When I ran for West Carrollton school board in 2019, I was fresh off my experience at the Forge Leadership Summit. Although I lost that election, Forge taught me to be persistent. I returned to the race in 2021 to lead a powerful campaign that knocked on over 2,000 doors and connected with the community through social media and in-person events. Success is not just about winning, it’s about learning. I saw the larger vision to learn from my mistakes years prior — Forge taught me that.