Hey, I'm Aleks

The idea for What If We Lead? started one evening on my family’s front porch in rural South Georgia. I was listening as my parents talked with friends about what makes our town so special. They said it’s a combination of things—but at the heart of it, it’s the people. The ones who show up without being asked. The ones who see a need and do something about it.

But they also shared something that really stuck with me: like a lot of small towns, we’re facing new challenges—and we’re going to need new ideas. And more than that, they see a real gap in volunteerism with fewer young people stepping up to the plate.

Now, I was raised in a family of community builders—people who believed the future isn’t something that just happens to us, but something we get to shape. That's the kind of spirit that shaped me. Even as a teenager, I was the one constantly asking, What if we tried this? What if we did it a different way this time?

Sometimes those questions were met with eye rolls, but regardless of what other people thought, I’ve learned that those what ifs can be powerful. Behind those simple questions just might be a catalyst for change. 

So I got to thinking: What if young people believed they had the power to be a force for good in their communities? And what if I did something to encourage young people like me to get involved? 

And then, I started thinking bigger: towns all over Georgia are facing similar challenges so, what if we could get tools and encouragement into the hands of young changemakers across our state? 

And that is how What If We Lead? and Leader Labs came to life.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about us. You’re now part of something bigger than you know—and it all started with a simple question: What if?

Aleks Arwood 

Founder, What if We Lead?

Miss Northwest Georgia 2025 - Miss Georgia Organization