one day I learned how to listen and when I say I learned how to listen what I
I say I learned how to listen what I
I say I learned how to listen what I mean is I learned how to enter a complex
mean is I learned how to enter a complex
mean is I learned how to enter a complex situation with a posture of humility
situation with a posture of humility
situation with a posture of humility that wasn’t my mo up to that day seven
that wasn’t my mo up to that day seven
that wasn’t my mo up to that day seven years ago I stepped on a sketchy boat on
years ago I stepped on a sketchy boat on
years ago I stepped on a sketchy boat on Lake Volta in northern Ghana West Africa
Lake Volta in northern Ghana West Africa
Lake Volta in northern Ghana West Africa the reason I was stepping on that
the reason I was stepping on that
the reason I was stepping on that sketchy boat was because I was on a
sketchy boat was because I was on a
sketchy boat was because I was on a mission to talk with slave owners
mission to talk with slave owners
mission to talk with slave owners notorious for using kids on Lake Volta
notorious for using kids on Lake Volta
notorious for using kids on Lake Volta in the fishing trade let me tell you a
in the fishing trade let me tell you a
in the fishing trade let me tell you a little bit about who I was when I was
little bit about who I was when I was
little bit about who I was when I was stepping on that sketchy boat at the age
stepping on that sketchy boat at the age
stepping on that sketchy boat at the age of 31 I was recruited as the director
of 31 I was recruited as the director
of 31 I was recruited as the director over three departments at Barclaycard
over three departments at Barclaycard
over three departments at Barclaycard International north of London England
International north of London England
International north of London England which was awesome and being an expat is
which was awesome and being an expat is
which was awesome and being an expat is pretty sweet so you get your rent paid
pretty sweet so you get your rent paid
pretty sweet so you get your rent paid for you get your car paid for you kind
for you get your car paid for you kind
for you get your car paid for you kind of like rolling in it so at that point
of like rolling in it so at that point
of like rolling in it so at that point in life I was super ambitious I was very
in life I was super ambitious I was very
in life I was super ambitious I was very career-driven I didn’t really think
career-driven I didn’t really think
career-driven I didn’t really think about helping people mostly I spent my
about helping people mostly I spent my
about helping people mostly I spent my weekends going to Greece and buying
weekends going to Greece and buying
weekends going to Greece and buying Prada so I brought my Prada handbag to
Prada so I brought my Prada handbag to
Prada so I brought my Prada handbag to Ghana it was back in the hotel room not
Ghana it was back in the hotel room not
Ghana it was back in the hotel room not on the boat with me um so the person
on the boat with me um so the person
on the boat with me um so the person that I was when I stepped on that
that I was when I stepped on that
that I was when I stepped on that sketchy boat was someone who was an
sketchy boat was someone who was an
sketchy boat was someone who was an American educated woman with the self
American educated woman with the self
American educated woman with the self righteous indignation and hero complex
righteous indignation and hero complex
righteous indignation and hero complex the only someone who can impulse buy a
the only someone who can impulse buy a
the only someone who can impulse buy a 2000 dollar handbag could muster we went
2000 dollar handbag could muster we went
2000 dollar handbag could muster we went out on the lake and I met some of the
out on the lake and I met some of the
out on the lake and I met some of the kids that were used as slaves some of
kids that were used as slaves some of
kids that were used as slaves some of them were as young as five years old
them were as young as five years old
them were as young as five years old they worked usually 14 to 16 hours a day
they worked usually 14 to 16 hours a day
they worked usually 14 to 16 hours a day and they often only had one meal when we
and they often only had one meal when we
and they often only had one meal when we talked with them some of them couldn’t
talked with them some of them couldn’t
talked with them some of them couldn’t swim they talked a little bit about
swim they talked a little bit about
swim they talked a little bit about and what they’d seen their friends go
and what they’d seen their friends go
and what they’d seen their friends go through it was definitely not an easy
through it was definitely not an easy
through it was definitely not an easy life
life
life as we pulled up to Lala on this sketchy
as we pulled up to Lala on this sketchy
as we pulled up to Lala on this sketchy little boat there were seven of us white
little boat there were seven of us white
little boat there were seven of us white women mostly from Texas me from Ohio and
women mostly from Texas me from Ohio and
women mostly from Texas me from Ohio and a Canadian guy our interpreter in a
a Canadian guy our interpreter in a
a Canadian guy our interpreter in a Ghanaian and so we were coming to this
Ghanaian and so we were coming to this
Ghanaian and so we were coming to this village
village
village straight out of National Geographic the
straight out of National Geographic the
straight out of National Geographic the entire village came around us to watch
entire village came around us to watch
entire village came around us to watch us talk with these fishermen so if you
us talk with these fishermen so if you
us talk with these fishermen so if you imagine in your mind whatever
imagine in your mind whatever
imagine in your mind whatever preconceived notion you have of a slave
preconceived notion you have of a slave
preconceived notion you have of a slave owner and what that sounds like and what
owner and what that sounds like and what
owner and what that sounds like and what that means you get some little inkling
that means you get some little inkling
