we’re not when I was six I got on a plane but my bisley admitted I thought
plane but my bisley admitted I thought
plane but my bisley admitted I thought of India and dropped it right in the
of India and dropped it right in the
of India and dropped it right in the middle of sunny
middle of sunny
middle of sunny Alberta by not predictably changed my
Alberta by not predictably changed my
Alberta by not predictably changed my perspective now my narrative isn’t about
perspective now my narrative isn’t about
perspective now my narrative isn’t about getting used to the towering skyscrapers
getting used to the towering skyscrapers
getting used to the towering skyscrapers of the hustle and bustle of the city
of the hustle and bustle of the city
of the hustle and bustle of the city it’s about getting used to this
it’s about getting used to this
it’s about getting used to this confusing hybrid cultural identity
confusing hybrid cultural identity
confusing hybrid cultural identity though all the other kids living here
though all the other kids living here
though all the other kids living here seem to have developed and the classism
seem to have developed and the classism
seem to have developed and the classism an implicit discrimination that
an implicit discrimination that
an implicit discrimination that subsequently revealed themselves to me
subsequently revealed themselves to me
subsequently revealed themselves to me I’ll explain what I mean by hybrid
I’ll explain what I mean by hybrid
I’ll explain what I mean by hybrid identity so at school we have ethnic
identity so at school we have ethnic
identity so at school we have ethnic days or parties we were supposed to wear
days or parties we were supposed to wear
days or parties we were supposed to wear a thick clothing and on those days you
a thick clothing and on those days you
a thick clothing and on those days you could wear the prettiest Lange dozens of
could wear the prettiest Lange dozens of
could wear the prettiest Lange dozens of us the fake jewelry your mom would make
us the fake jewelry your mom would make
us the fake jewelry your mom would make you put on your friends would want to
you put on your friends would want to
you put on your friends would want to take pictures no that just but if you
take pictures no that just but if you
take pictures no that just but if you want additional clothing outside of
want additional clothing outside of
want additional clothing outside of school you are a sore loser we were
school you are a sore loser we were
school you are a sore loser we were celebrating our culture and yet we were
celebrating our culture and yet we were
celebrating our culture and yet we were embarrassed of it none of it made any
embarrassed of it none of it made any
embarrassed of it none of it made any sense to me those first three months I
sense to me those first three months I
sense to me those first three months I did a lot of short range reconnaissance
did a lot of short range reconnaissance
did a lot of short range reconnaissance you know listening to my friend speak
you know listening to my friend speak
you know listening to my friend speak but not really contributing to the
but not really contributing to the
but not really contributing to the conversation and here’s what I
conversation and here’s what I
conversation and here’s what I discovered so I cut like Bollywood
discovered so I cut like Bollywood
discovered so I cut like Bollywood movies but not all of them were cool and
movies but not all of them were cool and
movies but not all of them were cool and I couldn’t listen to indie songs but
I couldn’t listen to indie songs but
I couldn’t listen to indie songs but only the ones I could dance to and media
only the ones I could dance to and media
only the ones I could dance to and media and other binoculars forget about it I
and other binoculars forget about it I
and other binoculars forget about it I have to collect happy new toys every
have to collect happy new toys every
have to collect happy new toys every week for some reason and I could like
week for some reason and I could like
week for some reason and I could like Taylor Swift but not Britney Spears
Taylor Swift but not Britney Spears
Taylor Swift but not Britney Spears makes no sense why it was this bizarre
makes no sense why it was this bizarre
makes no sense why it was this bizarre set of rules and structures that were
set of rules and structures that were
set of rules and structures that were downright confusing and more times than
downright confusing and more times than
downright confusing and more times than not made me feel inferior I remember
not made me feel inferior I remember
not made me feel inferior I remember telling a couple of my finest that my
telling a couple of my finest that my
telling a couple of my finest that my family didn’t own a car at the time and
family didn’t own a car at the time and
family didn’t own a car at the time and their immediate reaction was you don’t
their immediate reaction was you don’t
their immediate reaction was you don’t have a car as a mob somehow made me less
have a car as a mob somehow made me less
have a car as a mob somehow made me less deserving of their attention
deserving of their attention
deserving of their attention friendship and so eventually I adopted
friendship and so eventually I adopted
friendship and so eventually I adopted that identity I begged my parents for a
that identity I begged my parents for a
