well the song that we’re going to do is an original that I had written which is
an original that I had written which is
an original that I had written which is very appropriate for today was I haven’t
very appropriate for today was I haven’t
very appropriate for today was I haven’t received this call from this father to
received this call from this father to
received this call from this father to do a birthday party many many years ago
do a birthday party many many years ago
do a birthday party many many years ago for a girl with special needs and he
for a girl with special needs and he
for a girl with special needs and he asked me to do her birthday the
asked me to do her birthday the
asked me to do her birthday the interesting thing was her birthday was
interesting thing was her birthday was
interesting thing was her birthday was in Atlanta and I thought you’re gonna
in Atlanta and I thought you’re gonna
in Atlanta and I thought you’re gonna fly me all the way down to Atlanta to
fly me all the way down to Atlanta to
fly me all the way down to Atlanta to just sing do a birthday song and then he
just sing do a birthday song and then he
just sing do a birthday song and then he told me this girl who has special needs
told me this girl who has special needs
told me this girl who has special needs has no motor skills no verbal skills and
has no motor skills no verbal skills and
has no motor skills no verbal skills and they used my music to motivate her and
they used my music to motivate her and
they used my music to motivate her and help her walk to turn on my music and to
help her walk to turn on my music and to
help her walk to turn on my music and to me that was the most moving thing I mean
me that was the most moving thing I mean
me that was the most moving thing I mean I want people to sing my song but if you
I want people to sing my song but if you
I want people to sing my song but if you have that kind of use for motivation it
have that kind of use for motivation it
have that kind of use for motivation it was just thrilling so on the plane back
was just thrilling so on the plane back
was just thrilling so on the plane back as I’m in tears I wrote this song about
as I’m in tears I wrote this song about
as I’m in tears I wrote this song about what does this little girl see when she
what does this little girl see when she
what does this little girl see when she looks in the mirror her best friend who
looks in the mirror her best friend who
looks in the mirror her best friend who has Down syndrome here in town it was a
has Down syndrome here in town it was a
has Down syndrome here in town it was a wonderful huge influence for me what do
wonderful huge influence for me what do
wonderful huge influence for me what do they see when they look at each other
they see when they look at each other
they see when they look at each other and when you look in a mirror you see
and when you look in a mirror you see
and when you look in a mirror you see the reflection that is dictated by the
the reflection that is dictated by the
the reflection that is dictated by the outside so other people are telling you
outside so other people are telling you
outside so other people are telling you what religion you are what color what if
what religion you are what color what if
what religion you are what color what if you’re at a wheelchair and I think we
you’re at a wheelchair and I think we
you’re at a wheelchair and I think we just lose that innocence of in that
just lose that innocence of in that
just lose that innocence of in that purity of who we are especially in the
purity of who we are especially in the
purity of who we are especially in the time like today that’s so divisive we
time like today that’s so divisive we
time like today that’s so divisive we just lose the innocence so the song is
just lose the innocence so the song is
just lose the innocence so the song is called keeping the innocence
called keeping the innocence
called keeping the innocence [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] I had a dream I kept the innocence we
I had a dream I kept the innocence we
I had a dream I kept the innocence we all know bones that male create shapes
all know bones that male create shapes
all know bones that male create shapes for better day circle surrounds us
[Music]
[Music] by someone else’s what do you see
by someone else’s what do you see
by someone else’s what do you see [Music]
[Music]
[Music] disability
a reflection not caught in society’s
a reflection not caught in society’s woes you’re simply watching a child grow
woes you’re simply watching a child grow
woes you’re simply watching a child grow I had a dream I kept the Edison
I had a dream I kept the Edison
I had a dream I kept the Edison I can really help us get along keeping
I can really help us get along keeping
I can really help us get along keeping our innocence from the needs long
our innocence from the needs long
our innocence from the needs long [Music]
[Music]
[Music] stop me your best friend
[Music]
[Music] what do you see no belief or disability
what do you see no belief or disability
what do you see no belief or disability I’m reflection not caught in society
simply watching a child girl I had a
simply watching a child girl I had a dream I kept me innocence I had a dream
dream I kept me innocence I had a dream
dream I kept me innocence I had a dream I kept it
I kept it
I kept it I had a dream
I had a dream
I had a dream [Music]
awesome job guys thank you both so I
awesome job guys thank you both so I have a couple questions for you and then
have a couple questions for you and then
have a couple questions for you and then we can pass it on back to Ruth so Maya I
we can pass it on back to Ruth so Maya I
we can pass it on back to Ruth so Maya I know you’re a senior you’re gonna be
know you’re a senior you’re gonna be
know you’re a senior you’re gonna be graduating this spring will you share a
graduating this spring will you share a
graduating this spring will you share a little bit about your journey I know
little bit about your journey I know
little bit about your journey I know it’s been a very unique journey and so
it’s been a very unique journey and so
it’s been a very unique journey and so share with us just a little bit well my
share with us just a little bit well my
share with us just a little bit well my high school experience has been a lot
high school experience has been a lot
high school experience has been a lot different than a lot of people at the
different than a lot of people at the
different than a lot of people at the beginning of my junior year I came out
beginning of my junior year I came out
beginning of my junior year I came out as a proud transgender woman thank
and I think it’s definitely a lot
and I think it’s definitely a lot different than a lot of people I mean
different than a lot of people I mean
different than a lot of people I mean not everyone does that Hill he’s been
not everyone does that Hill he’s been
not everyone does that Hill he’s been there in high school so something I
