Rhode Island’s Emerging Leaders—Meet Michaela Antunes
Friday, April 29, 2016
Where is Rhode Island going and who is going to take us there? Well, United Way of Rhode Island and GoLocalProv have teamed up in identifying some of the emerging leaders in Rhode Island and asking them questions about leadership and the pathway to a better future in Rhode Island.
Name: Michaela Antunes
Title/Employer: Press Secretary, Providence City Council
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAge: 31
1. How are you making Providence better?
ANTUNES: Local government is the government closest to the people, and it works best when constituents are informed and invested. In my role with the City Council, I’m working to strengthen community engagement between Providence’s elected officials and residents. Effective communication plays a critical role in government transparency, and my work focuses on improving our methods for sharing information and finding new ways to reach a broader audience. I don't think enough people realize that the City Council is the most accessible and responsive arm of city government available to them. I’m working to create greater awareness about what our City Council is doing and can do for the people of Providence.
2. As an emerging leader what have you learned from success and failure?
ANTUNES: Our perceptions of success and failure tend to represent two extremes that rarely exist in pure form. I’ve learned that most outcomes are not strictly failures or successes; they’re usually somewhere in between. In many cases, failure and success are both coexistent and codependent. Success feels artificial when the process doesn’t include some elements of failure; when they’ve occurred together, it’s easier to distinguish great work from great luck. I’ve found that if left unchecked, the fear of failure can paralyze even the most earnest efforts. Whenever that kind of fear creeps in, I accept it within limits and let it push me further. Success is similar in that it needs to be tempered; it’s important to embrace it, but if you bask in it for too long, it dulls your edge.
3. Who has been your most important mentor and why?
ANTUNES: My family has had the most impactful collective influence on me. In big families like mine, you learn at a young age how to accept and respect opposing views, and how to advocate for yourself and others. My father, a carpenter, has always advised me to “measure twice, cut once.” I apply that guidance in every undertaking. My mother, an artist, has always cultivated my creativity and independence. My sister Christine is one of my strongest mentors. She has shown me how to rise from sheer willpower and relentless determination. My brother Luke is one of my closest confidantes. Whenever I talk to him, I’m reminded of who I am, where I’ve come from and where I’m going, what I bring to the table, and what’s at stake. My kids are the force that keeps me moving, striving, and learning every day.
Favorite restaurant: Ogie’s
Most important book: Beloved by Toni Morrison
Favorite place in Rhode Island: Roger Williams Park
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