[Music] we don’t get to pick our families at
we don’t get to pick our families at
we don’t get to pick our families at least not the first ones we get what we
least not the first ones we get what we
least not the first ones we get what we get you can be born into a loving family
get you can be born into a loving family
get you can be born into a loving family with parents a home dinner’s bedtime
with parents a home dinner’s bedtime
with parents a home dinner’s bedtime stories hugs and kisses or you can be
stories hugs and kisses or you can be
stories hugs and kisses or you can be born into the opposite exclusion abuse
born into the opposite exclusion abuse
born into the opposite exclusion abuse violence sickness we don’t get to choose
violence sickness we don’t get to choose
violence sickness we don’t get to choose the cards are dealt so unjust and
the cards are dealt so unjust and
the cards are dealt so unjust and there’s nothing we can do about it yet
there’s nothing we can do about it yet
there’s nothing we can do about it yet what we can do though is try to adjust
what we can do though is try to adjust
what we can do though is try to adjust so that the opportunities are the same
so that the opportunities are the same
so that the opportunities are the same regardless of those cards my name is
regardless of those cards my name is
regardless of those cards my name is Venki and I want to talk to you today
Venki and I want to talk to you today
Venki and I want to talk to you today about labels boxes stigma and how we
about labels boxes stigma and how we
about labels boxes stigma and how we easy can make arenas small arenas for
easy can make arenas small arenas for
easy can make arenas small arenas for those don’t exist a little bit about me
those don’t exist a little bit about me
those don’t exist a little bit about me so he could put me in a box I come from
so he could put me in a box I come from
so he could put me in a box I come from Norway I live in Oslo with my husband
Norway I live in Oslo with my husband
Norway I live in Oslo with my husband and four kids two of them I gave birth
and four kids two of them I gave birth
and four kids two of them I gave birth to two of them I didn’t and my hands are
to two of them I didn’t and my hands are
to two of them I didn’t and my hands are free so I can do this
free so I can do this
free so I can do this when I say birds I am a mom and a
when I say birds I am a mom and a
when I say birds I am a mom and a stepmom I am an educated teacher but I
stepmom I am an educated teacher but I
stepmom I am an educated teacher but I make a living making music and I come
make a living making music and I come
make a living making music and I come from a good home with two sisters I did
from a good home with two sisters I did
from a good home with two sisters I did okay in school and I played the drums in
okay in school and I played the drums in
okay in school and I played the drums in the music band that’s a pretty harmless
the music band that’s a pretty harmless
the music band that’s a pretty harmless story okay I had made some bad decisions
story okay I had made some bad decisions
story okay I had made some bad decisions there are some pictures out there I’m
there are some pictures out there I’m
there are some pictures out there I’m not too proud of but still it’s pretty
not too proud of but still it’s pretty
not too proud of but still it’s pretty harmless and if people want to label me
harmless and if people want to label me
harmless and if people want to label me because of that I wouldn’t lose any
because of that I wouldn’t lose any
because of that I wouldn’t lose any options not everyone has that story
options not everyone has that story
options not everyone has that story that they can tell from the top two
that they can tell from the top two
that they can tell from the top two complete strangers not everyone had that
complete strangers not everyone had that
complete strangers not everyone had that story they want to be identified with
story they want to be identified with
story they want to be identified with they don’t want to be identified with it
they don’t want to be identified with it
they don’t want to be identified with it they don’t want to be labeled by that
they don’t want to be labeled by that
they don’t want to be labeled by that story
years ago I opened up a music school it
years ago I opened up a music school it started when a mom called me and she
started when a mom called me and she
started when a mom called me and she wanted to give her daughter something
wanted to give her daughter something
wanted to give her daughter something very special for her 18th birthday and
very special for her 18th birthday and
very special for her 18th birthday and she thought singing lessons is a good
she thought singing lessons is a good
she thought singing lessons is a good idea by the way it always is and the
idea by the way it always is and the
idea by the way it always is and the reason why she wanted to give her
reason why she wanted to give her
reason why she wanted to give her singing lessons was because this girl
singing lessons was because this girl
singing lessons was because this girl had been depressed for some time and the
had been depressed for some time and the
had been depressed for some time and the mom hoped and thought that she might be
mom hoped and thought that she might be
mom hoped and thought that she might be able to sing herself happy or at least
able to sing herself happy or at least
able to sing herself happy or at least happier I know that you can do that so I
happier I know that you can do that so I
happier I know that you can do that so I rented a room
rented a room
rented a room I bought a piano I bought a microphone
I bought a piano I bought a microphone
I bought a piano I bought a microphone and a guitar and I called a friend of
and a guitar and I called a friend of
and a guitar and I called a friend of mine who is a singing teacher I’m not
mine who is a singing teacher I’m not
mine who is a singing teacher I’m not one and we started a music school and
one and we started a music school and
