I want to start off today by asking you all one question what do you want when
all one question what do you want when
all one question what do you want when you grow up that’s a question that I’ve
you grow up that’s a question that I’ve
you grow up that’s a question that I’ve been asked over and over throughout my
been asked over and over throughout my
been asked over and over throughout my life since childhood but it’s a question
life since childhood but it’s a question
life since childhood but it’s a question that I didn’t begin to question the
that I didn’t begin to question the
that I didn’t begin to question the meaning of until I began working the
meaning of until I began working the
meaning of until I began working the summer after my freshman year of high
summer after my freshman year of high
summer after my freshman year of high school naturally I had always answered
school naturally I had always answered
school naturally I had always answered the question of what I wanted to be when
the question of what I wanted to be when
the question of what I wanted to be when I grow up with an attorney because I saw
I grow up with an attorney because I saw
I grow up with an attorney because I saw that as a way to give a voice to people
that as a way to give a voice to people
that as a way to give a voice to people who I felt were underrepresented so the
who I felt were underrepresented so the
who I felt were underrepresented so the summer after my freshman year I began
summer after my freshman year I began
summer after my freshman year I began looking for work at a law firm but I
looking for work at a law firm but I
looking for work at a law firm but I kept hearing no either because I didn’t
kept hearing no either because I didn’t
kept hearing no either because I didn’t have a law degree or because I didn’t
have a law degree or because I didn’t
have a law degree or because I didn’t have a college degree or because I was
have a college degree or because I was
have a college degree or because I was simply too young but eventually I came
simply too young but eventually I came
simply too young but eventually I came into contact with a woman who gave me
into contact with a woman who gave me
into contact with a woman who gave me some advice she told me that while she
some advice she told me that while she
some advice she told me that while she couldn’t hire me because I was just too
couldn’t hire me because I was just too
couldn’t hire me because I was just too young she had a friend who worked for
young she had a friend who worked for
young she had a friend who worked for legal aid of Broward County legal aid is
legal aid of Broward County legal aid is
legal aid of Broward County legal aid is a nonprofit law firm that seeks to give
a nonprofit law firm that seeks to give
a nonprofit law firm that seeks to give free legal counsel to people who would
free legal counsel to people who would
free legal counsel to people who would otherwise be unable to afford it and
otherwise be unable to afford it and
otherwise be unable to afford it and they were in great need of volunteers so
they were in great need of volunteers so
they were in great need of volunteers so she gave me the contact information for
she gave me the contact information for
she gave me the contact information for a friend and three weeks later I was
a friend and three weeks later I was
a friend and three weeks later I was preparing for my first day at legal aid
preparing for my first day at legal aid
preparing for my first day at legal aid and I started to think about aged
and I started to think about aged
and I started to think about aged representation as I was laying out what
representation as I was laying out what
representation as I was laying out what I would wear for my first day of work as
I would wear for my first day of work as
I would wear for my first day of work as I was looking at the suit I would wear I
I was looking at the suit I would wear I
I was looking at the suit I would wear I started to think about how young I might
started to think about how young I might
started to think about how young I might be compared to everyone else in the
be compared to everyone else in the
be compared to everyone else in the office because that suit I would be
office because that suit I would be
office because that suit I would be wearing for my first day was a suit that
wearing for my first day was a suit that
wearing for my first day was a suit that I had gotten from the kids section of
I had gotten from the kids section of
I had gotten from the kids section of Kohl’s and I figured everybody else
Kohl’s and I figured everybody else
Kohl’s and I figured everybody else working there probably was not shopping
working there probably was not shopping
working there probably was not shopping in the kids section and on my first day
in the kids section and on my first day
in the kids section and on my first day I was proved correct people kept asking
I was proved correct people kept asking
I was proved correct people kept asking me where I went to school I think
me where I went to school I think
me where I went to school I think because they were trying to figure out
because they were trying to figure out
because they were trying to figure out how young I real
how young I real
how young I real was and I kept answering st. Thomas
was and I kept answering st. Thomas
