I hate to start on a cliche but we’re all fortunate people living here in the
all fortunate people living here in the
all fortunate people living here in the u.s. I know that high school can be
u.s. I know that high school can be
u.s. I know that high school can be stressful or applying to college can be
stressful or applying to college can be
stressful or applying to college can be stressful or even having your name is
stressful or even having your name is
stressful or even having your name is spelled on your Starbucks Coffee is
spelled on your Starbucks Coffee is
spelled on your Starbucks Coffee is pretty annoying but truth is for most of
pretty annoying but truth is for most of
pretty annoying but truth is for most of us in this room problems and stress that
us in this room problems and stress that
us in this room problems and stress that we encounter our first wall problems
we encounter our first wall problems
we encounter our first wall problems that are scoffed at in comparison to
that are scoffed at in comparison to
that are scoffed at in comparison to third wall problems that a lot of people
third wall problems that a lot of people
third wall problems that a lot of people around the world face when I was seven
around the world face when I was seven
around the world face when I was seven my dad was transferred to India and we
my dad was transferred to India and we
my dad was transferred to India and we ended up moving to Bangalore a city in
ended up moving to Bangalore a city in
ended up moving to Bangalore a city in southern India for three years the
southern India for three years the
southern India for three years the standard of living for me in India
standard of living for me in India
standard of living for me in India wasn’t much different from what I’d
wasn’t much different from what I’d
wasn’t much different from what I’d known in the u.s. I went to an
known in the u.s. I went to an
known in the u.s. I went to an international school and I made new
international school and I made new
international school and I made new friends I did have to worry uniform
friends I did have to worry uniform
friends I did have to worry uniform though that part I never liked what was
though that part I never liked what was
though that part I never liked what was different though was the chasm of
different though was the chasm of
different though was the chasm of difference between my private school and
difference between my private school and
difference between my private school and the rundown yellowing government school
the rundown yellowing government school
the rundown yellowing government school across the street what was different was
across the street what was different was
across the street what was different was the quality of medical care I had access
the quality of medical care I had access
the quality of medical care I had access to for just a cold or a stomach
to for just a cold or a stomach
to for just a cold or a stomach infection and the infection ridden
infection and the infection ridden
infection and the infection ridden crowded government hospitals that often
crowded government hospitals that often
crowded government hospitals that often didn’t have life-saving treatments that
didn’t have life-saving treatments that
didn’t have life-saving treatments that many people there needed what was most
many people there needed what was most
many people there needed what was most different was that people seemed to
different was that people seemed to
different was that people seemed to resign to the idea of inequality no one
resign to the idea of inequality no one
resign to the idea of inequality no one seemed to care and that took me by
seemed to care and that took me by
seemed to care and that took me by surprise I grown up on the American
surprise I grown up on the American
surprise I grown up on the American Dream that anyone from any walk of life
Dream that anyone from any walk of life
Dream that anyone from any walk of life could make it anyone from any social
could make it anyone from any social
could make it anyone from any social class any race any income has a chance
class any race any income has a chance
class any race any income has a chance to follow their dream it may not be
to follow their dream it may not be
to follow their dream it may not be equally difficult for anyone but it’s
equally difficult for anyone but it’s
equally difficult for anyone but it’s possible and to my eight-year-old brain
possible and to my eight-year-old brain
possible and to my eight-year-old brain it was hard to understand that that idea
it was hard to understand that that idea
it was hard to understand that that idea of social mobility just didn’t exist in
of social mobility just didn’t exist in
of social mobility just didn’t exist in countries like India especially when it
countries like India especially when it
countries like India especially when it came to education perhaps my experience
came to education perhaps my experience
came to education perhaps my experience living in India wasn’t entirely
living in India wasn’t entirely
living in India wasn’t entirely authentic
authentic
authentic because though I can stand here and I
because though I can stand here and I
because though I can stand here and I can cry and I can complain for what I
can cry and I can complain for what I
can cry and I can complain for what I saw people suffer with I lived in a
saw people suffer with I lived in a
saw people suffer with I lived in a secured bubble away from the
secured bubble away from the
