Dear Future Leader

Laika Kalyani Patel, Miss Texas Teen USA 2025 and President of Texas DECA, has dedicated her youth to leadership, creativity, and service. She has led over 25,000 high school business students, founded the crochet stuffed animal business Kalyani Knots, and developed a leadership curriculum called Dear Future Leader to inspire children to lead with kindness, curiosity, and courage. With her background in pageantry, entrepreneurship, and community service, she created this book to give young readers a story that reflects two important figments from her life: beauty and purpose.

Dear Future Leader follows Catherine, a young girl in a city where every person wears a single color to represent their role. Firefighters are red, painters are pink, teachers are yellow, yet Catherine begins in gray, unsure of where she belongs. But as she explores her passions and serves others, her dress transforms into a vibrant masterpiece that is stitched with symbols of kindness, creativity, and courage. By being curious about every life path and using her skills for the greater good, the young woman embraces a multi-colored life which adds to the palette of her community. Eventually, she becomes "The Wondermaker," a muse who inspires others to discover their own colors.

This poetic story teaches children that leadership is not about titles but about the everyday choices to be compassionate, curious, and brave. With pageant-inspired illustrations and a timeless message, Dear Future Leader empowers young readers to see their individuality as a strength and to step confidently into their own unique path of leadership.