[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
in June 2015 there were more than eight
hundred and two girls that were attacked
by acid in India alone 802 that’s eight
hundred and two girls that experienced
the worst pain imaginable a pain that
burns through layers of your skin
leaving almost nothing to protect your
flesh and completely breaks down any
mental confidence that there once was it
destroys you in all ways and leaves you
feeling like nothing as it is a normal
cleaning product that can be bought in
stores from all over to India for only
30 cents for 30 cents a life can be
destroyed and for many it has been in
India there are so many women’s that got
hurt by acid it’s mainly because they
have rejected a marriage proposal and
for others it’s due to family disputes
for me it was a little bit different
it happened on June 18th 2011 I was 13
it was 6:30 p.m. and the Sun was setting
down with a slight breeze in Rohtak not
India near New Delhi I was with my
friend Yashica
and we were gassed gossiping laughing
and enjoying the great evening while
running riding of our scooter I felt
complete bliss suddenly I saw two boys
coming from the opposite direction and I
had the strange feeling
as they got closer and saw that one boy
had a container in his hands before I
could even think about what was
happening a loud splash came to my ears
when it happened
I couldn’t understand what was going on
my body became numb my mind stopped and
Yashica the scooter and I fell to the
ground I was shouting help me how
me and jumping from the pain I literally
felt like I was in hell everything
burned so much I tried to rub the
shoulder to get the pain to stop and
what I saw next shocked me a piece of my
shirt came off and turned to ash
everything happened so quickly and soon
I was in a car rushing to the hospital
this was the beginning of a life full of
surgeries pain and staying months at a
time in small hospital room this was
also the beginning of my emotional
breakdown I died inside I couldn’t look
at myself and felt sorry for those who
had to look at me I had almost died on
that first day and I found myself
wishing that I had I wanted to die my
life meant nothing to me in India I had
over 25 surgeries and in the u.s. so far
I have around 10 all of this happened
because my friend here sheekha’s and was
jealous that yoshika was beautiful and
her daughter wasn’t so to solve this
she hired two men to throw acid on her
but they mistook me for her it was two
weeks before I was in a small hospital
room and I had the courage to look
myself in the mirror at first I couldn’t
believe that he burned and disfigured
face in the mirror was my own I slowly
reached up and touched my face reality
sank in half of my face was gone what
kind of future could there be for a
monster like me over the next year I
covered my face with a headscarf and
only left the house when I had to
usually for medical treatment I was
constantly in and out from the hospital
so my brother had to skip a school my
parents had to leave their social lives
I couldn’t take the looks of horror
disgust and worst of all pity
I hated the words spoken to me oh you
poor girl is their friend
Gandhi she was in an acid attack who is
going to marry her with that disfigured
face better she had died once I was
released to take a break from my
surgeries I refused to leave my house my
room became my prison but also my
sanctuary I wanted to leave it but it
was the only place I felt safe and
comfortable
my parents continually tried to explain
to me that beauty wasn’t everything
what really mattered is who you are from
the inside but I wasn’t interested in
listening to them at all so I shut them
out soon I began to realize that there
were many men and women who were in the
same position as me some even worse I
also began to realize that there many
men and women who went through acid
attacks and acid attacks and are a big
problem in India I wanted to change that
so slowly I started to leave the house
and build off the tiniest bit of
confidence I started to leave the house
and covered my face still with headscarf
because I still felt the need to hide my
scars although after a while my
headscarf began to feel like a coffin I
want you to take it off but I didn’t
know how then one day with the
encouragement of my friend I took it off
I felt free and I began to accept the
life I was given I started to study
again my life was almost normal after
countless surgeries my family and I were
not still satisfied with the treatment
so after a lot of research my uncle
found Shriners Hospital in Cincinnati
Madan Heidi my first host family were
greeted they greeted me with so much
love and made my first weeks in America
comfortable and come 14 days after
arriving in Cincinnati I went to
Shriners Hospital even though I was told
that I would never going to look like I
did before
I thought American doctors could change
that I was wrong
I remember feeling guilty at myself for
not being grateful for getting surgeries
in America
I want you to change the attitude
towards my life but I didn’t know how
then I met Gracie doll she was 16 at the
time long story short I met Gracie while
running away from a dog she had she
happened to be in a tomato garden popped
up yelling at me not to be afraid
which basically sums up our relationship
Tracy yelling at me not to be afraid
from that moment on Gracie was my
American guide showing me everything and
becoming my very best friend
soon after Matt and Heidi were moving to
South Carolina and I told Gracie and she
said she could instantly move in with
her she is also the star to my emotional
healing she encouraged me to be myself
and not to think what others thought of
me one day I told her that I want to die
my life meant nothing to me and she was
the first person to tell me that it
meant everything so in June 2015 I moved
into a yellow room right next to
Gracie’s we were now sisters and always
will be I call her parents MA and pops
my second mom and dad I know my scars
make me different but we all have
something that makes us different from
each other my scars don’t define me and
they never will my scars don’t make me
unworthy of kindness or acceptance being
in America has inspired me to help those
who feel that they’re not accepted in
this society I want to let them know
that they are worth it and beautiful in
every way everyone should take part in
the Gracie effect yes the Gracie effect
this is where you reach out to a
complete stranger and don’t question
them but embrace them this is where you
listen and accept people for who they
are when you fight for a change and love
those around you now from now on if you
see a person like me it’s okay to stare
but say hello smile and know that you
have become a part of the Gracie effect
thank you
[Applause]
[Applause]