that identity I begged my parents for a cough I begged them for a gmail account
cough I begged them for a gmail account
cough I begged them for a gmail account just because everyone else had one I
just because everyone else had one I
just because everyone else had one I listened to every top body song that had
listened to every top body song that had
listened to every top body song that had come out in the past year so I know what
come out in the past year so I know what
come out in the past year so I know what my friends were singing and I wanted to
my friends were singing and I wanted to
my friends were singing and I wanted to say my horizonte is a different way
say my horizonte is a different way
say my horizonte is a different way that i evidently still haven’t gotten
that i evidently still haven’t gotten
that i evidently still haven’t gotten rid of in all of it just begs the
rid of in all of it just begs the
rid of in all of it just begs the question what wanted a group of second
question what wanted a group of second
question what wanted a group of second graders to distance themselves from
graders to distance themselves from
graders to distance themselves from their culture and heritage in such an
their culture and heritage in such an
their culture and heritage in such an absorb manner
absorb manner
absorb manner maybe it had something to do with the
maybe it had something to do with the
maybe it had something to do with the lack of positive representation but I
lack of positive representation but I
lack of positive representation but I can’t give a definite answer to that
can’t give a definite answer to that
can’t give a definite answer to that question one of the years since then I
question one of the years since then I
question one of the years since then I have learned that my culture isn’t
have learned that my culture isn’t
have learned that my culture isn’t inferior to others I sometimes still
inferior to others I sometimes still
inferior to others I sometimes still subconsciously act with that mindset
subconsciously act with that mindset
subconsciously act with that mindset something that’s been prevalent for a
something that’s been prevalent for a
something that’s been prevalent for a long time throughout the world is colors
long time throughout the world is colors
long time throughout the world is colors and the idea that saw the skin tones you
and the idea that saw the skin tones you
and the idea that saw the skin tones you know which ones are superior to others
know which ones are superior to others
know which ones are superior to others and while we’re critical at Hollywood in
and while we’re critical at Hollywood in
and while we’re critical at Hollywood in teen magazines for whitewashing and
teen magazines for whitewashing and
teen magazines for whitewashing and photoshopping lighter skin tones on to
photoshopping lighter skin tones on to
photoshopping lighter skin tones on to their models famous creams are still
their models famous creams are still
their models famous creams are still being sold and our parents tell us don’t
being sold and our parents tell us don’t
being sold and our parents tell us don’t spend too much time in the Sun you’ll
spend too much time in the Sun you’ll
spend too much time in the Sun you’ll get darker we can debate police
get darker we can debate police
get darker we can debate police brutality in the US for hours on end but
brutality in the US for hours on end but
brutality in the US for hours on end but we can’t bear to bring up the only
we can’t bear to bring up the only
we can’t bear to bring up the only killings throughout Asia or the Rohingya
killings throughout Asia or the Rohingya
killings throughout Asia or the Rohingya crisis why do we choose to actively
crisis why do we choose to actively
crisis why do we choose to actively ignore the issues that impact us on a
ignore the issues that impact us on a
ignore the issues that impact us on a much deeper and perform level because
much deeper and perform level because
much deeper and perform level because it’s easier it’s easier to talk about it
it’s easier it’s easier to talk about it
it’s easier it’s easier to talk about it when you’re not expected to do anything
when you’re not expected to do anything
when you’re not expected to do anything about it but when are we going to start
about it but when are we going to start
about it but when are we going to start doing something about it and here’s the
doing something about it and here’s the
doing something about it and here’s the thing change dozen half to start big
thing change dozen half to start big
thing change dozen half to start big I’ve gone used to taking the metro or
I’ve gone used to taking the metro or
I’ve gone used to taking the metro or walking around in malls and it’s kind of
walking around in malls and it’s kind of
walking around in malls and it’s kind of surprising that I’ve only very recently
surprising that I’ve only very recently
surprising that I’ve only very recently noticed how much of a cultural melting
noticed how much of a cultural melting
noticed how much of a cultural melting pot
pot
pot because I see women wearing hijabs and
because I see women wearing hijabs and
because I see women wearing hijabs and dreadlocks
dreadlocks
dreadlocks in Dutch weights dressed in jeans or a
in Dutch weights dressed in jeans or a
in Dutch weights dressed in jeans or a bias or solarz reading books in Arabic
bias or solarz reading books in Arabic
bias or solarz reading books in Arabic or English or Russian which is something
