it starts with elementary school I remember the icebreakers our teacher
remember the icebreakers our teacher
remember the icebreakers our teacher would do every year that goes something
would do every year that goes something
would do every year that goes something like this who hears favorite color is
like this who hears favorite color is
like this who hears favorite color is red Oh Sarah you like red well so does
red Oh Sarah you like red well so does
red Oh Sarah you like red well so does Tom you should go talk to each other who
Tom you should go talk to each other who
Tom you should go talk to each other who hears parents are from Mexico Oh Sophia
hears parents are from Mexico Oh Sophia
hears parents are from Mexico Oh Sophia your parents are from Mexico well Sarah
your parents are from Mexico well Sarah
your parents are from Mexico well Sarah Isabella’s you should go be friends I
Isabella’s you should go be friends I
Isabella’s you should go be friends I know it feels natural for us to be
know it feels natural for us to be
know it feels natural for us to be friends with people who are similar to
friends with people who are similar to
friends with people who are similar to us
us
us I mean look to your left and look to
I mean look to your left and look to
I mean look to your left and look to your right are these people who you have
your right are these people who you have
your right are these people who you have things in common with who you probably
things in common with who you probably
things in common with who you probably usually hang out with and if you sat by
usually hang out with and if you sat by
usually hang out with and if you sat by someone you did you even say hi to them
someone you did you even say hi to them
someone you did you even say hi to them I remember sitting in that classroom and
I remember sitting in that classroom and
I remember sitting in that classroom and thinking to myself do I raise my hand I
thinking to myself do I raise my hand I
thinking to myself do I raise my hand I mean my mother is raised as a Catholic
mean my mother is raised as a Catholic
mean my mother is raised as a Catholic in Mexico but my father was raised as a
in Mexico but my father was raised as a
in Mexico but my father was raised as a Muslim in Yemen and I was born here in
Muslim in Yemen and I was born here in
Muslim in Yemen and I was born here in America so what now I thought maybe this
America so what now I thought maybe this
America so what now I thought maybe this is a one-time thing
is a one-time thing
is a one-time thing maybe this will just pass but throughout
maybe this will just pass but throughout
maybe this will just pass but throughout elementary school throughout middle
elementary school throughout middle
elementary school throughout middle school brought highest learning in
school brought highest learning in
school brought highest learning in throughout college I kept feeling this
throughout college I kept feeling this
throughout college I kept feeling this isolation I thought maybe something was
isolation I thought maybe something was
isolation I thought maybe something was wrong with my hair or maybe I just smell
wrong with my hair or maybe I just smell
wrong with my hair or maybe I just smell funny
funny
funny but it wasn’t till my first standardized
but it wasn’t till my first standardized
but it wasn’t till my first standardized exam that I realized why I always felt
exam that I realized why I always felt
exam that I realized why I always felt so alone
so alone
so alone it was the CRC tea
it was the CRC tea
it was the CRC tea I was bubbling in my student name a
I was bubbling in my student name a
I was bubbling in my student name a student ID the day and then I see this
student ID the day and then I see this
student ID the day and then I see this portion that says ethnicity and the
portion that says ethnicity and the
portion that says ethnicity and the order goes white black Hispanic Asian
order goes white black Hispanic Asian
order goes white black Hispanic Asian and at the very bottom other I thought
and at the very bottom other I thought
and at the very bottom other I thought to myself wow am i other is that really
to myself wow am i other is that really
to myself wow am i other is that really how people see me a few months go by and
how people see me a few months go by and
how people see me a few months go by and we get back to the exam and with that
we get back to the exam and with that
we get back to the exam and with that comes the demographics of the students
comes the demographics of the students
comes the demographics of the students who took this test and on the back of
who took this test and on the back of
who took this test and on the back of the pamphlet I see this pie chart that’s
the pamphlet I see this pie chart that’s
the pamphlet I see this pie chart that’s labeled ethnicities and you see all
labeled ethnicities and you see all
labeled ethnicities and you see all these chunks of this pie chart and then
these chunks of this pie chart and then
these chunks of this pie chart and then you see this tiny little sliver that
you see this tiny little sliver that
you see this tiny little sliver that says 1% of students consider themself
says 1% of students consider themself
says 1% of students consider themself other 1% imagine having nothing in
other 1% imagine having nothing in
other 1% imagine having nothing in common with anyone in this room that’s
common with anyone in this room that’s
common with anyone in this room that’s how I felt I panicked and I thought how
how I felt I panicked and I thought how
how I felt I panicked and I thought how am I gonna make friends being so
am I gonna make friends being so
am I gonna make friends being so different at the time I thought I had a
different at the time I thought I had a
different at the time I thought I had a choice I could fit into these groups or
choice I could fit into these groups or
choice I could fit into these groups or I could try something new I mean how
I could try something new I mean how
I could try something new I mean how hard could it be to fit in everyone else