was and I kept answering st. Thomas thinking that then they would make the
thinking that then they would make the
thinking that then they would make the connection of okay she goes to high
connection of okay she goes to high
connection of okay she goes to high school but then I kept having to field
school but then I kept having to field
school but then I kept having to field other questions like what my major was
other questions like what my major was
other questions like what my major was or when I was taking the bar exam
or when I was taking the bar exam
or when I was taking the bar exam because when I was saying st. Thomas
because when I was saying st. Thomas
because when I was saying st. Thomas they were assuming I meant st. Thomas
they were assuming I meant st. Thomas
they were assuming I meant st. Thomas University or st. Thomas Law School
University or st. Thomas Law School
University or st. Thomas Law School another thing I learned at my first day
another thing I learned at my first day
another thing I learned at my first day at legal aid was where exactly I would
at legal aid was where exactly I would
at legal aid was where exactly I would be working I would be assisting in the
be working I would be assisting in the
be working I would be assisting in the Broward lawyers care department of legal
Broward lawyers care department of legal
Broward lawyers care department of legal aid Broward lawyers care houses legal
aid Broward lawyers care houses legal
aid Broward lawyers care houses legal aids telephone advice hotline so
aids telephone advice hotline so
aids telephone advice hotline so potential clients call when they can’t
potential clients call when they can’t
potential clients call when they can’t afford an attorney for a legal crisis
afford an attorney for a legal crisis
afford an attorney for a legal crisis they leave a message and that message is
they leave a message and that message is
they leave a message and that message is then returned by a volunteer that
then returned by a volunteer that
then returned by a volunteer that volunteer then ask questions performs an
volunteer then ask questions performs an
volunteer then ask questions performs an intake interview and basically creates
intake interview and basically creates
intake interview and basically creates an entire case file that is then given
an entire case file that is then given
an entire case file that is then given to a pro bono attorney who calls that
to a pro bono attorney who calls that
to a pro bono attorney who calls that client back and advises them on how to
client back and advises them on how to
client back and advises them on how to best solve their issue independently on
best solve their issue independently on
best solve their issue independently on their own and they give that advice for
their own and they give that advice for
their own and they give that advice for free but I definitely wouldn’t be
free but I definitely wouldn’t be
free but I definitely wouldn’t be starting working on the hotline because
starting working on the hotline because
starting working on the hotline because that had only been done by college and
that had only been done by college and
that had only been done by college and law school interns instead I would be
law school interns instead I would be
law school interns instead I would be doing paperwork and timekeeping but my
doing paperwork and timekeeping but my
doing paperwork and timekeeping but my desk was right next to the hotline so I
desk was right next to the hotline so I
desk was right next to the hotline so I was always listening to the way those
was always listening to the way those
was always listening to the way those college and law school interns answered
college and law school interns answered
college and law school interns answered the calls and asked questions and one
the calls and asked questions and one
the calls and asked questions and one day there was an intern on the phone who
day there was an intern on the phone who
day there was an intern on the phone who was new and he was having some
was new and he was having some
was new and he was having some difficulties asking questions and
difficulties asking questions and
difficulties asking questions and figuring out what was important in the
figuring out what was important in the
figuring out what was important in the case so he posed a question to the
case so he posed a question to the
case so he posed a question to the office of what he should ask the client
office of what he should ask the client
office of what he should ask the client next and I told him what I thought he
next and I told him what I thought he
next and I told him what I thought he should do because I had heard the
should do because I had heard the
should do because I had heard the interns asking the same questions over
interns asking the same questions over
interns asking the same questions over and over but the day after I had told
and over but the day after I had told
and over but the day after I had told him what he should ask my supervisor
him what he should ask my supervisor
him what he should ask my supervisor told me it was time for me to start
told me it was time for me to start
told me it was time for me to start taking calls on the hotline myself and
taking calls on the hotline myself and
taking calls on the hotline myself and fast forward three years to today I’m
