What one student learned from FIU’s Adam Smith Center: Public service is about people, not power

Ivan Velez is an undergraduate economics major from Mexico who shares here a firsthand account of his experience with FIU’s Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, a non-partisan think tank.

Growing up in Mexico, I heard my parents and other adult family members regularly speak about the politics of my country, which during my lifetime has included a transition from a long period of authoritarian rule to a democratic system, albeit one characterized by violence, corruption and other problems. Their insistence that leaders must take into account the welfare and dignity of everyday people left an impression on me at a very young age. I wanted to understand both their concerns and the realities of what ordinary people face when government is inattentive or worse. I was encouraged to read history to help me comprehend the current situation and took up such books with a passion.

I very quickly developed an interest in politics and its relation to individual liberties. Only after I arrived at FIU and began participating in the offerings of the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, however, did my dreams of making important, positive contributions begin to take real shape.

At the center, I signed up for small-group sessions – completely on my own and not for any course credit – that brought me together, in person, with world leaders as well as peers of a variety of majors to think critically as we debated and, most importantly, listened to one another.

This all began for me when I began attending a series of discussions with a congresswoman from my own homeland, Margarita Zavala, who met with a group of us students several times on campus to share real-life insights into her work. When FIU first announced her as a senior leadership fellow, she described what would take place: “We will explore how to understand our communities through the history of legislation. We will engage in open conversations, guided by relevant historical facts, especially from Mexico and the United States, to recognize how legislative activity can serve as a bridge between our peoples.”

For me, one of the most moving of our gatherings centered around the visit of Eufrosina Cruz, from Oaxaca, Mexico, whom Congresswoman Zavala had invited to join us. She told us about defying the odds to become a leader and changemaker as the first indigenous woman to preside over the congress of her home state. Her testimony reminded me that adversity is not a barrier, it is fuel. Her life taught me that resilience, courage and determination can overcome even the highest walls.

Another powerful experience for me followed in the form of an internship with Congresswoman Zavala, who belongs to a center-right opposition party. Thanks to the connections I made through FIU, I had the chance to work alongside her in the Mexican Congress. I assisted on legislative initiatives and crafted so-called points of agreements, or areas of consensus among the different parliamentary groups. I also collaborated on a successful political campaign in my home state of Veracruz.

All of this together proved a turning point for me as I sat in the rooms where history is made, helped draft documents and learned firsthand how public service can be a force for good. The lessons will stay with me forever and have informed my decision to return to Mexico and one day run for office myself.

Through the Adam Smith Center, I’ve heard firsthand from other distinguished leaders as well, among them former presidents, all of whom expressed beliefs that public service is not about power but about people. It’s about lifting others, fighting for justice and never giving up, even when the road gets hard.

Thanks to the Adam Smith Center, along with a family who has always encouraged me, I’ve been introduced to a whole new world and found a community of students and mentors who each willingly share their varied global perspectives with one another in the interest of widening their own – exactly what I sought in my decision to attend FIU. We support each other, challenge each other and grow together as we continue our dialogue well beyond the classroom to consider topics that we might otherwise not tackle with such fervor and focus. These relationships have all helped me to mature not only as a student but as a future leader.

Looking back, I know that the boy who loved books would appreciate the young man I am becoming. I am still learning but now have a clearer vision of the future I want to build. A future where freedom, dignity and public service lead the way. A future where more young people like me believe that change is not only possible, it is our responsibility.