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Member Stories
Get inspired! Read the personal stories of TakingITGlobal members from around the world.





Neunghun Heo
South Korea

What inspires you?

To me, an inspiration is not just a random thought-provoking stimulant. Rather, it is an unexpected encounter that prompts me to act. It is how the Europeans used their bicycles for the environment that prompted me to petition the Korean government to enhance their bicycle policies. It was the art pieces of autistic people that led me to interpret their paintings to others for more recognition for their pure talent. An inspiration not only gives me an idea to do something differently, but through my actions it brings me newly found insights.

Tell us about an issue that matters to you and how you became aware and involved.

A high schooler like me usually have a hard time landing on an awesome summer job that allows me to work less and get paid more. Usually, it is the opposite. This summer, I was given a job at a construction site as a translator. At first I wondered why, "Was the director a foreigner?" But what I've observed at this Korean construction site was that most of the workers were not Korean but foreign workers from other Asian countries.
Helping them build new landmarks in the center of Seoul, brought me a new understanding about many things. I understood that what we consider to be the landmark of our own culture, a national monument, such as the 63 Building of Korea, the Empire State Building of NYC, the Marina Bay Sands of Singapore, and even the First Transcontinental Railroad, were all built not solely by the countries own citizens but mostly by the foreign workers.
Despite how much we pride over these achievements, spending a few months with the foreign workers and learning how difficult their living and welfare conditions gave me reason to survey them, petition my local government, and create an informative booklet of inexpensive entertainments around the Seoul region. Going forward, I would like to create an alliance for immigrant workers' rights with Taking It Global if the opportunity allows - because this is not a problem for Korea but a problem in most of the countries in and outside Asia.

Share your perspectives on what makes a good leader.

A good leader knows that leadership is not a privilege but a responsibility as well as a burden to carry. A good leader is willing to own nothing, but embrace everything. He or she is terrible at complementing him or herself but quick to recognize the contribution of the team members. That's why a good leader puts him or herself in the lowest place, but that's exactly why the followers respect him. A good leader's tasks and responsibilities are truly agonizing, but he or she gladly accepts all of those - because a good leader understands that being a leader is a simple choice one makes, but a fate to accept.

Do you think TakingITGlobal can help you achieve some of your goals? Have we already? Please tell us how.

While searching for the answers to my question, "How can I impact the world as such an insignificant individual," I came across TakingITGlobal and I found comfort. I was awestruck by the insights of all the conscious mentors in the TakingITGlobal Network and I was also empowered by the passion of numerous members in this place.
I would like to share my passion of helping the immigrant workers, creating greener environment, the North Korean human rights situation, and more with the interested members of this community and make TakingITGlobal the foundation of my initiative to change the world with the network of global citizens who actually care.


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