fast forward three years to today I’m
fast forward three years to today I’m still in valen the Broward lawyers care
still in valen the Broward lawyers care
still in valen the Broward lawyers care department of legal aid except now
department of legal aid except now
department of legal aid except now instead of listening to those college
instead of listening to those college
instead of listening to those college and law school interns I once sat next
and law school interns I once sat next
and law school interns I once sat next to
to
to I’ve assisted in their training when I
I’ve assisted in their training when I
I’ve assisted in their training when I was asked what I wanted to be when I
was asked what I wanted to be when I
was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I knew I wanted to do something
grew up I knew I wanted to do something
grew up I knew I wanted to do something with law but I assumed that I couldn’t
with law but I assumed that I couldn’t
with law but I assumed that I couldn’t start to be anything with regards to law
start to be anything with regards to law
start to be anything with regards to law until I had graduated law school but at
until I had graduated law school but at
until I had graduated law school but at legal aid I had started to be something
legal aid I had started to be something
legal aid I had started to be something but in order to really understand how I
but in order to really understand how I
but in order to really understand how I started viewing this question we need to
started viewing this question we need to
started viewing this question we need to rewind back three years to when I was
rewind back three years to when I was
rewind back three years to when I was starting at legal aid because at that
starting at legal aid because at that
starting at legal aid because at that time I was also realizing something
time I was also realizing something
time I was also realizing something about my community I’m from Hollywood
about my community I’m from Hollywood
about my community I’m from Hollywood Florida and in Hollywood we have a paper
Florida and in Hollywood we have a paper
Florida and in Hollywood we have a paper called the Hollywood Gazette which is a
called the Hollywood Gazette which is a
called the Hollywood Gazette which is a free community newspaper that’s
free community newspaper that’s
free community newspaper that’s distributed throughout the city and I’m
distributed throughout the city and I’m
distributed throughout the city and I’m very proud of my city and I’m very
very proud of my city and I’m very
very proud of my city and I’m very interested in what’s going on so I was
interested in what’s going on so I was
interested in what’s going on so I was always reading the paper but I started
always reading the paper but I started
always reading the paper but I started to realize that I felt my voice wasn’t
to realize that I felt my voice wasn’t
to realize that I felt my voice wasn’t present in the paper they weren’t
present in the paper they weren’t
present in the paper they weren’t writing about teens they weren’t
writing about teens they weren’t
writing about teens they weren’t appealing to teens so I wrote to the
appealing to teens so I wrote to the
appealing to teens so I wrote to the publisher asking her if I could write an
publisher asking her if I could write an
publisher asking her if I could write an article about something that protean
article about something that protean
article about something that protean pertained to teens in Hollywood she was
pertained to teens in Hollywood she was
pertained to teens in Hollywood she was actually very enthusiastic and she
actually very enthusiastic and she
actually very enthusiastic and she agreed with the idea so what started as
agreed with the idea so what started as
agreed with the idea so what started as one single article became a series of
one single article became a series of
one single article became a series of articles written by myself the teen
articles written by myself the teen
articles written by myself the teen correspondent but what I was doing
correspondent but what I was doing
correspondent but what I was doing actually isn’t that uncommon for our age
actually isn’t that uncommon for our age
actually isn’t that uncommon for our age group according to the American press
group according to the American press
group according to the American press Institute there’s something unique about
Institute there’s something unique about
Institute there’s something unique about the way teens view the news when people
the way teens view the news when people
the way teens view the news when people in the teen age group see a problem in
in the teen age group see a problem in
in the teen age group see a problem in their community say a problem they read
their community say a problem they read
their community say a problem they read in a community newspaper they’re the
in a community newspaper they’re the
in a community newspaper they’re the most likely to go to multiple news
most likely to go to multiple news
most likely to go to multiple news sources to try to learn about the root
sources to try to learn about the root
sources to try to learn about the root of the problem it seems that teens love
of the problem it seems that teens love
of the problem it seems that teens love for drama pertains to the way that they