secured bubble away from the difficulties a lot of people there
difficulties a lot of people there
difficulties a lot of people there encountered I existed within the safety
encountered I existed within the safety
encountered I existed within the safety net of my American citizenship three
net of my American citizenship three
net of my American citizenship three years later I moved back to the US to
years later I moved back to the US to
years later I moved back to the US to Connecticut and I brought back with me
Connecticut and I brought back with me
Connecticut and I brought back with me my strong Indian accent my love for
my strong Indian accent my love for
my strong Indian accent my love for Indian food and memories of the
Indian food and memories of the
Indian food and memories of the struggles I saw there
struggles I saw there
struggles I saw there I remember my apartment complex a
I remember my apartment complex a
I remember my apartment complex a security guard who had to pull his son
security guard who had to pull his son
security guard who had to pull his son out of school because his family needed
out of school because his family needed
out of school because his family needed the additional income or the local
the additional income or the local
the additional income or the local vegetable venders daughter who died
vegetable venders daughter who died
vegetable venders daughter who died because the government hospital couldn’t
because the government hospital couldn’t
because the government hospital couldn’t diagnose her with tetanus as I grew
diagnose her with tetanus as I grew
diagnose her with tetanus as I grew older these memories stayed with me and
older these memories stayed with me and
older these memories stayed with me and I really wanted to go back to India
I really wanted to go back to India
I really wanted to go back to India Tobago and leave the bubble I used to
Tobago and leave the bubble I used to
Tobago and leave the bubble I used to live in and make a direct difference in
live in and make a direct difference in
live in and make a direct difference in the lives of young children so in the
the lives of young children so in the
the lives of young children so in the summer of 2015 I had the chance to work
summer of 2015 I had the chance to work
summer of 2015 I had the chance to work at a school in India this school petty
at a school in India this school petty
at a school in India this school petty criminal profit organization aiming to
criminal profit organization aiming to
criminal profit organization aiming to provide free high-quality education to
provide free high-quality education to
provide free high-quality education to children living in local zones to try to
children living in local zones to try to
children living in local zones to try to lift them out of systemic poverty I
lift them out of systemic poverty I
lift them out of systemic poverty I worked in the remedial remedial
worked in the remedial remedial
worked in the remedial remedial department and I try to help students
department and I try to help students
department and I try to help students who fell behind their peers in math
who fell behind their peers in math
who fell behind their peers in math science and English to catch up I enjoy
science and English to catch up I enjoy
science and English to catch up I enjoy coming to petty criminal day because all
coming to petty criminal day because all
coming to petty criminal day because all my students there had an immense
my students there had an immense
my students there had an immense gratitude for the opportunity that they
gratitude for the opportunity that they
gratitude for the opportunity that they got at Karma and they were so
got at Karma and they were so
got at Karma and they were so affectionate towards and fascinated by
affectionate towards and fascinated by
affectionate towards and fascinated by the girl with the weird accent I loved
the girl with the weird accent I loved
the girl with the weird accent I loved coming in every single day to petty
coming in every single day to petty
coming in every single day to petty criminal
criminal
criminal because most of my students came from
because most of my students came from
because most of my students came from families earning less than 75 dollars
families earning less than 75 dollars
families earning less than 75 dollars and their only exposure to English was
and their only exposure to English was
and their only exposure to English was at school so many of the teachers there
at school so many of the teachers there
at school so many of the teachers there asked me to come into their classes and
asked me to come into their classes and
asked me to come into their classes and talk a little bit about my life in the
talk a little bit about my life in the
talk a little bit about my life in the u.s. as a sort of motivator to get kids
u.s. as a sort of motivator to get kids
u.s. as a sort of motivator to get kids to work on their English
to work on their English
to work on their English that way I was able to interact with
that way I was able to interact with
that way I was able to interact with students from all different grades and
students from all different grades and
students from all different grades and get to know them from the capacity of a
get to know them from the capacity of a
get to know them from the capacity of a friend rather than just as a teacher one
friend rather than just as a teacher one
friend rather than just as a teacher one of the first kids I met there was Monika
of the first kids I met there was Monika
