Introducing "Ray of Light" Runa Lucienne

1. Which of our three virtues do you identify with most and why?

Of Ray of Light’s three virtues: joy, excellence, and spirit of service, I most identify with the spirit of service. Matthew 23:11 says “The greatest among you must be a servant.”, meaning the spirit of service is fundamental to leadership. As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned the greatest lessons outside of the classroom, therefore, I choose to maximum my spare time by volunteering with various organizations including the Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation as a member of their PR and marketing team; Paws4You, dog rescue organization as an event volunteer; the Miami Children’s Museum as an educator’s assistant; and my church in their children’s ministry. Servant leadership is something I enjoy and grow from tremendously. It’s been said, “if serving is beneath you, leadership is beyond you”, and those words will never ring more true.

2. Did you have a role model/ mentor that inspired you to do what you are doing?

Throughout my life, there have been many role models I’ve looked to for wisdom and counsel but Michelle Obama has been the most inspirational and empowering. Her tenacious, fearless, yet diplomatic approach to fighting social injustice is one I hope to match. She continues to defy odds and triumphs by being authentic and using the power of her testimony to make a positive social impact even in an age where altered images and false narratives are praised. Michelle Obama has inspired me to set goals above the glass ceiling, and I’m forever thankful for her leadership in our community.

3. What is the best advice you’ve received to date?

Some of the best advice I’ve received came from a mentor during an engineering internship with NASA. While working on my final report, I was modest in covering my contributions to the project. She told me to “never sell yourself short”. As my faith in God develops, I have come to understand I was “fearfully and wonderfully made” in the image of God, therefore by selling myself short, I’m selling God short of additional opportunities to receive glory. I, now, encourage others to never dim their light for anyone -especially not with hopes of conforming to the trends of today.

4. How do you see/ understand your responsibility to your community?

With an eclectic background of personal and career experiences, I see my unique perspective as one of my superpowers. As an advocate for change, I have the responsibility of using my influence and perspective to address social injustice including, but not limited to, healthcare for the under-served, prejudice in the judicial system, police brutality, equal pay for women, and the end of human trafficking, homelessness, and hunger worldwide -supporting efforts that will lead to systematic change in favor of those without voices.

5. Ultimately, what does success look like to you?

Success is subjective, but for me, it equates to walking in my God-given purpose. Before completing every action, I ask myself “does this give glory to God?”, if not I quickly pivot and seek alignment in Him. Nothing is impossible for God, nothing is impossible with God, so success will find you when you continuously seek God.

6. How can people learn more about you and the work that you're doing? Do you have a website and/or SM handles you'd like to share? *

You can learn more about me on my website, www.RunaLucienne.com, and follow me on social media: @runalucienne on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!