[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
my name is Karla and I’m here to tell
my name is Karla and I’m here to tell you about a journey that began one year
you about a journey that began one year
you about a journey that began one year ago on this very stage when I was asked
ago on this very stage when I was asked
ago on this very stage when I was asked to speak at last year’s TEDx
to speak at last year’s TEDx
to speak at last year’s TEDx mid-atlantic conference I was really
mid-atlantic conference I was really
mid-atlantic conference I was really asking questions questions like what is
asking questions questions like what is
asking questions questions like what is the relevance of classical music in
the relevance of classical music in
the relevance of classical music in today’s society and what does it mean to
today’s society and what does it mean to
today’s society and what does it mean to be an artist and how can we be of
be an artist and how can we be of
be an artist and how can we be of service to our communities there’s one
service to our communities there’s one
service to our communities there’s one question in particular that’s been
question in particular that’s been
question in particular that’s been challenging me most of my life it’s a
challenging me most of my life it’s a
challenging me most of my life it’s a question I have struggled with it’s a
question I have struggled with it’s a
question I have struggled with it’s a simple question and one that I’m asked
simple question and one that I’m asked
simple question and one that I’m asked almost every day where are you from
almost every day where are you from
almost every day where are you from well my father is Bulgarian my mother is
well my father is Bulgarian my mother is
well my father is Bulgarian my mother is Mexican I was born in Michigan I spent
Mexican I was born in Michigan I spent
Mexican I was born in Michigan I spent most of my life as a child traveling
most of my life as a child traveling
most of my life as a child traveling back and forth between the US and Mexico
back and forth between the US and Mexico
back and forth between the US and Mexico and as an adult traveling all over
and as an adult traveling all over
and as an adult traveling all over singing opera so when it comes to
singing opera so when it comes to
singing opera so when it comes to defining my identity I’ve checked the
defining my identity I’ve checked the
defining my identity I’ve checked the other box well doing so made me feel
other box well doing so made me feel
other box well doing so made me feel actually like I didn’t belong into any
actually like I didn’t belong into any
actually like I didn’t belong into any box it made me feel like an alien and
box it made me feel like an alien and
box it made me feel like an alien and that was not a good feeling because I
that was not a good feeling because I
that was not a good feeling because I think it’s human nature to want to
think it’s human nature to want to
think it’s human nature to want to belong so is on the stage that I asked
belong so is on the stage that I asked
belong so is on the stage that I asked the question who else is checking this
the question who else is checking this
the question who else is checking this other box I figured there’s got to be
other box I figured there’s got to be
other box I figured there’s got to be more than just me right well I soon
more than just me right well I soon
more than just me right well I soon realized there are many of us in fact
realized there are many of us in fact
realized there are many of us in fact according to the US Census Bureau by the
according to the US Census Bureau by the
according to the US Census Bureau by the year 2043 our country will be shifting
year 2043 our country will be shifting
year 2043 our country will be shifting to a minority majority nation already in
to a minority majority nation already in
to a minority majority nation already in many parts of this country we’re seeing
many parts of this country we’re seeing
many parts of this country we’re seeing particularly in schools that the
particularly in schools that the
particularly in schools that the minority is the majority and so I
minority is the majority and so I
minority is the majority and so I started to think about this on a broader
started to think about this on a broader
started to think about this on a broader level on a human level and I thought
level on a human level and I thought
level on a human level and I thought well there’s got to be a box where I
well there’s got to be a box where I
well there’s got to be a box where I belong and in fact I realized there is
belong and in fact I realized there is
belong and in fact I realized there is it’s the all box we all belong in the
it’s the all box we all belong in the
it’s the all box we all belong in the all box thanks to the Ted community I
all box thanks to the Ted community I
all box thanks to the Ted community I realized the importance of this issue
realized the importance of this issue
realized the importance of this issue particularly in a
particularly in a
particularly in a time like right now when cultural
time like right now when cultural
time like right now when cultural divisions and tensions are hurting our
divisions and tensions are hurting our
divisions and tensions are hurting our society so much this is why I decided to
society so much this is why I decided to
society so much this is why I decided to use my voice both literally and
use my voice both literally and
use my voice both literally and figuratively to try to help others on
figuratively to try to help others on
figuratively to try to help others on their journey from the other to the all
their journey from the other to the all
their journey from the other to the all and so I started a not-for-profit the
and so I started a not-for-profit the
and so I started a not-for-profit the Canales project is named after my
Canales project is named after my
Canales project is named after my grandmother who’s been a source of
