We’re very excited to welcome a new intern, Sharlene Santana, to the Know This! team. Get to know her through our latest “We Are the Ones” profile!
1. What gets you most excited about waking up in the morning and living your life? What are you most passionate about?
What gets me most excited about waking up in the morning is working on making my side projects a reality. The process keeps me going. I also get excited when I meet new people and connect with friends that share the same vision and light up when they talk about their plans to make a change. I am most passionate about helping the younger generation especially young women feel empowered and ignite their entrepreneurial spirit.
2. How did you discover that to be your true passion?
By taking a leap and quitting my “job” at a Fortune 500 company to pursue something other than a desk job. After making this bold decision, life was full of experimentation through volunteer work, working part-time jobs and working at a nonprofit. It was then I realized that I was meant to lead a life of public service, help the younger generation and find freedom in working for myself.
3. Biggie Smalls once said, “we can’t change the world, unless we change ourselves.” What’s one personal change you’re working to make or have made, and how do you think it will help you be a better change agent in the world?
A personal change that I’m working to make is to not be so much of a perfectionist. Being somewhat of a perfectionist has its disadvantages because when you strive for perfectionism, things take longer to get right. Changing this will help me be a better change agent because I won’t have to overcomplicate things and can give more to the world instead of waiting for everything to be right. Things are not going to be perfect the first time around so it’s best you present whatever you have to the world.
4. What social change do you want to be a result of your work and ultimately a part of your legacy?
I want to create a philanthropic revolution that motivates the next generation to take action and make a positive impact in their communities and at a global level. I want to be an agent of change and encourage young people to redefine their careers by utilizing their talents/skills and interests and become entrepreneurs while doing social good.
5. What excites you most about working with Know This! TV?
Working with Know This! TV means that I get to be a part of something refreshing and fun. What immediately attracted me to Know This! TV was the ability it has to make a positive impact and spark interesting conversations. That is exciting to me. With all of this noise we’re surrounded by in media, Know This! TV is what our generation and the next generation needs more of. It’s amazing to be working with a TV show that offers a positive message and empowers you to make a change- all in an entertaining way. I am excited to be part of the next season and can’t wait to see what’s in store.
6. What’s your go-to quote or song to keep you feeling motivated and empowered in pursuing your dreams?
There are so many but if I had to pick one that keeps me motivated and empowered it would be by Mahatma Gandhi. He said, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”