[Applause] imagine you are sitting in a room you
imagine you are sitting in a room you
imagine you are sitting in a room you teach you to they’re your parents and
teach you to they’re your parents and
teach you to they’re your parents and your school principal they are all
your school principal they are all
your school principal they are all talking about you as they are talking
talking about you as they are talking
talking about you as they are talking with like impaired disability can’t
with like impaired disability can’t
with like impaired disability can’t shouldn’t these words come up at them
shouldn’t these words come up at them
shouldn’t these words come up at them they are discussing what you need and
they are discussing what you need and
they are discussing what you need and they come up with a plan for you
they come up with a plan for you
they come up with a plan for you now imagine that that happens as the
now imagine that that happens as the
now imagine that that happens as the yeah it doesn’t matter what plan may
yeah it doesn’t matter what plan may
yeah it doesn’t matter what plan may come up well they gently tell you that
come up well they gently tell you that
come up well they gently tell you that this is what you need and they implement
this is what you need and they implement
this is what you need and they implement that I want you to take note of how you
that I want you to take note of how you
that I want you to take note of how you feel right now
feel right now
feel right now this was my reality growing up I am
this was my reality growing up I am
this was my reality growing up I am profoundly deaf in both ears I can only
profoundly deaf in both ears I can only
profoundly deaf in both ears I can only hear sound that a very low pitch and
hear sound that a very low pitch and
hear sound that a very low pitch and very loud like a two-by-four to because
very loud like a two-by-four to because
very loud like a two-by-four to because I cannot hear a spoken language I don’t
I cannot hear a spoken language I don’t
I cannot hear a spoken language I don’t even hear my own voice right now and I
even hear my own voice right now and I
even hear my own voice right now and I only use lip-reading an American sign
only use lip-reading an American sign
only use lip-reading an American sign never to communicate so over here my
never to communicate so over here my
never to communicate so over here my teacher my parent would have a meeting
teacher my parent would have a meeting
teacher my parent would have a meeting to come up with a plan for my education
to come up with a plan for my education
to come up with a plan for my education this plan usually included things in my
this plan usually included things in my
this plan usually included things in my hearing aid in school being able to
hearing aid in school being able to
hearing aid in school being able to asked for attacked into action to be
asked for attacked into action to be
asked for attacked into action to be repeated will be able to the fund and
repeated will be able to the fund and
repeated will be able to the fund and satire of other cards regardless of any
satire of other cards regardless of any
satire of other cards regardless of any Syrian choices at the beginning of every
Syrian choices at the beginning of every
Syrian choices at the beginning of every meeting my principal would introduce me
meeting my principal would introduce me
meeting my principal would introduce me I would explain that I am hearing
I would explain that I am hearing
I would explain that I am hearing impaired and not the purpose of this
impaired and not the purpose of this
impaired and not the purpose of this meeting was to determine how best to
meeting was to determine how best to
meeting was to determine how best to accommodate that one here at this
accommodate that one here at this
accommodate that one here at this mediator coming to an island a teacher
mediator coming to an island a teacher
mediator coming to an island a teacher turned to me and said what do you think
turned to me and said what do you think
turned to me and said what do you think that’s the part everyone but saying that
that’s the part everyone but saying that
that’s the part everyone but saying that I actually had if I’m able to my own
I actually had if I’m able to my own
I actually had if I’m able to my own so then we understand it an always back
so then we understand it an always back
so then we understand it an always back if they teach you time – they always
if they teach you time – they always
if they teach you time – they always tend to last at the classroom so it’s
tend to last at the classroom so it’s
tend to last at the classroom so it’s silent for a moment before segments are
silent for a moment before segments are
silent for a moment before segments are that’s actually a very good point and
that’s actually a very good point and
that’s actually a very good point and that will immediately added to my plan
that will immediately added to my plan
that will immediately added to my plan now this is one of the first times when
now this is one of the first times when
now this is one of the first times when I really started to realize I had
I really started to realize I had
I really started to realize I had approached now one a some time I started
approached now one a some time I started
approached now one a some time I started a grade will be our student were allowed
