“To Dream the Impossible, Begin to Make it Possible”

Salve Vargas Edelman

President, Rising Asian American Pacific Coalition (RAPACD)
FWN100™ Global 2015

My 17-year dream of producing “Isla Vegas, the Ninth Island” became a reality because of my passion for the cultural and performing arts which lie at the heart of how I continue to utilize my God-given talents in various leadership roles. This chapter explains how this dream came true. The dream had begun with a commitment to a vision and with engaging the local Las Vegas communities to buy into the vision of a Rising Asian American Pacific Coalition (RAPACD). I drew on the performance skills I learned as an international crooner, the management and organizational competencies while working for the corporate world in insurance and financial services, in real estate, and with the Bureau of Census. Responding to a call for duty to care for my mother meant immigrating to the U. S. and giving up my career as a crooner. It was a blessing in disguise because by doing my duty willingly, I learned other functional skills, including being a successful real estate agent while continuing to pursue my passion for the cultural and performing arts. The move to Las Vegas presented an opportunity to achieve a seemingly impossible dream. How that dream became a reality also shows how I grew my capacity as a leader. Leadership for me is the ability to care passionately and communicate that passion by inspiring and motivating others to take action. My leadership philosophy is best summed up by John Quincy Adams. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a Leader. ”