one and we started a music school and it’s called pop Wilma in English that
it’s called pop Wilma in English that
it’s called pop Wilma in English that would be the pop room maybe and the mom
would be the pop room maybe and the mom
would be the pop room maybe and the mom was right that girl did sing yourself
was right that girl did sing yourself
was right that girl did sing yourself happy I was happier and along with her
happy I was happier and along with her
happy I was happier and along with her many others and as the pop room grew so
many others and as the pop room grew so
many others and as the pop room grew so did my belief in music grow I’ve always
did my belief in music grow I’ve always
did my belief in music grow I’ve always known that music is magic music is
known that music is magic music is
known that music is magic music is amazing and music well it makes life it
amazing and music well it makes life it
amazing and music well it makes life it doesn’t save life like I know a lot of
doesn’t save life like I know a lot of
doesn’t save life like I know a lot of you do but it makes life and I mean so
you do but it makes life and I mean so
you do but it makes life and I mean so many of us wouldn’t even be here if it
many of us wouldn’t even be here if it
many of us wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for Marvin Gaye or you know boys
wasn’t for Marvin Gaye or you know boys
wasn’t for Marvin Gaye or you know boys two men who made those songs so we used
two men who made those songs so we used
two men who made those songs so we used to makes life it does and it makes life
to makes life it does and it makes life
to makes life it does and it makes life good for a lot of us one day my friend
good for a lot of us one day my friend
good for a lot of us one day my friend called me she works in child welfare and
called me she works in child welfare and
called me she works in child welfare and she had this girl she was 19 years old
she had this girl she was 19 years old
she had this girl she was 19 years old and she didn’t know how to help her
and she didn’t know how to help her
and she didn’t know how to help her anymore
anymore
anymore she had the other story the one you
she had the other story the one you
she had the other story the one you can’t just stand here and tell it’s not
can’t just stand here and tell it’s not
can’t just stand here and tell it’s not easy easy for me even and she had that
easy easy for me even and she had that
easy easy for me even and she had that story and based on her background her
story and based on her background her
story and based on her background her story she was labeled with the labels
story she was labeled with the labels
story she was labeled with the labels hidden like and she was embarrassed and
hidden like and she was embarrassed and
hidden like and she was embarrassed and she thought that he would never
she thought that he would never
she thought that he would never accomplish anything
accomplish anything
accomplish anything so I’ll even go out of the house
so I’ll even go out of the house
so I’ll even go out of the house again we thought singing lessons I’m not
again we thought singing lessons I’m not
again we thought singing lessons I’m not selling that today but singing lessons
selling that today but singing lessons
selling that today but singing lessons is a good thing and we thought we wanted
is a good thing and we thought we wanted
is a good thing and we thought we wanted to give her what she wanted a new start
to give her what she wanted a new start
to give her what she wanted a new start so we didn’t tell her singing teacher
so we didn’t tell her singing teacher
so we didn’t tell her singing teacher about her coming from welfare or
about her coming from welfare or
about her coming from welfare or anything of a background and and we tell
anything of a background and and we tell
anything of a background and and we tell told Lisa her name was Lisa we told her
told Lisa her name was Lisa we told her
told Lisa her name was Lisa we told her that she doesn’t know anything about you
that she doesn’t know anything about you
that she doesn’t know anything about you so here it is though and she met her
so here it is though and she met her
so here it is though and she met her teach her and it was like hi what do you
teach her and it was like hi what do you
teach her and it was like hi what do you want to sing Florence and the Machine
want to sing Florence and the Machine
want to sing Florence and the Machine okay cool and they closed the door me
okay cool and they closed the door me
okay cool and they closed the door me and my friend didn’t get to go in that
and my friend didn’t get to go in that
and my friend didn’t get to go in that room that day of course but later Lisa
room that day of course but later Lisa
room that day of course but later Lisa told us how it felt for her for the
told us how it felt for her for the
told us how it felt for her for the first time to be met by someone who
first time to be met by someone who
first time to be met by someone who didn’t know anything about her she said
didn’t know anything about her she said
didn’t know anything about her she said it was like she she went in there and
it was like she she went in there and
it was like she she went in there and and outside of the room was everything
and outside of the room was everything
and outside of the room was everything her big profile her childhood everything
her big profile her childhood everything
her big profile her childhood everything her bad self-esteem her comfort zone
her bad self-esteem her comfort zone
her bad self-esteem her comfort zone everything was outside that door and she
everything was outside that door and she
everything was outside that door and she closed it and she got to just be in
closed it and she got to just be in
closed it and she got to just be in there and be yourself and just sing when
there and be yourself and just sing when
there and be yourself and just sing when I sing and see the joy that it brings
I sing and see the joy that it brings
I sing and see the joy that it brings the tears turned of laughter and I say