a grade will be our student were allowed
a grade will be our student were allowed to pick which a lactic acid we won a
to pick which a lactic acid we won a
to pick which a lactic acid we won a first Korea so at the end of this
first Korea so at the end of this
first Korea so at the end of this meeting they brought out a course
meeting they brought out a course
meeting they brought out a course description book and I’ll try to help
description book and I’ll try to help
description book and I’ll try to help you decide which crafted I’d be
you decide which crafted I’d be
you decide which crafted I’d be interested in I don’t know why but
interested in I don’t know why but
interested in I don’t know why but others do that list one of them jumped
others do that list one of them jumped
others do that list one of them jumped out at me band god I had no idea how to
out at me band god I had no idea how to
out at me band god I had no idea how to play any instruments but it just sounded
play any instruments but it just sounded
play any instruments but it just sounded interesting to me the reaction that I
interesting to me the reaction that I
interesting to me the reaction that I got though with almost one of
got though with almost one of
got though with almost one of [Music]
[Music]
[Music] now my personality is one but if you try
now my personality is one but if you try
now my personality is one but if you try to tell me that I can’t do something I
to tell me that I can’t do something I
to tell me that I can’t do something I will go out of my way to prove you wrong
will go out of my way to prove you wrong
will go out of my way to prove you wrong and that is exactly what happened here I
and that is exactly what happened here I
and that is exactly what happened here I was adamant that I would take Bangkok
was adamant that I would take Bangkok
was adamant that I would take Bangkok and I will play saxophone so my parents
and I will play saxophone so my parents
and I will play saxophone so my parents got me a doc to come to you and some
got me a doc to come to you and some
got me a doc to come to you and some practice worked and they signed me up
practice worked and they signed me up
practice worked and they signed me up for few Latins I wouldn’t show up to the
for few Latins I wouldn’t show up to the
for few Latins I wouldn’t show up to the faith test good night doctor phone
faith test good night doctor phone
faith test good night doctor phone backwards something else in better time
backwards something else in better time
backwards something else in better time and I was so determined to prove
and I was so determined to prove
and I was so determined to prove everybody wrong that I showed up that I
everybody wrong that I showed up that I
everybody wrong that I showed up that I faced lot on the task of that practice
faced lot on the task of that practice
faced lot on the task of that practice book memorized I wrote that book cover
book memorized I wrote that book cover
book memorized I wrote that book cover to cover I mean I haven’t just stood out
to cover I mean I haven’t just stood out
to cover I mean I haven’t just stood out of it but I better I studied all the
of it but I better I studied all the
of it but I better I studied all the diagrams I practiced for hours and hours
diagrams I practiced for hours and hours
diagrams I practiced for hours and hours and I apologized to my parents for that
and I apologized to my parents for that
and I apologized to my parents for that for me playing the saxophone came down
for me playing the saxophone came down
for me playing the saxophone came down to muscle memory a lot of the time it
to muscle memory a lot of the time it
to muscle memory a lot of the time it was just a matter of playing a play over
was just a matter of playing a play over
was just a matter of playing a play over and over and not rude to me eventually
and over and not rude to me eventually
and over and not rude to me eventually figured out that by sitting in a really
figured out that by sitting in a really
figured out that by sitting in a really specific way I could feel the vibrations
specific way I could feel the vibrations
specific way I could feel the vibrations of everything around me by comparing the
of everything around me by comparing the
of everything around me by comparing the validation Giles my style that they the
validation Giles my style that they the
validation Giles my style that they the person next to me I could tell if I was
person next to me I could tell if I was
person next to me I could tell if I was out of tune or not keeping time cracker
out of tune or not keeping time cracker
out of tune or not keeping time cracker of course there were times where I was
of course there were times where I was
of course there were times where I was frustrated and I thought about quitting
frustrated and I thought about quitting
frustrated and I thought about quitting and I had one teacher who star there’s
and I had one teacher who star there’s
and I had one teacher who star there’s so many and sat down to ask me about
so many and sat down to ask me about
so many and sat down to ask me about what’s wrong
what’s wrong
what’s wrong after explaining how I felt
after explaining how I felt
after explaining how I felt he gave me some tips on practicing a
he gave me some tips on practicing a
he gave me some tips on practicing a really difficult pitch that I ever flow
