whenever I go back home to Mexico
I’m struck by contrast the beauty and
rich culture of street markets set
alongside parents with their children
covered in dirt with no shoes on their
feet begging for money I noticed my
grandmother take out of her coin purse
and give each person she passes a couple
of pistols I remember telling her stop
you’re giving your way all of your money
and today though my mom and I don’t go
financially support my grandmother she
says to me in return don’t worry I’ll be
just fine sharing what I have I just
like my grandmother have always wanted
to make a difference in other’s lives
but as I’ve grown up I’ve learned that
many people believe one person cannot
make a difference I’ve been asked
questions like do you really think
recycling that one piece of paper is
going to help save the planet do you
really think eating all that food on
your plate is going to help end world
hunger
Oh questions like these can be
disheartening my reply is always yes I
do genuinely think my actions can’t
amount to something and that they will
create a positive impact in the world I
live in a generation of socially minded
individuals who are conscious of their
actions and want to create a positive
input we have the fire and passion of
youth to want and to wish for a more
just society in a beautiful world to
live in all we need is fuel from those
around us now there are two ways of one
person or to make a difference as
individuals and the starters of movement
are our actions and our choices matter
they shape our days our lives and
ultimately our world every day we have
to make hundreds of decisions and we can
either make convenient ones or
considerate ones for example when you go
shopping you always have the choice to
research things about the brand’s you
buy from many of the big retail brands
we buy our clothes from are guilty of
manufacturing using sweatshops or child
labor in order to produce extremely
cheap clothes you are the consumer you
are the one choosing where you want to
spend your money I challenge all of you
to look into the brands you buy from and
see if they are responsible and treat
their workers fairly
another common choice we make is to buy
granola and protein bars I recently
discovered that there are some companies
that donate a portion of their proceeds
to nonprofit organizations such as the
nonprofit not for sale and the global
fight against human trafficking and
others that donate to nonprofit
organizations that help the conservation
of wildlife that’s pretty amazing there
is power in our choices we can help
support company as a whole the same
values as us and wish to create a
positive impact on the world instead of
aimlessly trying to accumulate as much
stuff as possible without understanding
what it took to get into our hands this
is the difference between a convenient
decision and a considered decision in
order to change our decisions it takes
effort just like anything else in life
we have to do research and learn about
the but brands we borrow from and the
world around us in order to understand
what we want to support
however our power as individuals isn’t
limited to our choices our actions are
just as powerful I know this isn’t the
reality I know there’s cruelty and
corruption the world I know it isn’t a
perfect place however if we accept
defeat because we believe we are too
young or too old or too small to do
anything then we will allow the
perpetuation of these problems to happen
an admirable example of someone who
believes she can make a difference was
Malala you fought see a young girl from
Pakistan who in her small village of the
Swat Valley advocated for girls
education as a result she was shot in
the head by the Taliban but she
miraculously survived she was only 15
years old instead of sulking and staying
in Pakistan she used her growing
popularity and public platform to
advocate for girls education in the
world that definitely did not turn out
the way the Taliban wanted since then
she has received the Nobel Peace Prize
in 2014 and as a figurehead for
improving girls education globally her
actions positivity and hope is what has
inspired millions of people and girls
like myself to donate to her either her
organization and create some of her own
she has already done all of this and
just recently started University at
Oxford she’s just 20 years old other
teenagers had to have created an
immensely important fact
the world our sisters from Bali Malati
and Isabel which then these two girls
actually told a story in their own TED
talk everything started when they
learned about the negative impact
plastic bags have implanted and they
wanted to stop using them all together
however this wasn’t enough for them they
wanted to increase awareness and stop
more people from using plastic bags how
do I know because since my mom watched
third TED talk we no longer accept any
pasta fives at any store and always make
sure to bring our own recyclable canvas
bags it’s gotten to that point that if
we forget to bring our bags
my mom won’t ask for all of our girl
trees to be put back into the cart trust
me when this happens taking an entire
week’s worth of grocery shopping one by