[Music]
in June 2015 there were more than eight
hundred and two girls that were attacked
by acid in India alone 802 that’s eight
hundred and two girls that experienced
the worst pain imaginable a pain that
burns through layers of your skin
leaving almost nothing to protect your
flesh and completely breaks down any
mental confidence that there once was it
destroys you in all ways and leaves you
feeling like nothing as it is a normal
cleaning product that can be bought in
stores from all over to India for only
30 cents for 30 cents a life can be
destroyed and for many it has been in
India there are so many women’s that got
hurt by acid it’s mainly because they
have rejected a marriage proposal and
for others it’s due to family disputes
for me it was a little bit different
it happened on June 18th 2011 I was 13
it was 6:30 p.m. and the Sun was setting
down with a slight breeze in Rohtak not
India near New Delhi I was with my
friend Yashica
and we were gassed gossiping laughing
and enjoying the great evening while
running riding of our scooter I felt
complete bliss suddenly I saw two boys
coming from the opposite direction and I
had the strange feeling
as they got closer and saw that one boy
had a container in his hands before I
could even think about what was
happening a loud splash came to my ears
when it happened
I couldn’t understand what was going on
my body became numb my mind stopped and
Yashica the scooter and I fell to the
ground I was shouting help me how
me and jumping from the pain I literally
felt like I was in hell everything
burned so much I tried to rub the
shoulder to get the pain to stop and
what I saw next shocked me a piece of my
shirt came off and turned to ash
everything happened so quickly and soon
I was in a car rushing to the hospital
this was the beginning of a life full of
surgeries pain and staying months at a
time in small hospital room this was
also the beginning of my emotional
breakdown I died inside I couldn’t look
at myself and felt sorry for those who
had to look at me I had almost died on
that first day and I found myself
wishing that I had I wanted to die my
life meant nothing to me in India I had
over 25 surgeries and in the u.s. so far
I have around 10 all of this happened
because my friend here sheekha’s and was
jealous that yoshika was beautiful and
her daughter wasn’t so to solve this
she hired two men to throw acid on her
but they mistook me for her it was two
weeks before I was in a small hospital
room and I had the courage to look
myself in the mirror at first I couldn’t
believe that he burned and disfigured
face in the mirror was my own I slowly
reached up and touched my face reality
sank in half of my face was gone what
kind of future could there be for a
monster like me over the next year I
covered my face with a headscarf and
only left the house when I had to
usually for medical treatment I was
constantly in and out from the hospital
so my brother had to skip a school my
parents had to leave their social lives
I couldn’t take the looks of horror
disgust and worst of all pity
I hated the words spoken to me oh you
poor girl is their friend
Gandhi she was in an acid attack who is
going to marry her with that disfigured
face better she had died once I was
released to take a break from my
surgeries I refused to leave my house my
room became my prison but also my
sanctuary I wanted to leave it but it
was the only place I felt safe and
comfortable
my parents continually tried to explain
to me that beauty wasn’t everything
what really mattered is who you are from
the inside but I wasn’t interested in
listening to them at all so I shut them
out soon I began to realize that there
were many men and women who were in the
same position as me some even worse I
also began to realize that there many
men and women who went through acid
attacks and acid attacks and are a big
problem in India I wanted to change that
so slowly I started to leave the house
and build off the tiniest bit of
confidence I started to leave the house
and covered my face still with headscarf
because I still felt the need to hide my
scars although after a while my
headscarf began to feel like a coffin I
want you to take it off but I didn’t
know how then one day with the
encouragement of my friend I took it off
I felt free and I began to accept the
life I was given I started to study
again my life was almost normal after
countless surgeries my family and I were
not still satisfied with the treatment
so after a lot of research my uncle
found Shriners Hospital in Cincinnati
Madan Heidi my first host family were
greeted they greeted me with so much
love and made my first weeks in America
comfortable and come 14 days after
arriving in Cincinnati I went to
Shriners Hospital even though I was told
that I would never going to look like I
did before
I thought American doctors could change
that I was wrong
I remember feeling guilty at myself for
not being grateful for getting surgeries
in America
I want you to change the attitude
towards my life but I didn’t know how
then I met Gracie doll she was 16 at the
time long story short I met Gracie while
running away from a dog she had she
happened to be in a tomato garden popped
up yelling at me not to be afraid
which basically sums up our relationship
Tracy yelling at me not to be afraid
from that moment on Gracie was my
American guide showing me everything and
becoming my very best friend
soon after Matt and Heidi were moving to
South Carolina and I told Gracie and she
said she could instantly move in with
her she is also the star to my emotional
healing she encouraged me to be myself
and not to think what others thought of
me one day I told her that I want to die
my life meant nothing to me and she was
the first person to tell me that it
meant everything so in June 2015 I moved
into a yellow room right next to
Gracie’s we were now sisters and always
will be I call her parents MA and pops
my second mom and dad I know my scars
make me different but we all have
something that makes us different from
each other my scars don’t define me and
they never will my scars don’t make me
unworthy of kindness or acceptance being
in America has inspired me to help those
who feel that they’re not accepted in
this society I want to let them know
that they are worth it and beautiful in
every way everyone should take part in
the Gracie effect yes the Gracie effect
this is where you reach out to a
complete stranger and don’t question
them but embrace them this is where you
listen and accept people for who they
are when you fight for a change and love
those around you now from now on if you
see a person like me it’s okay to stare
but say hello smile and know that you
have become a part of the Gracie effect
thank you
[Applause]
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