really difficult pitch that I ever flow
really difficult pitch that I ever flow a lot smoother for me at the end he told
a lot smoother for me at the end he told
a lot smoother for me at the end he told me that he of the teacher is supposed to
me that he of the teacher is supposed to
me that he of the teacher is supposed to inspire his students every day but at
inspire his students every day but at
inspire his students every day but at times when he was overwhelmed he would
times when he was overwhelmed he would
times when he was overwhelmed he would think of how much I adopted that I would
think of how much I adopted that I would
think of how much I adopted that I would inspire him now there’s the loom
inspire him now there’s the loom
inspire him now there’s the loom I never in a million years expected
I never in a million years expected
I never in a million years expected something like that we respected that I
something like that we respected that I
something like that we respected that I could be one to inspire other I wasn’t
could be one to inspire other I wasn’t
could be one to inspire other I wasn’t even going out of my way to try but by
even going out of my way to try but by
even going out of my way to try but by doing something that I became passionate
doing something that I became passionate
doing something that I became passionate about that was what happened
about that was what happened
about that was what happened his voice has stayed with me and the
his voice has stayed with me and the
his voice has stayed with me and the more I thought about it the little
more I thought about it the little
more I thought about it the little things that I could do differently the
things that I could do differently the
things that I could do differently the more I realized that I could apply that
more I realized that I could apply that
more I realized that I could apply that same mentality to other areas of my life
same mentality to other areas of my life
same mentality to other areas of my life like those animals before school I
like those animals before school I
like those animals before school I started adding more and more input to
started adding more and more input to
started adding more and more input to those meetings eventually I started
those meetings eventually I started
those meetings eventually I started leading them myself and I would tell my
leading them myself and I would tell my
leading them myself and I would tell my teachers exactly what I needed from them
teachers exactly what I needed from them
teachers exactly what I needed from them instead of letting somebody else it’s
instead of letting somebody else it’s
instead of letting somebody else it’s been something that they don’t really
been something that they don’t really
been something that they don’t really understand with each year I try
understand with each year I try
understand with each year I try something new and each time I learned
something new and each time I learned
something new and each time I learned more about myself and what I really mean
more about myself and what I really mean
more about myself and what I really mean using a note taking a class to fill in
using a note taking a class to fill in
using a note taking a class to fill in gaps of information or even giving a
gaps of information or even giving a
gaps of information or even giving a copy of my teachers notes to follow
copy of my teachers notes to follow
copy of my teachers notes to follow along during class struggling with
along during class struggling with
along during class struggling with lip-reading with the postures are on a
lip-reading with the postures are on a
lip-reading with the postures are on a song as it evolved throughout high
song as it evolved throughout high
song as it evolved throughout high school no matter how diligent a teacher
school no matter how diligent a teacher
school no matter how diligent a teacher may be it is impossible to see the faces
may be it is impossible to see the faces
may be it is impossible to see the faces of every student path I would miss
of every student path I would miss
of every student path I would miss answers that were shouted out we’ll keep
answers that were shouted out we’ll keep
answers that were shouted out we’ll keep a little class discussion it started
a little class discussion it started
a little class discussion it started with reminders to my teachers at their
with reminders to my teachers at their
with reminders to my teachers at their annual meeting and then more reminders
annual meeting and then more reminders
annual meeting and then more reminders after class when I confessed that I do
after class when I confessed that I do
after class when I confessed that I do not understand most about not due to the
not understand most about not due to the
not understand most about not due to the content that with the entire but missing
content that with the entire but missing
content that with the entire but missing the world’s billions are some teachers
the world’s billions are some teachers
the world’s billions are some teachers we devised a system with me
we devised a system with me
we devised a system with me like a cold wave to be able to be mine
like a cold wave to be able to be mine
like a cold wave to be able to be mine now if I was not understanding another
now if I was not understanding another
now if I was not understanding another teacher will give me a pile of markers
