The ShadeMakers Student Leadership Conference is a free, inaugural event focused on empowering high school leadership teams across Washington, held on March 14, 2026, at Gonzaga University in Spokane, and founded by Christian Paige.
At the conference, educator and motivational speaker Erin Jones delivered a keynote that challenged youth to rethink leadership, identity, and human connection. In a candid conversation, she expanded on themes that resonated deeply with navigating a complex, media-saturated world.
Q: You spoke about owning your narrative, especially in today’s social media landscape. What does that look like for young people?
Jones: “It’s so hard when you’re that young and trying to figure it out. Being accepted is a big deal, being belonging is a big deal. So I think, number one, always be true to yourself. You’re always gonna fail at being someone else’s best self.”
Jones emphasized authenticity over curation, sharing how her own social media reflects both triumph and struggle.
“My social media is really honest. I don’t share the cleaned up version of me. You’re gonna see me when I’m having my best day, but you’re also gonna see me when I’m having a hard day. And that’s me. I want people to know I’m multidimensional.”
For young people, she encourages curiosity and balance.
“Get creative, get curious, stay curious. And don’t be afraid to step away from social media too. Your social media is just one piece of you. It’s not all of you.”
Q: You reframed leadership in a powerful way. What does everyday leadership look like?
“We’re always leading people, and sometimes you’re leading your little brother or sister. 90% of leadership is without a title.”
Jones grounded leadership in lived experience, not position, emphasizing that leadership is less about designation and more about consistency and character.
“It’s the little ways that we show up and lead that actually, over the long haul, are more important.”
She also cautioned against the pursuit of titles as the goal, noting that leadership is often recognized rather than claimed.
“I didn’t go looking for them. People came looking for me and said, okay, who’s gonna show up? Who’s going to be consistent? Who’s gonna work hard? Who cares about this? Who’s gonna make us better? Because she’s leading? So be that person. Don’t go about looking for the leadership title. Go out looking to lead.”
Q: In a time of division, how do we begin to heal across difference?
“I think, No. 1, it requires you to know yourself. Once you know yourself, it’s easier to get curious about other people.”
Jones describes herself as “radically curious,” approaching every interaction with the belief that connection is possible.
“I wonder where we’re connected. I will continue to ask questions, assuming that we will find a point of contact.”
She reflected on a powerful interaction that underscored the impact of curiosity and humanity.
“He said, ‘I’ve been following you for the last year. I never commented, but I read everything. You taught me how to live differently.’”
Her takeaway is simple but profound.
“It’s really hard to hate somebody once you know their story.”
Q: How should educators approach conversations about race and identity?
“You can’t get good at a thing you don’t practice.”
Jones acknowledges that many educators were never trained to have these conversations.
“It’s not because they’re bad. It’s not because they’re racist. You can’t get good at a thing you don’t practice.”
She emphasizes the responsibility educators carry in preparing students for a diverse world.
“If their first conversation is when they get to college and they have a Black roommate, that’s on you. You did not prepare them.”
Exposure, she argues, is essential.
“There’s no textbook that can translate that.”
Q: What does it take to create real change within systems?
“The answer is not always policy, but sometimes it is policy. You have to hold people accountable.”
Jones is clear that both structural change and personal accountability matter.
“This is our country. When one of us is hurting, we are all hurting.”
Q: You spoke about intergenerational leadership. Why is that so important?
“Leaders are always learners. You should always be learning from someone, but also empowering others to learn.”
She calls for a shift away from scarcity thinking and toward collective growth.
“There’s this idea that there’s only so much pie. Instead of, ‘if I give you a piece of pie and you can go make your own pie, now we’ve got two pies.’”
In a world that often rewards titles and visibility, Erin Jones offers a different blueprint. Leadership is not about chasing power. It is about how you show up, how you serve, and whether others are better because you chose to lead.