Positive Leadership Qualities of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Malala Yousafzai

Religion provides a way to create a community of people with like-minded beliefs and ideologies while simultaneously giving them a sense of belonging. When the violation of the rights of these groups take place, an impactful individual needs to show leadership and unite the persecuted so that they can rise above the prejudice. Saint Catherine of Alexandria was martyred, but her legacy lives because she was able to convert hundreds of people to Christianity by keeping true to her faith, even when it was putting her life at stake.

Malala Yousafzai is an inspiration for Islamic people because she stood up against the injustices placed upon herself and other Muslim females, despite the controversy that surrounded her actions. These two motivational females are outspoken, confident, and audacious. They had to stand up for their community while facing multiple obstacles and setbacks. Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Malala Yousafzai both demonstrate that to become a positive leader, one must possess the ability to persevere through adversity.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria is a positive Christian leader because her tenacity and steadfastness helped her fight for justice and inspire hundreds of people. Constus, the governor of Alexandria, Egypt, had his daughter, Catherine, in 287 AD (Kosloski). Due to their high status, Catherine had access to education and over time, she became very knowledgeable and was considered an avid scholar. When she was fourteen years old, she had a vision of Mary and Jesus which convinced her to practice Christianity (Catholic Online). As her devotion to her faith grew, her tenacity began to flourish, which in turn gave people the courage to embrace their beliefs.

Catherine was eighteen years old when she decided to confront the Roman emperor, Maxentius, who was persecuting Christians. Outraged, the emperor imprisoned Catherine, however, she was able to proselytize the emperor’s guards, fifty philosophers, Maxentius’ wife, and over two hundred people who visited her cell. In a final attempt to persuade Catherine to renounce her faith, Maxentius proposed to her. Catherine was given the offer to become empress but she refused by stating, “that she had consecrated her virginity to Jesus Christ, her spouse” (Petruzzello). Her willingness to reject the power associated with becoming an empress shows complete dedication and strength. She stayed true to her beliefs and encouraged many others to do the same during the process. Saint Catherine of Alexandria’s fortitude and determination helped her become a leader for the Christians in times of struggle and difficulty.

Malala Yousafzai defied the oppression that surrounded her, and it was her persistence that got her and many other girls out of the dire situation they were forced into. Malala was born in Mingora, Pakistan on July 12th, 1997, and is a philosophy, politics, and economics student at the University of Oxford. She moved to the United Kingdom in 2014, and in that same year was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. She is most well known for her charity, the Malala Fund, and for being the youngest Nobel Laureate to date (Malala Fund). The award was conferred to her because she used her persistence to challenge the world around her. She was only eleven years old when the Taliban, an extremist Islamic group, forced her and multiple other girls out of the school system, depriving them of an education.

She felt that it was her duty to speak publicly on behalf of all females and their right to learn. However, in response to her opposition, a man retaliated by shooting her on the left side of her head, nearly killing her. Once she resided in the United Kingdom she explained, “I knew I had a choice: I could live a quiet life or I could make the most of this new life I had been given. I determined to continue my fight until every girl could go to school” (Malala Fund). It was her decision that inspired the idea for the Malala Fund, a charity that fights to “ensure all girls receive 12 years of free, safe, quality education” (Malala Fund). Malala’s resilience is what brings hope and a bright future for girls all around the world.

Through their trials and tribulations, Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Malala Yousafzai showed that positive leadership comes from developing the skills to endure hardship. Positive leadership is important because society tends to mirror what their role models do, and that directly affects how people will act in the future. Saint Catherine of Alexandria’s integrity and confidence is what makes her such a positive role model. Her story teaches that when a person is sincere with their beliefs, they can influence others to do the same. Malala’s brave response to the Taliban’s discrimination is an example of challenging the status quo.

Not everything in life is fair, and the lesson her experience exhibits is that for change to happen, one must fight for what they believe in. For some people, it is difficult to be sincere with their identity, but with strong religious leaders, these individuals can band together and comfortably be themselves. Religion is a way of accepting, confronting, and understanding one’s fears, and when people learn this process, society can progress into a more peaceful and safe way of life.