there in high school so something I
there in high school so something I think that is really cool is that even
think that is really cool is that even
think that is really cool is that even though it’s different than what a lot of
though it’s different than what a lot of
though it’s different than what a lot of people have gone through we all have had
people have gone through we all have had
people have gone through we all have had one thing or multiple things that we’ve
one thing or multiple things that we’ve
one thing or multiple things that we’ve had to deal with while we’ve been in
had to deal with while we’ve been in
had to deal with while we’ve been in high school or college or work or
high school or college or work or
high school or college or work or anything whether it be if you’re LGBT or
anything whether it be if you’re LGBT or
anything whether it be if you’re LGBT or if you’re having relationship troubles
if you’re having relationship troubles
if you’re having relationship troubles or family troubles and it’s something
or family troubles and it’s something
or family troubles and it’s something that influences the way that you see
that influences the way that you see
that influences the way that you see people and that you live your life and I
people and that you live your life and I
people and that you live your life and I think that it’s helped make me the
think that it’s helped make me the
think that it’s helped make me the person I am today thank you
and so dad I know you also went through
and so dad I know you also went through a journey during this time is there
a journey during this time is there
a journey during this time is there anything you’d like to share with us
anything you’d like to share with us
anything you’d like to share with us about that yeah I think well the most
about that yeah I think well the most
about that yeah I think well the most amazing thing about this journey is that
amazing thing about this journey is that
amazing thing about this journey is that it’s not done by yourself it takes a
it’s not done by yourself it takes a
it’s not done by yourself it takes a village it takes a village to not only
village it takes a village to not only
village it takes a village to not only just start at home where the acceptance
just start at home where the acceptance
just start at home where the acceptance the understanding the humor about it but
the understanding the humor about it but
the understanding the humor about it but it goes outside that to your family your
it goes outside that to your family your
it goes outside that to your family your circle of friends it goes even further
circle of friends it goes even further
circle of friends it goes even further than that we are fortunate enough to go
than that we are fortunate enough to go
than that we are fortunate enough to go to the greatest High School in Columbus
to the greatest High School in Columbus
to the greatest High School in Columbus Ohio
Ohio
Ohio Johana Lincoln High School and the
Johana Lincoln High School and the
Johana Lincoln High School and the reason be is that they were so open to
reason be is that they were so open to
reason be is that they were so open to it and so accepting of it that it made
it and so accepting of it that it made
it and so accepting of it that it made the transition that much easier where
the transition that much easier where
the transition that much easier where you just look at my and you go that’s
you just look at my and you go that’s
you just look at my and you go that’s just Maya and so it takes a whole
just Maya and so it takes a whole
just Maya and so it takes a whole village and just you applauding today is
village and just you applauding today is
village and just you applauding today is that affirmation that makes it so real
that affirmation that makes it so real
that affirmation that makes it so real for us so I thank you thank you so I
for us so I thank you thank you so I
for us so I thank you thank you so I have one more question for you you’re
have one more question for you you’re
have one more question for you you’re here in a room full of your peers and
here in a room full of your peers and
here in a room full of your peers and more is there any last advice that you
more is there any last advice that you
more is there any last advice that you would like to leave with them well for
would like to leave with them well for
would like to leave with them well for people that aren’t going through
people that aren’t going through
people that aren’t going through something as interesting as the
something as interesting as the
something as interesting as the transition is I mean it’s it’s
transition is I mean it’s it’s
transition is I mean it’s it’s definitely a lot and one thing that I’ve
definitely a lot and one thing that I’ve
definitely a lot and one thing that I’ve learned and that I always try and tell
learned and that I always try and tell
learned and that I always try and tell my friends is don’t be afraid to ask
my friends is don’t be afraid to ask
my friends is don’t be afraid to ask questions and don’t be afraid with any
questions and don’t be afraid with any
questions and don’t be afraid with any situation to speak up because you never
situation to speak up because you never
situation to speak up because you never know what’s gonna happen you never know
know what’s gonna happen you never know
know what’s gonna happen you never know what challenges you’re gonna face then
what challenges you’re gonna face then
what challenges you’re gonna face then I’m the kind of person where if anyone
I’m the kind of person where if anyone
I’m the kind of person where if anyone has any questions about anything well
has any questions about anything well
has any questions about anything well there whether it be any LGBT issue I
there whether it be any LGBT issue I
there whether it be any LGBT issue I always want to answer because if I can
always want to answer because if I can
always want to answer because if I can cure one misconception about anything
cure one misconception about anything
cure one misconception about anything that I can help someone else in the
that I can help someone else in the
that I can help someone else in the future and
so that’s what be my advice to anyone
so that’s what be my advice to anyone but if you’re specifically going through
but if you’re specifically going through
but if you’re specifically going through something that is an LGBT related
something that is an LGBT related
something that is an LGBT related definitely just make sure you surround
definitely just make sure you surround
definitely just make sure you surround yourself with allies and surround
yourself with allies and surround
yourself with allies and surround yourself with people that you love
yourself with people that you love
yourself with people that you love because you’re gonna need them thank you
because you’re gonna need them thank you
because you’re gonna need them thank you both thank you
”
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