teacher will give me a pile of markers
teacher will give me a pile of markers out of a car and told me to throw them
out of a car and told me to throw them
out of a car and told me to throw them at the right board and in turn she
at the right board and in turn she
at the right board and in turn she turned away from any that happened
turned away from any that happened
turned away from any that happened anyway
eventually I became more and more
eventually I became more and more comfortable speaking up doing and Telugu
comfortable speaking up doing and Telugu
comfortable speaking up doing and Telugu Lian tell activate to tell you something
Lian tell activate to tell you something
Lian tell activate to tell you something and this was a really big deal for me to
and this was a really big deal for me to
and this was a really big deal for me to overcome that sense of social anxiety
overcome that sense of social anxiety
overcome that sense of social anxiety that I had at the time halfway through
that I had at the time halfway through
that I had at the time halfway through my junior year I requested a sign
my junior year I requested a sign
my junior year I requested a sign language interpreter when this happened
language interpreter when this happened
language interpreter when this happened my grades improved on average by seven
my grades improved on average by seven
my grades improved on average by seven written across all MacArthur’s I
written across all MacArthur’s I
written across all MacArthur’s I suddenly had a whole new world open up
suddenly had a whole new world open up
suddenly had a whole new world open up to me that I could understand everything
to me that I could understand everything
to me that I could understand everything in real time this was something that I
in real time this was something that I
in real time this was something that I had honestly never experienced before I
had honestly never experienced before I
had honestly never experienced before I was then able to start college with the
was then able to start college with the
was then able to start college with the knowledge of exactly what worked for me
knowledge of exactly what worked for me
knowledge of exactly what worked for me because I already did that trial and
because I already did that trial and
because I already did that trial and error point in high school now if you
error point in high school now if you
error point in high school now if you have met me at the beginning of middle
have met me at the beginning of middle
have met me at the beginning of middle school and then again at the end of high
school and then again at the end of high
school and then again at the end of high school you would not have recognized me
school you would not have recognized me
school you would not have recognized me I just gathered in Parliament confidence
I just gathered in Parliament confidence
I just gathered in Parliament confidence just advocacy I discovered that I am NOT
just advocacy I discovered that I am NOT
just advocacy I discovered that I am NOT a hearing impaired person that I am the
a hearing impaired person that I am the
a hearing impaired person that I am the dust written there’s a difference by
dust written there’s a difference by
dust written there’s a difference by embrace Gemma I realized that there are
embrace Gemma I realized that there are
embrace Gemma I realized that there are no actual limit to what I can do I just
no actual limit to what I can do I just
no actual limit to what I can do I just may do something differently now this
may do something differently now this
may do something differently now this changed my entire perspective that one
changed my entire perspective that one
changed my entire perspective that one simple word from Union pair together
simple word from Union pair together
simple word from Union pair together change everything it changed the way
change everything it changed the way
change everything it changed the way that I view myself it changed the way
that I view myself it changed the way
that I view myself it changed the way that I interact with others it even
that I interact with others it even
that I interact with others it even changed the way that I approach problems
changed the way that I approach problems
changed the way that I approach problems instead of limiting myself to a box and
instead of limiting myself to a box and
instead of limiting myself to a box and saying these are the only solution I am
saying these are the only solution I am
saying these are the only solution I am capable of trying I could now take a
capable of trying I could now take a
capable of trying I could now take a step back and say well this is what
step back and say well this is what
step back and say well this is what everybody else is doing that it’s not
everybody else is doing that it’s not
everybody else is doing that it’s not working what can I come up using my
working what can I come up using my
working what can I come up using my specific skill talk that is different
specific skill talk that is different
specific skill talk that is different than a bit
but why do I share this day with you why
but why do I share this day with you why should it matter to you I share my story
should it matter to you I share my story
should it matter to you I share my story because I am NOT the only person who has
because I am NOT the only person who has
because I am NOT the only person who has faced this kind of adversity but I am