or English or Russian which is something
or English or Russian which is something you don’t see everywhere in the world
you don’t see everywhere in the world
you don’t see everywhere in the world all the unrest in conflict afraid has
all the unrest in conflict afraid has
all the unrest in conflict afraid has made me realize that I’ve ended up
made me realize that I’ve ended up
made me realize that I’ve ended up somewhere people can coexist regardless
somewhere people can coexist regardless
somewhere people can coexist regardless of religion caste creed or ethnicity
of religion caste creed or ethnicity
of religion caste creed or ethnicity I’ve had the chance to meet so many
I’ve had the chance to meet so many
I’ve had the chance to meet so many different people who represent a
different people who represent a
different people who represent a multitude of languages and cultures and
multitude of languages and cultures and
multitude of languages and cultures and customs and I am immensely grateful for
customs and I am immensely grateful for
customs and I am immensely grateful for that because it’s taught me to be part
that because it’s taught me to be part
that because it’s taught me to be part of my own it’s taught me to be part of
of my own it’s taught me to be part of
of my own it’s taught me to be part of who I am and where I come from and to be
who I am and where I come from and to be
who I am and where I come from and to be unapologetic for it it’s taught me that
unapologetic for it it’s taught me that
unapologetic for it it’s taught me that it is possible to adapt to different
it is possible to adapt to different
it is possible to adapt to different surroundings without intrinsically
surroundings without intrinsically
surroundings without intrinsically changing myself I mentioned being
changing myself I mentioned being
changing myself I mentioned being grateful and gratitude has become so
grateful and gratitude has become so
grateful and gratitude has become so important to me and here’s why it’s in
important to me and here’s why it’s in
important to me and here’s why it’s in human nature to be greedy into always
human nature to be greedy into always
human nature to be greedy into always one goal and that’s made me bitter and
one goal and that’s made me bitter and
one goal and that’s made me bitter and unhappy more times than I could ever
unhappy more times than I could ever
unhappy more times than I could ever count but God did you can change that
count but God did you can change that
count but God did you can change that and bring you an abundance of new
and bring you an abundance of new
and bring you an abundance of new perspectives and outlooks and worldviews
perspectives and outlooks and worldviews
perspectives and outlooks and worldviews I’m grateful to have received all the
I’m grateful to have received all the
I’m grateful to have received all the opportunities that I have today to be
opportunities that I have today to be
opportunities that I have today to be getting a stellar education from a
getting a stellar education from a
getting a stellar education from a reputed school the hub my boy is wearing
reputed school the hub my boy is wearing
reputed school the hub my boy is wearing out a speaker when so many go unheard
out a speaker when so many go unheard
out a speaker when so many go unheard I’d like to be a medium for those voices
I’d like to be a medium for those voices
I’d like to be a medium for those voices it’s an overbite that entire groups of
it’s an overbite that entire groups of
it’s an overbite that entire groups of people are discriminated against and
people are discriminated against and
people are discriminated against and denied countless opportunities and not
denied countless opportunities and not
denied countless opportunities and not even on the basis of their actions it’s
even on the basis of their actions it’s
even on the basis of their actions it’s simply for who they are
simply for who they are
simply for who they are I’ve come to realize that those things
I’ve come to realize that those things
I’ve come to realize that those things are not chin being grateful for this
are not chin being grateful for this
are not chin being grateful for this very forum have put me in a unique
very forum have put me in a unique
very forum have put me in a unique position of privilege and it’s my
position of privilege and it’s my
position of privilege and it’s my sincere hope that using that privilege I
sincere hope that using that privilege I
sincere hope that using that privilege I can meet some change
can meet some change
can meet some change biggest mall in the world fit better and
biggest mall in the world fit better and
biggest mall in the world fit better and I’m asking you to do this
I’m asking you to do this
I’m asking you to do this not by protesting or picket fencing but
not by protesting or picket fencing but
not by protesting or picket fencing but through small acts of courage like being
through small acts of courage like being
through small acts of courage like being yourself so that you can inspire others
yourself so that you can inspire others
yourself so that you can inspire others to do the same into the we can stand
to do the same into the we can stand
to do the same into the we can stand united in our diversity thank you
united in our diversity thank you
united in our diversity thank you [Applause]
”
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