that means you get some little inkling of feel of walking into that village
of feel of walking into that village
of feel of walking into that village ready for a conversation as we sat down
ready for a conversation as we sat down
ready for a conversation as we sat down in the center and the whole village was
in the center and the whole village was
in the center and the whole village was standing there watching us we asked
standing there watching us we asked
standing there watching us we asked questions through the interpreter and it
questions through the interpreter and it
questions through the interpreter and it was kind of like this how could you how
was kind of like this how could you how
was kind of like this how could you how dare you these kids should be in school
dare you these kids should be in school
dare you these kids should be in school why don’t you find another way to make
why don’t you find another way to make
why don’t you find another way to make money why would you do this to these
money why would you do this to these
money why would you do this to these kids so let me tell you what went down
kids so let me tell you what went down
kids so let me tell you what went down about 15 minutes into us asking those
about 15 minutes into us asking those
about 15 minutes into us asking those questions
questions
questions the interpreter interrupted us and said
the interpreter interrupted us and said
the interpreter interrupted us and said okay they’ve been really polite and
okay they’ve been really polite and
okay they’ve been really polite and they’ve answered your questions now they
they’ve answered your questions now they
they’ve answered your questions now they have some questions for you so thinking
have some questions for you so thinking
have some questions for you so thinking about who I was at that moment literally
about who I was at that moment literally
about who I was at that moment literally the thought that went through my mind
the thought that went through my mind
the thought that went through my mind was what they have questions for us
was what they have questions for us
was what they have questions for us and so this I’ll paraphrase because this
and so this I’ll paraphrase because this
and so this I’ll paraphrase because this is how I heard it
is how I heard it
is how I heard it coming out the fisherman asked the
coming out the fisherman asked the
coming out the fisherman asked the question well we’ve diversified our
question well we’ve diversified our
question well we’ve diversified our livestock so that we can multiply our
livestock so that we can multiply our
livestock so that we can multiply our income across the but we’re having a
income across the but we’re having a
income across the but we’re having a problem getting it to market in having
problem getting it to market in having
problem getting it to market in having consistent prices what’s your suggestion
consistent prices what’s your suggestion
consistent prices what’s your suggestion for us the second question is well I
for us the second question is well I
for us the second question is well I know that America is really generous so
know that America is really generous so
know that America is really generous so you give a lot of money to our
you give a lot of money to our
you give a lot of money to our government but they don’t always pass it
government but they don’t always pass it
government but they don’t always pass it down to the schoolteachers which means
down to the schoolteachers which means
down to the schoolteachers which means the teachers don’t get paid so they
the teachers don’t get paid so they
the teachers don’t get paid so they don’t show up to school so although we’d
don’t show up to school so although we’d
don’t show up to school so although we’d like to send these kids to school we’d
like to send these kids to school we’d
like to send these kids to school we’d also like to send our own kids to school
also like to send our own kids to school
also like to send our own kids to school what’s your recommendation on what we
what’s your recommendation on what we
what’s your recommendation on what we should do about that as I sat there and
should do about that as I sat there and
should do about that as I sat there and listened to these questions and these
listened to these questions and these
listened to these questions and these fishermen and I love the look on this
fishermen and I love the look on this
fishermen and I love the look on this man’s face because I think it kind of
man’s face because I think it kind of
man’s face because I think it kind of captures the moment I thought to myself
captures the moment I thought to myself
captures the moment I thought to myself I can’t answer these questions I’ve got
I can’t answer these questions I’ve got
I can’t answer these questions I’ve got ten years of banking in my background
ten years of banking in my background
ten years of banking in my background this is a little more complicated than I
this is a little more complicated than I
this is a little more complicated than I thought when I stepped on that boat the
thought when I stepped on that boat the
thought when I stepped on that boat the power of listening allows you to humbly
power of listening allows you to humbly
power of listening allows you to humbly enter a situation and maybe think about
enter a situation and maybe think about
enter a situation and maybe think about what is complicated and how do you
what is complicated and how do you
what is complicated and how do you address it as I left la la that day we
address it as I left la la that day we
address it as I left la la that day we were stepping back into the sketchy boat
were stepping back into the sketchy boat
were stepping back into the sketchy boat headed back to Quetta crotchy I was
headed back to Quetta crotchy I was
headed back to Quetta crotchy I was looking back as the little kids were
looking back as the little kids were
looking back as the little kids were waving at me and I thought I wouldn’t
waving at me and I thought I wouldn’t
waving at me and I thought I wouldn’t survive 24 hours in la la unless
survive 24 hours in la la unless