for drama pertains to the way that they
for drama pertains to the way that they view the news when we see a problem we
view the news when we see a problem we
view the news when we see a problem we tend to go to the most news sources
tend to go to the most news sources
tend to go to the most news sources because we want to see what’s causing
because we want to see what’s causing
because we want to see what’s causing the problem we want to know everything
the problem we want to know everything
the problem we want to know everything about it we would call this digging
about it we would call this digging
about it we would call this digging deeper and that’s exactly what I decided
deeper and that’s exactly what I decided
deeper and that’s exactly what I decided to do when I noticed a bridge between
to do when I noticed a bridge between
to do when I noticed a bridge between the work I was doing at legal aid and
the work I was doing at legal aid and
the work I was doing at legal aid and the work I was doing at the Hollywood
the work I was doing at the Hollywood
the work I was doing at the Hollywood Gazette at legal aid on the telephone
Gazette at legal aid on the telephone
Gazette at legal aid on the telephone advice hotline I realized we kept
advice hotline I realized we kept
advice hotline I realized we kept getting calls about people experiencing
getting calls about people experiencing
getting calls about people experiencing homelessness trying to apply for section
homelessness trying to apply for section
homelessness trying to apply for section 8
8
8 housing but a lot of those people were
housing but a lot of those people were
housing but a lot of those people were from my city of Hollywood so I asked the
from my city of Hollywood so I asked the
from my city of Hollywood so I asked the publisher of The Hollywood Gazette if I
publisher of The Hollywood Gazette if I
publisher of The Hollywood Gazette if I could write a series of informative
could write a series of informative
could write a series of informative articles about the issue of homelessness
articles about the issue of homelessness
articles about the issue of homelessness and everything that I was learning about
and everything that I was learning about
and everything that I was learning about it because I wanted to share that
it because I wanted to share that
it because I wanted to share that information with my community she
information with my community she
information with my community she actually agreed and I sought out to talk
actually agreed and I sought out to talk
actually agreed and I sought out to talk to everyone in my community I could who
to everyone in my community I could who
to everyone in my community I could who was affected by the problem or knew
was affected by the problem or knew
was affected by the problem or knew something about it was trying to help
something about it was trying to help
something about it was trying to help people so I spoke with a social worker
people so I spoke with a social worker
people so I spoke with a social worker who worked for the Howe Police
who worked for the Howe Police
who worked for the Howe Police Department I spoke with the supervisor
Department I spoke with the supervisor
Department I spoke with the supervisor of the Broward Outreach Center one of
of the Broward Outreach Center one of
of the Broward Outreach Center one of the largest homeless shelters in my area
the largest homeless shelters in my area
the largest homeless shelters in my area who had once been homeless himself and I
who had once been homeless himself and I
who had once been homeless himself and I spoke to the Broward outreach centers
spoke to the Broward outreach centers
spoke to the Broward outreach centers alumni group people who had been
alumni group people who had been
alumni group people who had been homeless for years two months but we’re
homeless for years two months but we’re
homeless for years two months but we’re now out of the cycle and would meet
now out of the cycle and would meet
now out of the cycle and would meet together to encourage each other and to
together to encourage each other and to
together to encourage each other and to become an advocate for people still in
become an advocate for people still in
become an advocate for people still in the cycle and when I was speaking with
the cycle and when I was speaking with
the cycle and when I was speaking with these people I was learning so much
these people I was learning so much
these people I was learning so much about the problem but there was
about the problem but there was
about the problem but there was something I wanted to do I wanted to do
something I wanted to do I wanted to do
something I wanted to do I wanted to do something more so I reached out to every
something more so I reached out to every
something more so I reached out to every person running for mayor of Hollywood
person running for mayor of Hollywood
person running for mayor of Hollywood and asked them to draft a plan on what
and asked them to draft a plan on what
and asked them to draft a plan on what they would do to help people
they would do to help people
they would do to help people experiencing homelessness if they were
experiencing homelessness if they were
experiencing homelessness if they were elected and they actually all responded
elected and they actually all responded
