so just after Halloween last year my son
David he was a second grader at the time
came home with a question
barreling at me the way he usually does
that is his typical mo I made a new
friend today that’s pretty common he’s a
Leo his name is Jose also that’s pretty
normal his school is about 55% Hispanic
Jose doesn’t have a bed can I give him
my bed that caught me off guard
apparently in the span of recess David
met and befriended Jose found out he
just arrived from Puerto Rico and had
left most of his belongings behind
and after they commiserated together
about how scary hurricanes are Jose
shared that he was sharing a bed with
three other children and David decided
at that moment that he could do without
in order to make his new friend feel at
home now I’m biased of course but the
goodness of his heart
teaches me in unexpected ways it really
makes me think so home let me ask you
let me make it personal what comes to
mind for you is it as smell freshly
baked cookies
your dad’s aftershave how about a sound
cicadas in the summertime your
grandmother’s laughter maybe it’s a
sensation now the fuzz of that favorite
blanket on just the right spot in the
couch right or your brothers bear hugs
how much is enough to evoke home for you
and what things are crucial family
photos maybe how about that old pair of
jeans
just can’t bear to part with even though
it’s been years since you could squeeze
into them right how about that teddy
bear where all the fur has been
completely loved off and if you had to
leave in a hurry what would you take
what would you abandon really think
about it with me please i want you to
one you think carefully picture
carefully in your minds
what evokes home for you and hold on to
that because we’re gonna come back to it
now our community is one that cares very
deeply about one another it’s a place we
are proud to call home when others are
in need our community wraps our arms
around them and we provide help that is
what we do and hurricanes are something
we have learned to live with from an
early age especially for those of us
who’ve grown up here on August 25th 2017
Harvey hit Houston in our community when
we were asked sprung into action and we
sent them underwear and socks and school
supplies that’s what they asked for
that’s what they needed on September
10th
herma came through orlando and flooded a
number of our low-income and low-lying
neighborhoods and again we were right
there immediately food water clean
sheets towels we were there and then
September 20th Maria hit Puerto Rico 3.5
million people were left without
electricity or potable water three days
later the first few flights started to
arrive here in Orlando from Puerto Rico
there’s a September 30th Miami Herald
article where Stephanie Santiago is
quoted stating the obvious no one can
live without water without food without
light and three months after the
hurricanes hit nearly a quarter million
Puerto Ricans had arrived in Florida
most of them here in Orlando
almost 3,500 displaced students enrolled
in our local public schools over 80% of
them were from Puerto Rico alone and
many of these children came without
parents
can you imagine came to live with
relatives who they may have met a few
times or once or not at all till now
something that surprised us is that they
didn’t settle just in the pockets and
neighborhoods that we had anticipated
they spread all over the county which
impacted dozens and dozens of our public
schools now the community response was
outstanding because that is what we do
right nonprofits corporations from all
across the county from Universal to
goodwill churches and TV stations
everybody mobilized to provide what was
needed backpacks stuffed with school
supplies right gift cards cash even
musical instruments we got a
collaborative grant to work with a gift
for teaching to be able to distribute
all of this stuff quickly both now and
for future disasters at OCPs we created
a fund to help our families those who
are already here and those who are
arriving we created holiday gift baskets
for our new employees who were from
Puerto Rico and we gathered and shared
stories the student at Colonial high
school being interviewed on TV who said
when she was asked what she missed the
most I just want to hug my mom the
grandparents boarding a bus at one of
our middle schools to go to SeaWorld for
the Christmas celebration for free who
could only nod and clasp with the hands
of the principal over and over and over
again to express their gratitude my
second grader willing to give away his
bed it was an amazing experience
absolutely amazing to see and frankly
the work that we did to prepare our
current students was the easiest we
worked with them on core values that we
teach every day reminding them how to
apply them simple things have respect be
kind
safety first our schools organized
forums to welcome the new families and
to allow neighbors to offer help
we manned that Welcome Center at the
airport for months giving out
information about employment and school
registration in English and Spanish we
made sure we had those backpacks ready
to go at the Welcome Center at student
enrollment at our school’s front desks
easy and the reason it was easy is