survive 24 hours in la la unless somebody took deep compassion on me and
somebody took deep compassion on me and
somebody took deep compassion on me and showed me how and in that moment it
showed me how and in that moment it
showed me how and in that moment it changed me and so as I moved from that I
changed me and so as I moved from that I
changed me and so as I moved from that I spent the next four years fighting human
spent the next four years fighting human
spent the next four years fighting human trafficking and slavery so I worked with
trafficking and slavery so I worked with
trafficking and slavery so I worked with over a hundred artisans in Ghana in
over a hundred artisans in Ghana in
over a hundred artisans in Ghana in Thailand in Cambodia and what I learned
Thailand in Cambodia and what I learned
Thailand in Cambodia and what I learned from that moment about how important it
from that moment about how important it
from that moment about how important it is to enter into the situation without
is to enter into the situation without
is to enter into the situation without assumptions I was able to go into
assumptions I was able to go into
assumptions I was able to go into Cambodia and work in a village that
Cambodia and work in a village that
Cambodia and work in a village that started out with 13 kids hand it over
started out with 13 kids hand it over
started out with 13 kids hand it over and now it’s over 200 I was able to
and now it’s over 200 I was able to
and now it’s over 200 I was able to listen to a woman in a brothel in
listen to a woman in a brothel in
listen to a woman in a brothel in Thailand talk about how terrified she
Thailand talk about how terrified she
Thailand talk about how terrified she was to prostitute her body but she
was to prostitute her body but she
was to prostitute her body but she needed to because her dad needed sir
needed to because her dad needed sir
needed to because her dad needed sir three what about the man who was buying
three what about the man who was buying
three what about the man who was buying her what was his story and he’d flown
her what was his story and he’d flown
her what was his story and he’d flown all the way from Germany to do that if
all the way from Germany to do that if
all the way from Germany to do that if his wife had died from cancer what was
his wife had died from cancer what was
his wife had died from cancer what was he going to do if you can listen to
he going to do if you can listen to
he going to do if you can listen to someone’s story and you can start to
someone’s story and you can start to
someone’s story and you can start to open that dialogue open up your mind the
open that dialogue open up your mind the
open that dialogue open up your mind the possibility for healing is there as I
possibility for healing is there as I
possibility for healing is there as I work in Akron today having done four
work in Akron today having done four
work in Akron today having done four years of anti trafficking and now
years of anti trafficking and now
years of anti trafficking and now working with refugees I get to hear
working with refugees I get to hear
working with refugees I get to hear stories all the time and in the season
stories all the time and in the season
stories all the time and in the season of tension and walking in it it’s super
of tension and walking in it it’s super
of tension and walking in it it’s super exciting and slightly unnerving so I got
exciting and slightly unnerving so I got
exciting and slightly unnerving so I got to hear stories and sit down
to hear stories and sit down
to hear stories and sit down with a Muslim Iraqi man talk about how
with a Muslim Iraqi man talk about how
with a Muslim Iraqi man talk about how he trained 800 soldiers for the US
he trained 800 soldiers for the US
he trained 800 soldiers for the US military in Iraq I get to sit down with
military in Iraq I get to sit down with
military in Iraq I get to sit down with a Syrian a stylee talk about how he’s
a Syrian a stylee talk about how he’s
a Syrian a stylee talk about how he’s afraid for his brothers he’s staying out
afraid for his brothers he’s staying out
afraid for his brothers he’s staying out of trouble while he’s here in Akron
of trouble while he’s here in Akron
of trouble while he’s here in Akron because his life depends on it and that
because his life depends on it and that
because his life depends on it and that night he says because you listen to me I
night he says because you listen to me I
night he says because you listen to me I can sleep in peace I got to go to Hudson
can sleep in peace I got to go to Hudson
can sleep in peace I got to go to Hudson and talk to women who are genuinely
and talk to women who are genuinely
and talk to women who are genuinely terrified of those exact same Muslim
terrified of those exact same Muslim
terrified of those exact same Muslim refugees and hear her talk about why she
refugees and hear her talk about why she
refugees and hear her talk about why she is afraid and then addressed that and I
is afraid and then addressed that and I
is afraid and then addressed that and I think within us we all have a certain
think within us we all have a certain
think within us we all have a certain longing to hear and be heard so if the
longing to hear and be heard so if the
longing to hear and be heard so if the questions that you want to hear are I
questions that you want to hear are I
questions that you want to hear are I see you I hear you
see you I hear you
see you I hear you your story is meaningful and important
your story is meaningful and important
your story is meaningful and important to me it’s like a Jesus style Margo day
to me it’s like a Jesus style Margo day
to me it’s like a Jesus style Margo day so I challenge you to enter into the
so I challenge you to enter into the
so I challenge you to enter into the situations that are maybe above your
situations that are maybe above your
situations that are maybe above your paygrade don’t be afraid of them just
paygrade don’t be afraid of them just
paygrade don’t be afraid of them just listen thank you
listen thank you
listen thank you [Applause]
”
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