one out of the car is not my definition
of fun however this is exactly the sort
of positive impact to girls have caused
in my household and hundreds more from
people that heard their talk a trickle
effect occurs when someone is courageous
and determined enough to want to make a
difference it gives people the fuel and
desire to help out and want to support a
current example of this is with the
students imagine a storm and Douglas
have begun to accomplish I live in West
Boca ratone
20 minutes from parkland where the
school shooting took place just over a
month ago I’ve been part of a community
that has come together in unimaginable
ways what I have been the most awestruck
by are the actions of the students at
MSD a day after the shooting a few
students spoke to reporters to retell of
the events that took place I didn’t
expect much else to happen given my
understanding of other school shootings
then when I got home February 21st from
having done a walkout at my school I was
shocked to open Santa and see all of the
walkout took place not just in my
community but in Florida and in other
states
I was only beginning to grasp the
movement these students were creating it
wasn’t until that same night when I was
watching CNN with my family the students
of MSD speaking to our Florida
representatives and the NRA Intel aha
see that was when I knew as many now say
the students had turned a moment into a
movement the power of each individual on
that stage was evident from the actions
they took to be a
such as taking the bus all the way to
Tallahassee as well as the decisions
they made when choosing their questions
the effort the students that this of the
students I wanted to help their
community after the tragedy created a
school effort has spread to a community
effort a national effort in our world
effort our actions are powerful they are
contagious and can create unimaginable
impacts on the world around us this
could not be more true for the one
hundred eighty thousand individuals I’m
marched in Washington DC on March 24th
for the March of our lives as well as
the marches that took place all around
the United States and in every continent
except Antarctica
this has all been a results of the
actions of the students of MST all of
them teenagers advocating for gun
control to prevent another school
shooting from affecting any other
student or school ever again these are
just three examples of teenagers that
have used their individual actions to
create a ripple and a positive change in
the world
all of which inspire me and remind me of
the power of my decisions and my actions
I’ve always cared about my education not
just because I love to learn but because
it is what will help me navigate the
world around me and it can be taken away
from me two years ago I learned about an
organization that helps provide clean
water education and the sustainable way
of living for very poor communities in
the world that was when I bought two
bracelets one for myself and one for my
mom a year later I bought two more the
organization stood for a cause art
really inspired me and I wanted to
create a greater contribution I first
explained the problem of the lack of
girls education to my school community
then I asked people to help volunteer
and make bracelets just like the ones a
woman in developing countries were
employed to make at the end of two weeks
we made a total of 100 bracelets which I
was then able to sell on the school
campus and we were able to fundraise a
total of $1,000 which is on all donate
to the charity that helps give children
and the world the possibility to go to
school and receive an education
everything started because I made a
decision to use my money to buy two
bracelets from the organization that
aligned with my values then it inspired
me to create a greater impact and a
larger contribution we are like the
breeds
needed to make those bracelets however
one bead isn’t enough one bead needs to
go first for the rest to follow suit and
create a beautiful mosaic that is the
bracelets which student volunteers help
to create this earth is like one large
bracelet or the thread that connects all
of us together each bead is a different
shape in a different color
however equally is beautiful and there
are actions in our choices matter
because they can determine whether we
form a beautiful and harmonious mosaic
of a bracelet or decide to go our own
separate ways and shatter the string and
have all the beads spill out you must be
resilient and learn to hold on tight to
those mirrors because it is through love
and compassion that we will be aware of
our privileges and we will help create
change together and create a more just
world to live in
now I’m telling every one of you in this
audience and maybe thinking of a kinder
planet to live in or thinking of all
your aspirations or dreams you want to
accomplish that your actions will create
a ripple your actions do add up and you
can make a difference all you have to do
is be brave passionate and resilient
because as my grandmother always told me
we are placed on this earth to serve
others if not then what’s the point
thank you [Applause]