elected and they actually all responded their plans went online on the Hollywood
their plans went online on the Hollywood
their plans went online on the Hollywood Gazette website and in the print version
Gazette website and in the print version
Gazette website and in the print version of The Hollywood Gazette right before
of The Hollywood Gazette right before
of The Hollywood Gazette right before the local election so people could
the local election so people could
the local election so people could really make an informed decision about
really make an informed decision about
really make an informed decision about who they wanted leading their city those
who they wanted leading their city those
who they wanted leading their city those plans now allow whoever’s elected to be
plans now allow whoever’s elected to be
plans now allow whoever’s elected to be held accountable to what they said they
held accountable to what they said they
held accountable to what they said they would be doing this was me when I
would be doing this was me when I
would be doing this was me when I started to realize that I should be
started to realize that I should be
started to realize that I should be asking myself a different question I had
asking myself a different question I had
asking myself a different question I had only been asking myself what I wanted to
only been asking myself what I wanted to
only been asking myself what I wanted to be when I grew up but I started asking
be when I grew up but I started asking
be when I grew up but I started asking myself what I wanted to be doing
myself what I wanted to be doing
myself what I wanted to be doing currently I realized that I didn’t need
currently I realized that I didn’t need
currently I realized that I didn’t need to make excuses for why I couldn’t start
to make excuses for why I couldn’t start
to make excuses for why I couldn’t start making a positive impact on my community
making a positive impact on my community
making a positive impact on my community now I didn’t need to wait until I got a
now I didn’t need to wait until I got a
now I didn’t need to wait until I got a college degree I didn’t need to wait
college degree I didn’t need to wait
college degree I didn’t need to wait till I got a law degree I could start
till I got a law degree I could start
till I got a law degree I could start doing things right now to reach those
doing things right now to reach those
doing things right now to reach those goals that I’d once only set for the
goals that I’d once only set for the
goals that I’d once only set for the future but it would be naive of me to
future but it would be naive of me to
future but it would be naive of me to that I was able to do all of these
that I was able to do all of these
that I was able to do all of these things on my own a big part of why I was
things on my own a big part of why I was
things on my own a big part of why I was able to accomplish these things was
able to accomplish these things was
able to accomplish these things was because people viewed me not as a 15
because people viewed me not as a 15
because people viewed me not as a 15 year old but as someone who was capable
year old but as someone who was capable
year old but as someone who was capable of making change unfortunately not
of making change unfortunately not
of making change unfortunately not everyone shares that mindset according
everyone shares that mindset according
everyone shares that mindset according to the University of nevada-reno after
to the University of nevada-reno after
to the University of nevada-reno after interviewing American adults and
interviewing American adults and
interviewing American adults and American teens sixty-one percent of
American teens sixty-one percent of
American teens sixty-one percent of American adults do not believe teens can
American adults do not believe teens can
American adults do not believe teens can be trusted think they’re disrespectful
be trusted think they’re disrespectful
be trusted think they’re disrespectful and don’t think that they should be
and don’t think that they should be
and don’t think that they should be trusted in regards to any occupation and
trusted in regards to any occupation and
trusted in regards to any occupation and although they may think that teens have
although they may think that teens have
although they may think that teens have their headphones in and aren’t really
their headphones in and aren’t really
their headphones in and aren’t really listening to them they are because only
listening to them they are because only
listening to them they are because only 20 percent of teens interviewed said
20 percent of teens interviewed said
20 percent of teens interviewed said that they felt adults in their community
that they felt adults in their community
that they felt adults in their community valued them in the impact they could
valued them in the impact they could
valued them in the impact they could make and this is really frightening when
make and this is really frightening when
make and this is really frightening when we look at just how much of an impact
we look at just how much of an impact
we look at just how much of an impact teens can make on their community
teens can make on their community
teens can make on their community they’re giving hours on hours to their
they’re giving hours on hours to their