of the first kids I met there was Monika she was a really smart 2nd grader and I
she was a really smart 2nd grader and I
she was a really smart 2nd grader and I think she was the first person there to
think she was the first person there to
think she was the first person there to remember my name
remember my name
remember my name she had a voracious appetite for
she had a voracious appetite for
she had a voracious appetite for learning she’d asked me to bring her any
learning she’d asked me to bring her any
learning she’d asked me to bring her any books I had at home so she could read
books I had at home so she could read
books I had at home so she could read more and learn new words during lunch
more and learn new words during lunch
more and learn new words during lunch she tried to have extended conversations
she tried to have extended conversations
she tried to have extended conversations with me in English to practice speaking
with me in English to practice speaking
with me in English to practice speaking as a second grader I think she was
as a second grader I think she was
as a second grader I think she was acutely aware of her family’s financial
acutely aware of her family’s financial
acutely aware of her family’s financial status and was driven to take full
status and was driven to take full
status and was driven to take full advantage of petty karma to lift her
advantage of petty karma to lift her
advantage of petty karma to lift her family out of the cycle of poverty one
family out of the cycle of poverty one
family out of the cycle of poverty one day when I asked her what she wanted to
day when I asked her what she wanted to
day when I asked her what she wanted to do when she grew up this is what she
do when she grew up this is what she
do when she grew up this is what she told me
I truly hope to see her become a
I truly hope to see her become a scientist one day because I know she can
scientist one day because I know she can
scientist one day because I know she can do it another one of my favorite kids
do it another one of my favorite kids
do it another one of my favorite kids there was Karen Karen was a first grader
there was Karen Karen was a first grader
there was Karen Karen was a first grader and he really struggled with English as
and he really struggled with English as
and he really struggled with English as his tutor it was really difficult to get
his tutor it was really difficult to get
his tutor it was really difficult to get through to him because neither of us
through to him because neither of us
through to him because neither of us understood each other I only knew enough
understood each other I only knew enough
understood each other I only knew enough of his language to tell him that I can’t
of his language to tell him that I can’t
of his language to tell him that I can’t speak it and he struggled with the
speak it and he struggled with the
speak it and he struggled with the English alphabet
English alphabet
English alphabet I remember one of the days we were
I remember one of the days we were
I remember one of the days we were working on writing the alphabet and
working on writing the alphabet and
working on writing the alphabet and sounding it out and I remember him
sounding it out and I remember him
sounding it out and I remember him looking more and more confused
looking more and more confused
looking more and more confused eventually I pulled out my phone and I
eventually I pulled out my phone and I
eventually I pulled out my phone and I try to play one of those alphabet videos
try to play one of those alphabet videos
try to play one of those alphabet videos that get you to sing along to it and to
that get you to sing along to it and to
that get you to sing along to it and to my surprise a couple a bee season he
my surprise a couple a bee season he
my surprise a couple a bee season he started singing along with the video and
started singing along with the video and
started singing along with the video and eventually he was able to spell out the
eventually he was able to spell out the
eventually he was able to spell out the whole alphabet all by himself eventually
whole alphabet all by himself eventually
whole alphabet all by himself eventually we were zooming through larger words
I know it’s not a big deal for someone
I know it’s not a big deal for someone to be able to say father or mother or
to be able to say father or mother or
to be able to say father or mother or brother but for someone like Karin with
brother but for someone like Karin with
brother but for someone like Karin with no background in English no one at home
no background in English no one at home
no background in English no one at home to reinforce what was taught in school I
to reinforce what was taught in school I
to reinforce what was taught in school I was incredibly proud of the progress
was incredibly proud of the progress
was incredibly proud of the progress that he made in four short weeks and it
that he made in four short weeks and it
that he made in four short weeks and it wasn’t just in content
wasn’t just in content
wasn’t just in content he looked happier and more confident in
he looked happier and more confident in
he looked happier and more confident in himself that he was on par with the rest
himself that he was on par with the rest
himself that he was on par with the rest of his class so let’s take a moment here
of his class so let’s take a moment here
of his class so let’s take a moment here to look at this diagram it was published