hard could it be to fit in everyone else
hard could it be to fit in everyone else does it but when I tried to hang out
does it but when I tried to hang out
does it but when I tried to hang out with the Hispanics
with the Hispanics
with the Hispanics I wasn’t Hispanic enough when I try to
I wasn’t Hispanic enough when I try to
I wasn’t Hispanic enough when I try to hang out with the add ups I wasn’t out
hang out with the add ups I wasn’t out
hang out with the add ups I wasn’t out of enough and when I tried to hang out
of enough and when I tried to hang out
of enough and when I tried to hang out with the Americans
with the Americans
with the Americans I wasn’t American enough I became so
I wasn’t American enough I became so
I wasn’t American enough I became so frustrated why can’t I find anyone like
frustrated why can’t I find anyone like
frustrated why can’t I find anyone like me I even sat in the cafeteria for
me I even sat in the cafeteria for
me I even sat in the cafeteria for months by myself and occasionally
months by myself and occasionally
months by myself and occasionally because I was a teenager I was pretty
because I was a teenager I was pretty
because I was a teenager I was pretty dramatic so I’d even sit in the bathroom
dramatic so I’d even sit in the bathroom
dramatic so I’d even sit in the bathroom stall and play doodle jump by myself
I remember just feeling so alone and
I remember just feeling so alone and just so confused
just so confused
just so confused why couldn’t I find people who were like
why couldn’t I find people who were like
why couldn’t I find people who were like me
me
me I now realize I didn’t have a choice the
I now realize I didn’t have a choice the
I now realize I didn’t have a choice the only option was to talk to someone
only option was to talk to someone
only option was to talk to someone different than me I’m not gonna tell you
different than me I’m not gonna tell you
different than me I’m not gonna tell you is easy though going up to people who
is easy though going up to people who
is easy though going up to people who look nothing like me act nothing like me
look nothing like me act nothing like me
look nothing like me act nothing like me and dress nothing like me it was
and dress nothing like me it was
and dress nothing like me it was intimidating but I knew the pain of
intimidating but I knew the pain of
intimidating but I knew the pain of feeling alone feeling like I didn’t
feeling alone feeling like I didn’t
feeling alone feeling like I didn’t belong and I never wanted another kid to
belong and I never wanted another kid to
belong and I never wanted another kid to feel that way and through being a friend
feel that way and through being a friend
feel that way and through being a friend to others I knew I can make that
to others I knew I can make that
to others I knew I can make that difference so whenever I got nervous I
difference so whenever I got nervous I
difference so whenever I got nervous I think to myself if I don’t want another
think to myself if I don’t want another
think to myself if I don’t want another kid to feel the way I have someone has
kid to feel the way I have someone has
kid to feel the way I have someone has to start breaking the cycle so I took a
to start breaking the cycle so I took a
to start breaking the cycle so I took a deep breath
and I started stumbling through these
and I started stumbling through these conversations I remember meeting a girl
conversations I remember meeting a girl
conversations I remember meeting a girl named Sarah we sat by each other in
named Sarah we sat by each other in
named Sarah we sat by each other in physics class so we kind of had an idea
physics class so we kind of had an idea
physics class so we kind of had an idea of who we were and one day we decided
of who we were and one day we decided
of who we were and one day we decided let’s go grab coffee let’s get to know
let’s go grab coffee let’s get to know
let’s go grab coffee let’s get to know each other our conversation started out
each other our conversation started out
each other our conversation started out pretty basic like wow isn’t the weather
pretty basic like wow isn’t the weather
pretty basic like wow isn’t the weather great today and don’t you just love
great today and don’t you just love
great today and don’t you just love Atlanta traffic and then we started to
Atlanta traffic and then we started to
Atlanta traffic and then we started to dive in a little deeper she started
dive in a little deeper she started
dive in a little deeper she started telling me about the way she was raised
telling me about the way she was raised
telling me about the way she was raised her culture her background her religion
her culture her background her religion
her culture her background her religion and then things changed when she leaned
and then things changed when she leaned
and then things changed when she leaned into me and she said
into me and she said
into me and she said karema don’t you think gay marriage is a
karema don’t you think gay marriage is a
karema don’t you think gay marriage is a little strange my eyes got really big
little strange my eyes got really big
little strange my eyes got really big and I thought oh my gosh
and I thought oh my gosh
and I thought oh my gosh am I about to have an argument with the
am I about to have an argument with the
am I about to have an argument with the person I just met yes I was and I did it
person I just met yes I was and I did it
person I just met yes I was and I did it was supposed to be a 15-minute Meetup
was supposed to be a 15-minute Meetup
was supposed to be a 15-minute Meetup turned into a three-hour ferocious
turned into a three-hour ferocious
turned into a three-hour ferocious debate but before we left she stopped me
debate but before we left she stopped me
debate but before we left she stopped me and she said I know this might sound a
and she said I know this might sound a
and she said I know this might sound a little strange but thank you for talking
little strange but thank you for talking
little strange but thank you for talking with me not a lot of people have maybe
