning about the complexity of macroeconomy policy. What kind of country that I want to build?
At some point, I finally realized that I am dreaming of Indonesia being freed from inequalities. Indonesia become more inclusive for everyone. Followed by the pandemic Covid-19, my dreams aren’t easy to reach. I met faults in policy and crisis management during a pandemic. This complexity led me to dig more and more, who am I wanna be in the future?
My curiosity about development problems due to my 6 years of experience as an economic journalist makes me certain to draw my career as a journalist. I need a persuasive and impactful person in managing issues of development with society’s involvement.
Based on my research, there are no media in Indonesia that focus on the progress of sustainable development goals (SGDs). There are fewer news reports about how SDGs should be executed by the government precisely. The issues mostly come up in formal speech without analysis and current data.
Most of the mainstream media in Indonesia gives a small space for several important goals in SDGs, such as climate change and environmental problems. On the other hand, the lack of literacy on democratization and women’s involvement also problems that make the progress of development grows slowly. Regarding my previous study majoring in Journalism in Communication Studies, I need to level up my capabilities in; economic, political, policy, and social security. I wonder to continue study in development studies.
So, my motivation to study master’s degree in media development is to raise my capabilities, so I can be a journalist with a specific paradigm about development. In long term, I can build my own media that focus on public policy to create a development based on the needs of the citizen.
In short term, I can progressively make a report about development according to and parallel to the world mission called SDGs. I also want to start teaching in a university as a lecturer.
This plan has been marked in my heart since three years ago, I got offer from my friends in Samarinda to teach journalism at Mulawarman University. I also had an offer from my friends at Multimedia Nusantara University to be a lecturer. They said, as an alumnus and scholar awardee of Ancora Foundation (2012), I established the best results in the study and work field. So, I can be a good example and inspiration for students.
I reflect on all of the offers that have been coming to me as a signal that I need to elevate myself before embracing a new challenge. I don’t think becoming a lecturer would change my life 100%, because, in 6 years of my journey, I never stop sharing and teaching young generations in my writings, my speech, my community, and my organizations.
I was continuously open to writing courses project such as; Women Writing Courses, Diversity Writing Courses, and Agenda 18 Writing Course Batch VI just to distribute my passion for teaching. I accepted many offers as a speaker for some journalism courses across the city.
After finishing my study, I am sure I have specific knowledge of development studies. I want to start sharing it also with my students, because my priority is to lead them to understand the importance of gender equality and environmental sensitivity in the development plan.
I also want to create a book about gender equality in development areas as the next chapter of my thoughts. Previously my essay about gender in politics was created in a book essay named ‘Anak Muda and Masa Depan Indonesia’ (Young People and Indonesian Future) published by Mizan.
I know as a leader, dreams are made to become a responsibility. According to my experience as Ancora Scholar in 2012, I wanted to be a journalist as I said to the Ancora Foundation Board. When I got the scholarship based on my leadership experiences and my study review, I didn’t disappoint my lecturers and Ancora’s Board, because I accomplished my study very well with GPA of 3.67, and I’ve reached my dream as a journalist. I will do the same thing to Chevening if I get the opportunity.
