Earlier this year, Special Olympics Northern California Athlete Leader Amanda H. from Solano County was among a select group to attend the first-ever Special Olympics North America (SONA) Regional Athlete Leader Congress. Amanda joined other leaders from Canada, the Caribbean and the United States in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to build leadership skills, collaborate with peers and shape the future of our movement.
As a part of the Regional Congress, Athlete Leaders had the opportunity to speak in front of their peers for a chance to advance to the 2027 Global Athlete Congress in Chile. Athlete Leader Amanda was one of the athletes campaigning for the Global Congress.
Keep reading for her firsthand account of the SONA Regional Athlete Leader Congress!
Written by Athlete Leader Amanda H.
A Travel Adventure
I woke up early the morning of March 8, 2026. I had not gotten any sleep the night before due to nerves and excitement.
This was going to be my first time traveling without my family (but with a mentor) to the great state of Michigan.
My family and I picked up my mentor, Jessica, and we traveled to the Sacramento airport.
We went through the security lines quickly and waited for our flight to Chicago.
It was approximately a four-hour flight, but with the time zone change, it felt a little bit longer. Jessica and I chatted the entire time about a variety of topics.
As the plane whipped against the wind (no wonder it’s called the Windy City!), it truly took me by surprise, but we landed safely in Chicago. While waiting for our next flight, I had my first Chicago pizza. It was a margherita pizza, but I did not particularly care for the thin crust.
I capitalized on being in this monumental city by buying a souvenir. I broke the bank by spending $4 on a writing pen, which I would eventually use at the Congress workshop later in the week.
As we waited for our flight, the gate agent made an announcement, stating that our flight would be delayed by 90 minutes.
Jessica, myself and many of my fellow athletes from Canada, Florida, Kentucky, Boston and the Caribbean would be stranded together. We took this as an opportunity to bond with one another. Many of us joked that we could just have our Congress meetings here at the airport.
It was an incredibly long night. Roughly around 2 a.m., we arrived at the hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Welcome To Michigan
The Congress staff allowed those of us who had late night flights to sleep in an extra hour before joining the rest of the group at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
We took a small tour of the museum, watched a short film and took several photos.
A few hours later, we boarded the bus to the Special Olympics Michigan headquarters. That campus was beautiful! It had a track, basketball courts, swimming facilities and much more. There were several inclusion rooms and cooking facilities on campus. The gymnasium was massive!
A few hours later, we were invited to the Opening Ceremony, which included each delegate walking in alongside another athlete. As we walked down the long corridor, we were enthusiastically greeted with high-fives, smiles, cheerleaders and signs that read “Congratulations, Delegates.” My heart was full as I realized the impact of being part of the first “Athlete Congress” in Special Olympics history.
As our names were called, we were to stand and wave to the crowd. I stood with a feeling of nervousness as “Northern California” was announced. Looking ahead, it would be four fun-filled days that would change my life.
It’s Time To Get To Work
The real work began on Tuesday.
We were broken up into groups: “Advancing” and “Non-Advancing” delegates.
The non-advancing delegates were given the task of presenting a project. Advancing delegates (that’s me) were given the task of presenting speeches by the end of the week. I knew that I had to be outgoing and courageous. It was not just about speech delivery, it was about showing off all of me.
Throughout the week, we focused on media interviews, making friends with our Canadian and Caribbean athletes and just having a good time.
I became friends with a gentleman from my dad’s homeland of Trinidad. We spoke about food and music that is common to the island. My friend told me about the Trinidad scorpion pepper and that it was extra hot. It definitely spiked my curiosity.
The days filled with bonding activities quickly turned into fear-filled moments as the speeches crept up upon us. Friends that we just met also had the power to nominate you to move forward.
I was told that fear stands for “False Evidence Appearing Real.” My faith in Jesus is what matters. In the early morning hours on Wednesday, I took some time to pray.
I wrote down eight scriptures and quoted them quietly.
Psalm 56:3-4
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
This scripture really resonated with me, as I was unsure of what was to come. Today was our media training day that included a branding workshop and further discussions about athletes in the media.
Thursday would be our big day. Thursday is the day that would change everything. As many athletes held their breath, me included, I held firmly to God.
The Big Day
Our morning began with a visit from Tim Shriver Jr. His presentation was rooted in his interest of telling fables and fairytales to his two young children. We were to act as his audience. I was mesmerized as I visualized the story.
The day continued with more photo opportunities, speech preparation and hearing from two Sergeant Shriver International Global Messengers, Susan and Wyatt, along with some feedback sessions from Bank of America representatives.
I practiced my speech once more with my mentor, Jessica, before taking a break for lunch. But my nerves had taken a hold of me and I was unable to eat.
Running Out Of Time
It was officially 12:30 p.m.
One by one, I watched all of my friends share dynamic speeches about what the opportunity to visit Santiago, Chile, would mean to them.
The time came for me to approach the stage With confidence, I began my speech. The lights felt hot and blinding at times.
I decided to speak about being the vice chair of the US Athlete Leadership Council, visiting the White House and speaking poetically for President Joe Biden. I was ready to conclude my speech with a poem, as I often do, and it happened… I ran out of time as I was concluding my poem.
The last words I spoke on that stage were, “I want to be that voice.” My time was done, even though I had just two lines left to read. I left the stage feeling defeated. Several people whispered to me, “Good Job, Amanda.” But in my mind, I had blown my opportunity. At that point, I was too numb to cry. I listened to the remainder of the speeches. I remained composed.
This was a true test of professionalism and the right attitude.
Keeping The Faith
As we took a short break, my heart was still skipping. Voices could be heard around me. But I was not listening. I began to feel sick from waiting. We were also asked to vote for the finalist during that time. It was an incredibly hard decision that had to be made. I wondered if anybody would vote for me. I kept thinking, “My time ran out.”
The conference facilitators, Alyssa and Brandon, stepped on stage right before they announced the finalists. You could hear a pin drop in the room as all of us were congratulated for our participation.
My eyes began burning again. I was sure my name was not there on list.
Suddenly, my eyes filled with tears, as I saw my name the third from the bottom. I had been named a finalist, even though my speech had not been completed.
The hard work paid off and I could not be more grateful to all who supported my journey. I took a chance based on who God called me to be and I ended up making Special Olympics history.
Looking Ahead
Amanda was subsequently selected as one of 10 athletes to represent Special Olympics North America at the 2027 Global Athlete Congress in Chile!
This honor reflects Amanda’s dedication, leadership, and the insights she contributed alongside athletes from across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. Amanda is hard at work already with the Global Athlete Congress as she prepares to travel to Chile next fall.
About Special Olympics Northern California:
Special Olympics Northern California empowers children and adults with intellectual disabilities to participate in year-round sports training and athletic competitions in a variety of Olympic-type sports. Through the power of sport, we promote inclusion, acceptance, and the development of life skills, building stronger communities for one athlete at a time.