with me not a lot of people have maybe
with me not a lot of people have maybe think about why I believe what I believe
that’s when I realize our problem we’re
that’s when I realize our problem we’re taught to befriend people who are
taught to befriend people who are
taught to befriend people who are similar to us but that’s precisely
similar to us but that’s precisely
similar to us but that’s precisely what’s disconnecting us from people who
what’s disconnecting us from people who
what’s disconnecting us from people who aren’t having conversations with people
aren’t having conversations with people
aren’t having conversations with people different than me took me out of my
different than me took me out of my
different than me took me out of my comfort zone it introduced me to new
comfort zone it introduced me to new
comfort zone it introduced me to new ideas and and made me see my own ideas
ideas and and made me see my own ideas
ideas and and made me see my own ideas from a new point of view it’s not easy
from a new point of view it’s not easy
from a new point of view it’s not easy but I know it’s something that we need
but I know it’s something that we need
but I know it’s something that we need to do because you see
to do because you see
to do because you see our worlds consists of the relationships
our worlds consists of the relationships
our worlds consists of the relationships we have with those around us so the more
we have with those around us so the more
we have with those around us so the more different people we surround ourselves
different people we surround ourselves
different people we surround ourselves with the bigger our world becomes my
with the bigger our world becomes my
with the bigger our world becomes my world used to be I’m a female who’s
world used to be I’m a female who’s
world used to be I’m a female who’s Mexican yemeni-american and who’s
Mexican yemeni-american and who’s
Mexican yemeni-american and who’s studying to be an engineer but now I am
studying to be an engineer but now I am
studying to be an engineer but now I am more than those assigned titles
more than those assigned titles
more than those assigned titles I’m the combination of the personalities
I’m the combination of the personalities
I’m the combination of the personalities backgrounds and experiences of those I
backgrounds and experiences of those I
backgrounds and experiences of those I have met my world has expanded nearly
have met my world has expanded nearly
have met my world has expanded nearly through stories and conversation because
through stories and conversation because
through stories and conversation because you see when we stay friends with people
you see when we stay friends with people
you see when we stay friends with people who are like us we learn the same thing
who are like us we learn the same thing
who are like us we learn the same thing over and over and over and over again we
over and over and over and over again we
over and over and over and over again we become stagnant we start alienating
become stagnant we start alienating
become stagnant we start alienating people not because we don’t care about
people not because we don’t care about
people not because we don’t care about them but because we’re so stuck in our
them but because we’re so stuck in our
them but because we’re so stuck in our own world it’s our obligation to
own world it’s our obligation to
own world it’s our obligation to acknowledge the world we were born into
acknowledge the world we were born into
acknowledge the world we were born into but it’s also our obligation to push and
but it’s also our obligation to push and
but it’s also our obligation to push and fight that ease of making friends with
fight that ease of making friends with
fight that ease of making friends with people similar to us because you see
people similar to us because you see
people similar to us because you see when you do that it’s no longer us
when you do that it’s no longer us
when you do that it’s no longer us versus them but it’s we together on the
versus them but it’s we together on the
versus them but it’s we together on the same team if we had CEOs of all
same team if we had CEOs of all
same team if we had CEOs of all backgrounds if we had senators of all
backgrounds if we had senators of all
backgrounds if we had senators of all backgrounds if we had presidents of all
backgrounds if we had presidents of all
backgrounds if we had presidents of all backgrounds think of how amazing our
backgrounds think of how amazing our
backgrounds think of how amazing our world to be now I deliberately did this
world to be now I deliberately did this
world to be now I deliberately did this for years making friends with people
for years making friends with people
for years making friends with people different than me and a common phrase I
different than me and a common phrase I
different than me and a common phrase I kept hearing was Wow crema you’re so
kept hearing was Wow crema you’re so
kept hearing was Wow crema you’re so different and you’re so easy to open up
different and you’re so easy to open up
different and you’re so easy to open up to and I genuinely believe it’s because
to and I genuinely believe it’s because
to and I genuinely believe it’s because I always listened to those who were
I always listened to those who were
I always listened to those who were different than me I felt their pains and
different than me I felt their pains and
different than me I felt their pains and I felt their passions I created a larger
I felt their passions I created a larger
I felt their passions I created a larger pool of understanding within myself to
pool of understanding within myself to
pool of understanding within myself to share
share
share the others because meeting people
the others because meeting people
the others because meeting people different than me was more than just new
different than me was more than just new
different than me was more than just new knowledge it was a new understanding
I’ll never know what it’s like to be
I’ll never know what it’s like to be someone else but through hearing and