because our superintendent set the tone
early and emphatically she said these
children tell your neighbors and tell
your friends these children are welcomed
with open arms and her message captures
this truth a sense of belonging is vital
no when we think about basic needs our
minds go immediately to food water
shelter right that’s what we think of
and those are important especially in
times of disaster we have to have those
we need electricity we need supplies
clothing that fits helps you fit in
right the comfort of a routine
establishes trust especially for
children and the stability of a job
brings relief but alone these things are
not enough our basic needs and our human
basic needs transcend things we are
inherently social animals and tribe is
important doctor will shuts in his book
the human element lays out the three
most basic human needs and they are in
order number one inclusion or
significance
to be worthy of your attention control
or competency to be seen as able by
myself and others and openness or
likability to be worthy of friendship or
love but first and foremost is inclusion
to be included not ignored to belong how
basic is it when a newborn cries she’s
saying pay attention to me when a
teenager follows the latest fad he’s
saying I’m in the in-crowd right when my
fellow speakers and I arrived here today
and are secretly checking out what
everybody’s wearing we’re really asking
do I fit here it’s basic Dan coil in the
culture code points out the fact that
our primitive brains tell us if I don’t
belong I could die that’s fairly intense
but it’s a powerful instinct and in fact
those who don’t belong those who are
excluded or ignored have a very
difficult time getting those basic needs
of food shelter and water now remember I
asked you to think about what evokes
home for you I want you to picture that
again close your eyes everybody close
your eyes
picture what evokes home for you pick
just three of those elements now take it
down to two now pick one and open your
eyes how many of you chose a thing
and how many chose a sensation or a
feeling or a person because it’s not the
things we carry in our arms that create
home it’s what we hold in our hearts and
our minds and our willingness to welcome
others that does it right it’s it’s so
simple so simple it is not the things
and every action that we take that
embodies the message you belong creates
home for others home welcomes you it
embraces you it supports you and
believes in you in the end it’s not the
bed but that impulse to give it that
matters
see you can learn a lot from that
second-grader
thank you [Applause]
David he was a second grader at the time
came home with a question
barreling at me the way he usually does
that is his typical mo I made a new
friend today that’s pretty common he’s a
Leo his name is Jose also that’s pretty
normal his school is about 55% Hispanic
Jose doesn’t have a bed can I give him
my bed that caught me off guard
apparently in the span of recess David
met and befriended Jose found out he
just arrived from Puerto Rico and had
left most of his belongings behind
and after they commiserated together
about how scary hurricanes are Jose
shared that he was sharing a bed with
three other children and David decided
at that moment that he could do without
in order to make his new friend feel at
home now I’m biased of course but the
goodness of his heart
teaches me in unexpected ways it really
makes me think so home let me ask you
let me make it personal what comes to
mind for you is it as smell freshly
baked cookies
your dad’s aftershave how about a sound
cicadas in the summertime your
grandmother’s laughter maybe it’s a
sensation now the fuzz of that favorite
blanket on just the right spot in the
couch right or your brothers bear hugs
how much is enough to evoke home for you
and what things are crucial family
photos maybe how about that old pair of
jeans
just can’t bear to part with even though
it’s been years since you could squeeze
into them right how about that teddy
bear where all the fur has been
completely loved off and if you had to
leave in a hurry what would you take
what would you abandon really think
about it with me please i want you to
one you think carefully picture
carefully in your minds
what evokes home for you and hold on to
that because we’re gonna come back to it
now our community is one that cares very
deeply about one another it’s a place we
are proud to call home when others are
in need our community wraps our arms
around them and we provide help that is
what we do and hurricanes are something
we have learned to live with from an
early age especially for those of us
who’ve grown up here on August 25th 2017
Harvey hit Houston in our community when
we were asked sprung into action and we
sent them underwear and socks and school
supplies that’s what they asked for
that’s what they needed on September
10th
herma came through orlando and flooded a
number of our low-income and low-lying
neighborhoods and again we were right
there immediately food water clean
sheets towels we were there and then
September 20th Maria hit Puerto Rico 3.5
million people were left without
electricity or potable water three days
later the first few flights started to