faced this kind of adversity but I am
faced this kind of adversity but I am NOT talking about deathmatch I am
NOT talking about deathmatch I am
NOT talking about deathmatch I am talking about words the words that we
talking about words the words that we
talking about words the words that we say to each other on a daily basis are
say to each other on a daily basis are
say to each other on a daily basis are so incredibly powerful so much more than
so incredibly powerful so much more than
so incredibly powerful so much more than we kind of realized children especially
we kind of realized children especially
we kind of realized children especially extremely to talked about today and it
extremely to talked about today and it
extremely to talked about today and it doesn’t even have to be an obvious as
doesn’t even have to be an obvious as
doesn’t even have to be an obvious as the word no you can’t do that it can be
the word no you can’t do that it can be
the word no you can’t do that it can be a lot more subtle impaired disability
a lot more subtle impaired disability
a lot more subtle impaired disability shouldn’t over and over this is the
shouldn’t over and over this is the
shouldn’t over and over this is the language that has been used but what is
language that has been used but what is
language that has been used but what is the message behind now children may not
the message behind now children may not
the message behind now children may not understand the exact definition of some
understand the exact definition of some
understand the exact definition of some of these words but the implication
of these words but the implication
of these words but the implication behind them it clear I am a big believer
behind them it clear I am a big believer
behind them it clear I am a big believer that our children and their children
that our children and their children
that our children and their children they are other futures they are a legacy
they are other futures they are a legacy
they are other futures they are a legacy what kind of legacy we are going to have
what kind of legacy we are going to have
what kind of legacy we are going to have we have generations of children who grew
we have generations of children who grew
we have generations of children who grew up thinking that for one reason or
up thinking that for one reason or
up thinking that for one reason or another they camped some of the most
another they camped some of the most
another they camped some of the most radical and innovative solution to the
radical and innovative solution to the
radical and innovative solution to the world’s problem did not come only from
world’s problem did not come only from
world’s problem did not come only from highly educated scientists they came
highly educated scientists they came
highly educated scientists they came from people be thinking outside the box
from people be thinking outside the box
from people be thinking outside the box the notes were approaching problems
the notes were approaching problems
the notes were approaching problems differently those who use the different
differently those who use the different
differently those who use the different rules at the stern instead of focusing
rules at the stern instead of focusing
rules at the stern instead of focusing on attendance I could hold them back we
on attendance I could hold them back we
on attendance I could hold them back we little future thinkers believers and of
little future thinkers believers and of
little future thinkers believers and of positivity but that has destroyed AMA
positivity but that has destroyed AMA
positivity but that has destroyed AMA and it starts right here right now each
and it starts right here right now each
and it starts right here right now each and every one of you has the power to
and every one of you has the power to
and every one of you has the power to make an impact on the future to leave a
make an impact on the future to leave a
make an impact on the future to leave a legacy of empowerment an inspiration
legacy of empowerment an inspiration
legacy of empowerment an inspiration there’s a few words a few positive would
there’s a few words a few positive would
there’s a few words a few positive would then have a lasting impact on anyone
then have a lasting impact on anyone
then have a lasting impact on anyone even long after you forgotten your
even long after you forgotten your
even long after you forgotten your interaction with up with them so today I
interaction with up with them so today I
interaction with up with them so today I would like to leave you with a challenge
would like to leave you with a challenge
would like to leave you with a challenge I want you to picture what kind of
I want you to picture what kind of
I want you to picture what kind of legacy you would like to have I want you
legacy you would like to have I want you
legacy you would like to have I want you to think about what kind of future you
to think about what kind of future you
to think about what kind of future you would like to see and I challenge you to
would like to see and I challenge you to
would like to see and I challenge you to consider which word you use to build
consider which word you use to build
consider which word you use to build that future thank you
that future thank you
that future thank you [Applause]
”
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