someone else but through hearing and
someone else but through hearing and feeling experiences of those different
feeling experiences of those different
feeling experiences of those different than me I became better at empathizing
because as we expand our world we start
because as we expand our world we start exercising our empathy differences in
exercising our empathy differences in
exercising our empathy differences in people stopping separations from you but
people stopping separations from you but
people stopping separations from you but an integral part to how you feel and
an integral part to how you feel and
an integral part to how you feel and understand I remember asking myself how
understand I remember asking myself how
understand I remember asking myself how did I get here and why don’t other
did I get here and why don’t other
did I get here and why don’t other people do this and I discovered it’s
people do this and I discovered it’s
people do this and I discovered it’s comforting to know people who are like
comforting to know people who are like
comforting to know people who are like you but it’s limiting to only know
you but it’s limiting to only know
you but it’s limiting to only know people who are like you
empathy taught me that together we could
empathy taught me that together we could be unites and put the unites all of us
you need to meet you people to reach
you need to meet you people to reach your full potential you’ll be better at
your full potential you’ll be better at
your full potential you’ll be better at understanding people communicating with
understanding people communicating with
understanding people communicating with them in connecting that you’ll become a
them in connecting that you’ll become a
them in connecting that you’ll become a leader who could understand unites and
leader who could understand unites and
leader who could understand unites and understand anyone and everyone you work
understand anyone and everyone you work
understand anyone and everyone you work with from my experience being able to
with from my experience being able to
with from my experience being able to understand people and unite them I was
understand people and unite them I was
understand people and unite them I was able to co-found my own startup teach
able to co-found my own startup teach
able to co-found my own startup teach hundreds of kids about robotics and
hundreds of kids about robotics and
hundreds of kids about robotics and engineering and facilitate student
engineering and facilitate student
engineering and facilitate student activism you don’t need to find the cure
activism you don’t need to find the cure
activism you don’t need to find the cure for cancer or develop a new clean
for cancer or develop a new clean
for cancer or develop a new clean resource to make a difference in this
resource to make a difference in this
resource to make a difference in this world you can make an impact by meeting
world you can make an impact by meeting
world you can make an impact by meeting someone new someone different than you
so the next time you’re at the dining
so the next time you’re at the dining hall think to yourself are you gonna sit
hall think to yourself are you gonna sit
hall think to yourself are you gonna sit by someone you already know someone who
by someone you already know someone who
by someone you already know someone who you might have things in common with
you might have things in common with
you might have things in common with because imagine being at a dinner table
because imagine being at a dinner table
because imagine being at a dinner table where each person is from a different
where each person is from a different
where each person is from a different country than you a different race than
country than you a different race than
country than you a different race than you a different religion than you
you a different religion than you
you a different religion than you different sexual orientations you a
different sexual orientations you a
different sexual orientations you a different age than you how much would
different age than you how much would
different age than you how much would you learn and how differently do you
you learn and how differently do you
you learn and how differently do you think you’d see the world then making
think you’d see the world then making
think you’d see the world then making this difference starts with you yes
this difference starts with you yes
this difference starts with you yes you’ll get into arguments yes you’ll
you’ll get into arguments yes you’ll
you’ll get into arguments yes you’ll have some offer situations and yes
have some offer situations and yes
have some offer situations and yes you’ll probably say the wrong things
you’ll probably say the wrong things
you’ll probably say the wrong things sometimes but once you open up about
sometimes but once you open up about
sometimes but once you open up about what you believe and why you believe it
what you believe and why you believe it
what you believe and why you believe it two people can leave those conversations
two people can leave those conversations
two people can leave those conversations feeling a little lighter and yet a
feeling a little lighter and yet a
feeling a little lighter and yet a little more whole so do it for you do it
little more whole so do it for you do it
little more whole so do it for you do it for your community do it for your kids
for your community do it for your kids
for your community do it for your kids our next generation so it could be your
our next generation so it could be your
our next generation so it could be your child walking into their elementary
child walking into their elementary
child walking into their elementary school and hearing the teacher say Oh
school and hearing the teacher say Oh
school and hearing the teacher say Oh Veronica you’re Mexican
Veronica you’re Mexican
Veronica you’re Mexican well Muhammad’s Yemeni you should go be
well Muhammad’s Yemeni you should go be
well Muhammad’s Yemeni you should go be friends thank you
”
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