they’re giving hours on hours to their community and they’re providing age
community and they’re providing age
community and they’re providing age representation diverse viewpoints that
representation diverse viewpoints that
representation diverse viewpoints that doesn’t mean that companies need to high
doesn’t mean that companies need to high
doesn’t mean that companies need to high fire all the old people working for them
fire all the old people working for them
fire all the old people working for them and only hire young people it just means
and only hire young people it just means
and only hire young people it just means that they might want to look to another
that they might want to look to another
that they might want to look to another viewpoint because teens who are working
viewpoint because teens who are working
viewpoint because teens who are working are learning responsibility they’re
are learning responsibility they’re
are learning responsibility they’re learning to be held accountable for
learning to be held accountable for
learning to be held accountable for their own actions and teens volunteering
their own actions and teens volunteering
their own actions and teens volunteering in their community are more likely to
in their community are more likely to
in their community are more likely to graduate from high school and they’re
graduate from high school and they’re
graduate from high school and they’re more likely to continue to help their
more likely to continue to help their
more likely to continue to help their community as time goes on and I know it
community as time goes on and I know it
community as time goes on and I know it seems really simple to stand up here and
seems really simple to stand up here and
seems really simple to stand up here and say that just you should just start
say that just you should just start
say that just you should just start letting more teens do more work but it
letting more teens do more work but it
letting more teens do more work but it actually is just that simple
actually is just that simple
actually is just that simple and it goes all the way back to a single
and it goes all the way back to a single
and it goes all the way back to a single question the question that I began by
question the question that I began by
question the question that I began by asking all of you today
asking all of you today
asking all of you today what do you want to be when you grow up
what do you want to be when you grow up
what do you want to be when you grow up when you ask someone what they want to
when you ask someone what they want to
when you ask someone what they want to be when they grow up you’re insinuating
be when they grow up you’re insinuating
be when they grow up you’re insinuating that they can’t be anything until
that they can’t be anything until
that they can’t be anything until they’ve grown up they can’t make an
they’ve grown up they can’t make an
they’ve grown up they can’t make an impact on their community till they have
impact on their community till they have
impact on their community till they have a college degree or a graduate degree or
a college degree or a graduate degree or
a college degree or a graduate degree or they have a serious career but that’s
they have a serious career but that’s
they have a serious career but that’s simply not true what that question is
simply not true what that question is
simply not true what that question is having an impact on teens according to
having an impact on teens according to
having an impact on teens according to the US Department of Education Center
the US Department of Education Center
the US Department of Education Center for national education stitch
for national education stitch
for national education stitch there was a study conducted on teens who
there was a study conducted on teens who
there was a study conducted on teens who were asked to volunteer and teens who
were asked to volunteer and teens who
were asked to volunteer and teens who were never asked to volunteer of the
were never asked to volunteer of the
were never asked to volunteer of the teens who were asked to volunteer 93
teens who were asked to volunteer 93
teens who were asked to volunteer 93 percent did of teens who were never
percent did of teens who were never
percent did of teens who were never asked to volunteer only 24 percent did
asked to volunteer only 24 percent did
asked to volunteer only 24 percent did this makes everything seem really simple
this makes everything seem really simple
this makes everything seem really simple it all comes down to asking a question
it all comes down to asking a question
it all comes down to asking a question so in conclusion we need to stop asking
so in conclusion we need to stop asking
so in conclusion we need to stop asking people especially young people what they
people especially young people what they
people especially young people what they want to be when they grow up and start
want to be when they grow up and start
want to be when they grow up and start asking them what they want to be now
asking them what they want to be now
asking them what they want to be now what they want to be as they grow up
what they want to be as they grow up
what they want to be as they grow up thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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