grandmother who’s been a source of
grandmother who’s been a source of wisdom for me since I was a child but
wisdom for me since I was a child but
wisdom for me since I was a child but the word Canales also means channels or
the word Canales also means channels or
the word Canales also means channels or connections in Spanish and I believe
connections in Spanish and I believe
connections in Spanish and I believe that if we start by connecting what we
that if we start by connecting what we
that if we start by connecting what we all have in common it’s much easier for
all have in common it’s much easier for
all have in common it’s much easier for us to have a dialogue about our
us to have a dialogue about our
us to have a dialogue about our differences with a greater sense of
differences with a greater sense of
differences with a greater sense of empathy and so tonight it’s my pleasure
empathy and so tonight it’s my pleasure
empathy and so tonight it’s my pleasure to share with you a little bit about the
to share with you a little bit about the
to share with you a little bit about the Canales project it is our mission to
Canales project it is our mission to
Canales project it is our mission to give voice to issues of identity and
give voice to issues of identity and
give voice to issues of identity and culture through music and conversation
culture through music and conversation
culture through music and conversation when I was asked to return here tonight
when I was asked to return here tonight
when I was asked to return here tonight to share with you a little bit about
to share with you a little bit about
to share with you a little bit about what my journey has been like the last
what my journey has been like the last
what my journey has been like the last year I thought well there’s no better
year I thought well there’s no better
year I thought well there’s no better way to do that than to introduce you to
way to do that than to introduce you to
way to do that than to introduce you to some of the amazing artists that we’re
some of the amazing artists that we’re
some of the amazing artists that we’re having the chance to include in our
having the chance to include in our
having the chance to include in our programming you see I believe the artist
programming you see I believe the artist
programming you see I believe the artist can be more than just entertainers I
can be more than just entertainers I
can be more than just entertainers I believe that we can be healers we can be
believe that we can be healers we can be
believe that we can be healers we can be educators and we can be advocates and
educators and we can be advocates and
educators and we can be advocates and hopefully you will see that the artists
hopefully you will see that the artists
hopefully you will see that the artists that will be with us here at the TED
that will be with us here at the TED
that will be with us here at the TED conference are just that it’s my
conference are just that it’s my
conference are just that it’s my pleasure now to introduce you to tariq
pleasure now to introduce you to tariq
pleasure now to introduce you to tariq al Sabir tariq has been described as a
al Sabir tariq has been described as a
al Sabir tariq has been described as a musical mastermind by the baltimore
musical mastermind by the baltimore
musical mastermind by the baltimore examiner he has such a unique way of
examiner he has such a unique way of
examiner he has such a unique way of blending many different genres from pop
blending many different genres from pop
blending many different genres from pop to jazz musical theater and classical
to jazz musical theater and classical
to jazz musical theater and classical we’re living in a time right now when we
we’re living in a time right now when we
we’re living in a time right now when we have a surplus of artists and a deficit
have a surplus of artists and a deficit
have a surplus of artists and a deficit of the intrinsic values the artists
of the intrinsic values the artists
of the intrinsic values the artists bring to the table values such as
bring to the table values such as
bring to the table values such as discipline creativity imagination and of
discipline creativity imagination and of
discipline creativity imagination and of course compassion and empathy I believe
course compassion and empathy I believe
course compassion and empathy I believe this can be our secret sauce if we can
this can be our secret sauce if we can
this can be our secret sauce if we can find new ways to use artists to
find new ways to use artists to
find new ways to use artists to create social impact we can actually
create social impact we can actually
create social impact we can actually find new opportunities to make the world
find new opportunities to make the world
find new opportunities to make the world a better place and so it’s my great
a better place and so it’s my great
a better place and so it’s my great pleasure to be launching this mission of
pleasure to be launching this mission of
pleasure to be launching this mission of the Canales project to lead the journey
the Canales project to lead the journey
the Canales project to lead the journey from the other to the all right here on
from the other to the all right here on
from the other to the all right here on this very stage where it all began
this very stage where it all began
this very stage where it all began I’d like to thank the TEDx mid-atlantic
I’d like to thank the TEDx mid-atlantic
I’d like to thank the TEDx mid-atlantic community for giving me the opportunity
community for giving me the opportunity
community for giving me the opportunity to be here and we hope that you will all
to be here and we hope that you will all
to be here and we hope that you will all be with us on every step of this journey
be with us on every step of this journey
be with us on every step of this journey thank you so much
thank you so much
thank you so much [Applause]
”
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