arrive here in Orlando from Puerto Rico
there’s a September 30th Miami Herald
article where Stephanie Santiago is
quoted stating the obvious no one can
live without water without food without
light and three months after the
hurricanes hit nearly a quarter million
Puerto Ricans had arrived in Florida
most of them here in Orlando
almost 3,500 displaced students enrolled
in our local public schools over 80% of
them were from Puerto Rico alone and
many of these children came without
parents
can you imagine came to live with
relatives who they may have met a few
times or once or not at all till now
something that surprised us is that they
didn’t settle just in the pockets and
neighborhoods that we had anticipated
they spread all over the county which
impacted dozens and dozens of our public
schools now the community response was
outstanding because that is what we do
right nonprofits corporations from all
across the county from Universal to
goodwill churches and TV stations
everybody mobilized to provide what was
needed backpacks stuffed with school
supplies right gift cards cash even
musical instruments we got a
collaborative grant to work with a gift
for teaching to be able to distribute
all of this stuff quickly both now and
for future disasters at OCPs we created
a fund to help our families those who
are already here and those who are
arriving we created holiday gift baskets
for our new employees who were from
Puerto Rico and we gathered and shared
stories the student at Colonial high
school being interviewed on TV who said
when she was asked what she missed the
most I just want to hug my mom the
grandparents boarding a bus at one of
our middle schools to go to SeaWorld for
the Christmas celebration for free who
could only nod and clasp with the hands
of the principal over and over and over
again to express their gratitude my
second grader willing to give away his
bed it was an amazing experience
absolutely amazing to see and frankly
the work that we did to prepare our
current students was the easiest we
worked with them on core values that we
teach every day reminding them how to
apply them simple things have respect be
kind
safety first our schools organized
forums to welcome the new families and
to allow neighbors to offer help
we manned that Welcome Center at the
airport for months giving out
information about employment and school
registration in English and Spanish we
made sure we had those backpacks ready
to go at the Welcome Center at student
enrollment at our school’s front desks
easy and the reason it was easy is
because our superintendent set the tone
early and emphatically she said these
children tell your neighbors and tell
your friends these children are welcomed
with open arms and her message captures
this truth a sense of belonging is vital
no when we think about basic needs our
minds go immediately to food water
shelter right that’s what we think of
and those are important especially in
times of disaster we have to have those
we need electricity we need supplies
clothing that fits helps you fit in
right the comfort of a routine
establishes trust especially for
children and the stability of a job
brings relief but alone these things are
not enough our basic needs and our human
basic needs transcend things we are
inherently social animals and tribe is
important doctor will shuts in his book
the human element lays out the three
most basic human needs and they are in
order number one inclusion or
significance
to be worthy of your attention control
or competency to be seen as able by
myself and others and openness or
likability to be worthy of friendship or
love but first and foremost is inclusion
to be included not ignored to belong how
basic is it when a newborn cries she’s
saying pay attention to me when a
teenager follows the latest fad he’s
saying I’m in the in-crowd right when my
fellow speakers and I arrived here today
and are secretly checking out what
everybody’s wearing we’re really asking
do I fit here it’s basic Dan coil in the
culture code points out the fact that
our primitive brains tell us if I don’t
belong I could die that’s fairly intense
but it’s a powerful instinct and in fact
those who don’t belong those who are
excluded or ignored have a very
difficult time getting those basic needs
of food shelter and water now remember I
asked you to think about what evokes
home for you I want you to picture that
again close your eyes everybody close
your eyes
picture what evokes home for you pick
just three of those elements now take it
down to two now pick one and open your
eyes how many of you chose a thing
and how many chose a sensation or a
feeling or a person because it’s not the
things we carry in our arms that create
home it’s what we hold in our hearts and
our minds and our willingness to welcome
others that does it right it’s it’s so
simple so simple it is not the things
and every action that we take that
embodies the message you belong creates
home for others home welcomes you it
embraces you it supports you and
believes in you in the end it’s not the
bed but that impulse to give it that
matters
see you can learn a lot from that
second-grader
thank you [Applause]
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