the tears turned of laughter and I say
the tears turned of laughter and I say what I mean when I sing I can feel
what I mean when I sing I can feel
what I mean when I sing I can feel anything it over the doorway and you’re
anything it over the doorway and you’re
anything it over the doorway and you’re welcome to join them when I say the
welcome to join them when I say the
welcome to join them when I say the effect was magical for Lisa it was like
effect was magical for Lisa it was like
effect was magical for Lisa it was like see once she got to be in that room and
see once she got to be in that room and
see once she got to be in that room and managed that she felt I can do that
managed that she felt I can do that
managed that she felt I can do that somewhere else too and me and my friend
somewhere else too and me and my friend
somewhere else too and me and my friend thought we have to give this to someone
thought we have to give this to someone
thought we have to give this to someone else there gotta be a song more out
else there gotta be a song more out
else there gotta be a song more out there who needs a new starts so we made
there who needs a new starts so we made
there who needs a new starts so we made this philosophy called
this philosophy called
this philosophy called mufflers it’s a really good word in
mufflers it’s a really good word in
mufflers it’s a really good word in origin
origin
origin in English it would be kind of without a
in English it would be kind of without a
in English it would be kind of without a profile or please don’t label me because
profile or please don’t label me because
profile or please don’t label me because we’ll need a fresh start sometimes and
we’ll need a fresh start sometimes and
we’ll need a fresh start sometimes and now we collaborate with child welfare
now we collaborate with child welfare
now we collaborate with child welfare and and social services and they can
and and social services and they can
and and social services and they can send their teenagers to us who have that
send their teenagers to us who have that
send their teenagers to us who have that story like Lisa had but also the welders
story like Lisa had but also the welders
story like Lisa had but also the welders they don’t want it and they want to work
they don’t want it and they want to work
they don’t want it and they want to work with music and we blend them in with all
with music and we blend them in with all
with music and we blend them in with all the other ones so they get like a real
the other ones so they get like a real
the other ones so they get like a real fresh start and again to hang with by
fresh start and again to hang with by
fresh start and again to hang with by now the perm have we have 300 students
now the perm have we have 300 students
now the perm have we have 300 students and among that I can have like 10 or 15%
and among that I can have like 10 or 15%
and among that I can have like 10 or 15% recruited from welfare or social
recruited from welfare or social
recruited from welfare or social services and none nobody knows who’s who
services and none nobody knows who’s who
services and none nobody knows who’s who not the teachers not the students nobody
not the teachers not the students nobody
not the teachers not the students nobody well I’ll just blend them together
well I’ll just blend them together
well I’ll just blend them together because it’s about music and everything
because it’s about music and everything
because it’s about music and everything doesn’t have to be about that label
doesn’t have to be about that label
doesn’t have to be about that label about your past the past cannot always
about your past the past cannot always
about your past the past cannot always define your future and right now Lisa
define your future and right now Lisa
define your future and right now Lisa she has a job she pays her taxes she
she has a job she pays her taxes she
she has a job she pays her taxes she lives in her own apartment for the first
lives in her own apartment for the first
lives in her own apartment for the first time in her life and every morning she
time in her life and every morning she
time in her life and every morning she opens the curtains and says if you want
opens the curtains and says if you want
opens the curtains and says if you want to look at me Here I am it’s amazing I
to look at me Here I am it’s amazing I
to look at me Here I am it’s amazing I want to end this by telling you my
want to end this by telling you my
want to end this by telling you my favorite story about the father who
favorite story about the father who
favorite story about the father who takes his son to the beach they come out
takes his son to the beach they come out
takes his son to the beach they come out there and they see a lot of starfish
there and they see a lot of starfish
there and they see a lot of starfish lying on the shore and this kid knows
lying on the shore and this kid knows
lying on the shore and this kid knows that the starfish they can’t breathe if
that the starfish they can’t breathe if
that the starfish they can’t breathe if they’re not in the water so he starts to
they’re not in the water so he starts to
they’re not in the water so he starts to pick them up and throw them back out
pick them up and throw them back out
pick them up and throw them back out into the water and he says dad come help
into the water and he says dad come help
into the water and he says dad come help me and he does but he looks around and I
me and he does but he looks around and I
me and he does but he looks around and I sees there are hundreds thousands of
sees there are hundreds thousands of
sees there are hundreds thousands of starfish and it says son you know you
starfish and it says son you know you
starfish and it says son you know you can’t help them all right and it goes I
can’t help them all right and it goes I
can’t help them all right and it goes I know but I can help son thank you and
know but I can help son thank you and
know but I can help son thank you and good luck
”
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