I’m struck by contrast the beauty and
rich culture of street markets set
alongside parents with their children
covered in dirt with no shoes on their
feet begging for money I noticed my
grandmother take out of her coin purse
and give each person she passes a couple
of pistols I remember telling her stop
you’re giving your way all of your money
and today though my mom and I don’t go
financially support my grandmother she
says to me in return don’t worry I’ll be
just fine sharing what I have I just
like my grandmother have always wanted
to make a difference in other’s lives
but as I’ve grown up I’ve learned that
many people believe one person cannot
make a difference I’ve been asked
questions like do you really think
recycling that one piece of paper is
going to help save the planet do you
really think eating all that food on
your plate is going to help end world
hunger
Oh questions like these can be
disheartening my reply is always yes I
do genuinely think my actions can’t
amount to something and that they will
create a positive impact in the world I
live in a generation of socially minded
individuals who are conscious of their
actions and want to create a positive
input we have the fire and passion of
youth to want and to wish for a more
just society in a beautiful world to
live in all we need is fuel from those
around us now there are two ways of one
person or to make a difference as
individuals and the starters of movement
are our actions and our choices matter
they shape our days our lives and
ultimately our world every day we have
to make hundreds of decisions and we can
either make convenient ones or
considerate ones for example when you go
shopping you always have the choice to
research things about the brand’s you
buy from many of the big retail brands
we buy our clothes from are guilty of
manufacturing using sweatshops or child
labor in order to produce extremely
cheap clothes you are the consumer you
are the one choosing where you want to
spend your money I challenge all of you
to look into the brands you buy from and
see if they are responsible and treat
their workers fairly
another common choice we make is to buy
granola and protein bars I recently
discovered that there are some companies
that donate a portion of their proceeds
to nonprofit organizations such as the
nonprofit not for sale and the global
fight against human trafficking and
others that donate to nonprofit
organizations that help the conservation
of wildlife that’s pretty amazing there
is power in our choices we can help
support company as a whole the same
values as us and wish to create a
positive impact on the world instead of
aimlessly trying to accumulate as much
stuff as possible without understanding
what it took to get into our hands this
is the difference between a convenient
decision and a considered decision in
order to change our decisions it takes
effort just like anything else in life
we have to do research and learn about
the but brands we borrow from and the
world around us in order to understand
what we want to support
however our power as individuals isn’t
limited to our choices our actions are
just as powerful I know this isn’t the
reality I know there’s cruelty and
corruption the world I know it isn’t a
perfect place however if we accept
defeat because we believe we are too
young or too old or too small to do
anything then we will allow the
perpetuation of these problems to happen
an admirable example of someone who
believes she can make a difference was
Malala you fought see a young girl from
Pakistan who in her small village of the
Swat Valley advocated for girls
education as a result she was shot in
the head by the Taliban but she
miraculously survived she was only 15
years old instead of sulking and staying
in Pakistan she used her growing
popularity and public platform to
advocate for girls education in the
world that definitely did not turn out
the way the Taliban wanted since then
she has received the Nobel Peace Prize
in 2014 and as a figurehead for
improving girls education globally her
actions positivity and hope is what has
inspired millions of people and girls
like myself to donate to her either her
organization and create some of her own
she has already done all of this and
just recently started University at
Oxford she’s just 20 years old other
teenagers had to have created an
immensely important fact
the world our sisters from Bali Malati
and Isabel which then these two girls
actually told a story in their own TED
talk everything started when they
learned about the negative impact
plastic bags have implanted and they
wanted to stop using them all together
however this wasn’t enough for them they
wanted to increase awareness and stop
more people from using plastic bags how
do I know because since my mom watched
third TED talk we no longer accept any
pasta fives at any store and always make
sure to bring our own recyclable canvas
bags it’s gotten to that point that if
we forget to bring our bags
my mom won’t ask for all of our girl
trees to be put back into the cart trust
me when this happens taking an entire
week’s worth of grocery shopping one by
one out of the car is not my definition
