b'Our Industry is Starting to Look Different. Thats Good for us and the Public, tooHow can different ethnicities bolster our industry? Marc ZienkiewiczCAN CHANGING THEface of our industry bol- connect diverse students and professionals and aid in ster public trust?their leadership development. She says people from A 2018 study published in the Journal ofdiverse backgrounds make effective leaders and rep-Experimental Social Psychology, Polish researchersresentatives of the ag industry because they bring a lot found that we tend to trust people who look like usof empathy to the role.more than we trust people who appear different.As a servant leader myself, the mission that were While this presents challenges for society, the factworking towards is all about making sure that youre that we often trust people who we feel we can bettertaking care of your people, which is your biggest and relate to also has positive implications in the area ofgreatest resource, and just supporting one another, public trust in agricultureif were willing to ensureshe says. we are represented by people from many diverseServant leadership is a leadership philosophy in backgrounds. which the goal of the leader is to serve. This is differ-When people see individuals that resonate withent from traditional leadership where the leaders main their communities, who have some shared back- focus is the success of their company or organization.grounds and experiences, there is more trust becauseTheres an amazing work ethic that goes with they feel like those people get it and know wherebeing a servant leader that distinguishes these leaders theyre coming from, says Ebony Webber, chieffrom others, Webber adds.operations officer for the Georgia-based Minorities inOne of those servant leaders is Fabian Leon, a Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciencesgraduate student in plant breeding at Texas A&M (MANRRS).University and a National Association of Plant Breeders It also creates a sense that people are workingBorlaug Scholar. He was born in California, where his together. When you see academics, universities, indus- parents were migrant farm workers, and he grew up in try and government working together, theres a senseKentucky. of transparency and accountability.He identifies as a Chicano person. Chicano is a In her position with MANRRS, Webber works tochosen identity for many Mexican Americans in the 48/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2022'