to look at this diagram it was published
to look at this diagram it was published by the United Nations Food and
by the United Nations Food and
by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Committee on the cycle of
Agricultural Committee on the cycle of
Agricultural Committee on the cycle of poverty in India at the top we have
poverty in India at the top we have
poverty in India at the top we have poverty leading to poor food intake
poverty leading to poor food intake
poverty leading to poor food intake malnutrition and stunted development and
malnutrition and stunted development and
malnutrition and stunted development and on the other side we have low earning
on the other side we have low earning
on the other side we have low earning capacity and impaired productivity
capacity and impaired productivity
capacity and impaired productivity leading to poverty now most government
leading to poverty now most government
leading to poverty now most government programs in countries like India tend to
programs in countries like India tend to
programs in countries like India tend to tend to focus on the result of poverty
tend to focus on the result of poverty
tend to focus on the result of poverty like poor food intake and malnutrition
like poor food intake and malnutrition
like poor food intake and malnutrition but what petty crime I did that’s
but what petty crime I did that’s
but what petty crime I did that’s entirely different is that it broke the
entirely different is that it broke the
entirely different is that it broke the cycle at low earning capacity at
cycle at low earning capacity at
cycle at low earning capacity at impaired productivity and it attacked
impaired productivity and it attacked
impaired productivity and it attacked the very root of poverty perhaps this is
the very root of poverty perhaps this is
the very root of poverty perhaps this is why so many students at petty karma are
why so many students at petty karma are
why so many students at petty karma are the first in their family to graduate
the first in their family to graduate
the first in their family to graduate from college or the first in their
from college or the first in their
from college or the first in their family to hold a non low-skilled job I
have experience in two radically
have experience in two radically different education systems here in the
different education systems here in the
different education systems here in the US public schools are well funded and
US public schools are well funded and
US public schools are well funded and they encourage academic and intellectual
they encourage academic and intellectual
they encourage academic and intellectual diversity in India and in other
diversity in India and in other
diversity in India and in other developing countries in Asia Africa
developing countries in Asia Africa
developing countries in Asia Africa South America educational opportunities
South America educational opportunities
South America educational opportunities are unequal when these opportunities are
are unequal when these opportunities are
are unequal when these opportunities are sectioned off based on income how do we
sectioned off based on income how do we
sectioned off based on income how do we bring kids died fooled by cyclic
bring kids died fooled by cyclic
bring kids died fooled by cyclic pretty the chance to dream kids all over
pretty the chance to dream kids all over
pretty the chance to dream kids all over the world have aspirations and dreams
the world have aspirations and dreams
the world have aspirations and dreams are we doing enough to empower them and
are we doing enough to empower them and
are we doing enough to empower them and it’s not just in India or developing
it’s not just in India or developing
it’s not just in India or developing countries to a certain degree the same
countries to a certain degree the same
countries to a certain degree the same problem exists in the u.s. in states
problem exists in the u.s. in states
problem exists in the u.s. in states like Louisiana with poor educational
like Louisiana with poor educational
like Louisiana with poor educational infrastructure in cities like Hartford
infrastructure in cities like Hartford
infrastructure in cities like Hartford schools like the Byrnes Academy the same
schools like the Byrnes Academy the same
schools like the Byrnes Academy the same problem exists perhaps on a smaller
problem exists perhaps on a smaller
problem exists perhaps on a smaller scale petty crime Amato’s for us an
scale petty crime Amato’s for us an
scale petty crime Amato’s for us an education system where kids no matter
education system where kids no matter
education system where kids no matter their income no matter their
their income no matter their
their income no matter their socioeconomic status no matter their
socioeconomic status no matter their
socioeconomic status no matter their race have the chance to dream and have
race have the chance to dream and have
race have the chance to dream and have the chance to be whoever they want to be
the chance to be whoever they want to be
the chance to be whoever they want to be some of my most valuable life lessons
some of my most valuable life lessons
some of my most valuable life lessons were taught to me by second graders in
were taught to me by second graders in
were taught to me by second graders in broken English and I’m forever indebted
broken English and I’m forever indebted
broken English and I’m forever indebted to them for that thank you
”
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