of fun however this is exactly the sort
of positive impact to girls have caused
in my household and hundreds more from
people that heard their talk a trickle
effect occurs when someone is courageous
and determined enough to want to make a
difference it gives people the fuel and
desire to help out and want to support a
current example of this is with the
students imagine a storm and Douglas
have begun to accomplish I live in West
Boca ratone
20 minutes from parkland where the
school shooting took place just over a
month ago I’ve been part of a community
that has come together in unimaginable
ways what I have been the most awestruck
by are the actions of the students at
MSD a day after the shooting a few
students spoke to reporters to retell of
the events that took place I didn’t
expect much else to happen given my
understanding of other school shootings
then when I got home February 21st from
having done a walkout at my school I was
shocked to open Santa and see all of the
walkout took place not just in my
community but in Florida and in other
states
I was only beginning to grasp the
movement these students were creating it
wasn’t until that same night when I was
watching CNN with my family the students
of MSD speaking to our Florida
representatives and the NRA Intel aha
see that was when I knew as many now say
the students had turned a moment into a
movement the power of each individual on
that stage was evident from the actions
they took to be a
such as taking the bus all the way to
Tallahassee as well as the decisions
they made when choosing their questions
the effort the students that this of the
students I wanted to help their
community after the tragedy created a
school effort has spread to a community
effort a national effort in our world
effort our actions are powerful they are
contagious and can create unimaginable
impacts on the world around us this
could not be more true for the one
hundred eighty thousand individuals I’m
marched in Washington DC on March 24th
for the March of our lives as well as
the marches that took place all around
the United States and in every continent
except Antarctica
this has all been a results of the
actions of the students of MST all of
them teenagers advocating for gun
control to prevent another school
shooting from affecting any other
student or school ever again these are
just three examples of teenagers that
have used their individual actions to
create a ripple and a positive change in
the world
all of which inspire me and remind me of
the power of my decisions and my actions
I’ve always cared about my education not
just because I love to learn but because
it is what will help me navigate the
world around me and it can be taken away
from me two years ago I learned about an
organization that helps provide clean
water education and the sustainable way
of living for very poor communities in
the world that was when I bought two
bracelets one for myself and one for my
mom a year later I bought two more the
organization stood for a cause art
really inspired me and I wanted to
create a greater contribution I first
explained the problem of the lack of
girls education to my school community
then I asked people to help volunteer
and make bracelets just like the ones a
woman in developing countries were
employed to make at the end of two weeks
we made a total of 100 bracelets which I
was then able to sell on the school
campus and we were able to fundraise a
total of $1,000 which is on all donate
to the charity that helps give children
and the world the possibility to go to
school and receive an education
everything started because I made a
decision to use my money to buy two
bracelets from the organization that
aligned with my values then it inspired
me to create a greater impact and a
larger contribution we are like the
breeds
needed to make those bracelets however
one bead isn’t enough one bead needs to
go first for the rest to follow suit and
create a beautiful mosaic that is the
bracelets which student volunteers help
to create this earth is like one large
bracelet or the thread that connects all
of us together each bead is a different
shape in a different color
however equally is beautiful and there
are actions in our choices matter
because they can determine whether we
form a beautiful and harmonious mosaic
of a bracelet or decide to go our own
separate ways and shatter the string and
have all the beads spill out you must be
resilient and learn to hold on tight to
those mirrors because it is through love
and compassion that we will be aware of
our privileges and we will help create
change together and create a more just
world to live in
now I’m telling every one of you in this
audience and maybe thinking of a kinder
planet to live in or thinking of all
your aspirations or dreams you want to
accomplish that your actions will create
a ripple your actions do add up and you
can make a difference all you have to do
is be brave passionate and resilient
because as my grandmother always told me
we are placed on this earth to serve
others if not then what’s the point
thank you [Applause]
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