Does the American Dream Exist for a Girl Like Me? | Yara Awad | TEDxYouth@Wilmington

this is a picture of me at the

this is a picture of me at the Philadelphia International Airport after

Philadelphia International Airport after

Philadelphia International Airport after the infamous Muslim ban was passed I

the infamous Muslim ban was passed I

the infamous Muslim ban was passed I being Muslim and simply just human was

being Muslim and simply just human was

being Muslim and simply just human was devastated when I heard of this ban it

devastated when I heard of this ban it

devastated when I heard of this ban it showed discrimination in our society and

showed discrimination in our society and

showed discrimination in our society and in our government and I for one would

in our government and I for one would

in our government and I for one would not stand for it so I stood there with

not stand for it so I stood there with

not stand for it so I stood there with America’s flag in my hand and I spoke

America’s flag in my hand and I spoke

America’s flag in my hand and I spoke for what I believe needed changing and

for what I believe needed changing and

for what I believe needed changing and that itself is a dream come true the man

that itself is a dream come true the man

that itself is a dream come true the man my father whose shoulders I’m proudly

my father whose shoulders I’m proudly

my father whose shoulders I’m proudly raised up upon was once this 17 year old

raised up upon was once this 17 year old

raised up upon was once this 17 year old now imagine being 17 years old

now imagine being 17 years old

now imagine being 17 years old in a foreign country where you barely

in a foreign country where you barely

in a foreign country where you barely speak that language all you know about

speak that language all you know about

speak that language all you know about this country is from the limited

this country is from the limited

this country is from the limited television access you get in the Middle

television access you get in the Middle

television access you get in the Middle East in the 1980s which amounted to your

East in the 1980s which amounted to your

East in the 1980s which amounted to your favorite television show chips

favorite television show chips

favorite television show chips California Highway Patrol because this

California Highway Patrol because this

California Highway Patrol because this is what’s up you navigate the transition

is what’s up you navigate the transition

is what’s up you navigate the transition from Amman Jordan to Raleigh North

from Amman Jordan to Raleigh North

from Amman Jordan to Raleigh North Carolina

Carolina

Carolina so once the 17 year old realized that

so once the 17 year old realized that

so once the 17 year old realized that the United States was not the land of

the United States was not the land of

the United States was not the land of high-speed chases and adventures reality

high-speed chases and adventures reality

high-speed chases and adventures reality set in he had no money in his pocket and

set in he had no money in his pocket and

set in he had no money in his pocket and barely spoke English and got the only

barely spoke English and got the only

barely spoke English and got the only job that he could get which was cleaning

job that he could get which was cleaning

job that he could get which was cleaning the floors at Subway but from cleaning

the floors at Subway but from cleaning

the floors at Subway but from cleaning the floors at Subway he learned how to

the floors at Subway he learned how to

the floors at Subway he learned how to make sandwiches and for making

make sandwiches and for making

make sandwiches and for making sandwiches he worked the register and

sandwiches he worked the register and

sandwiches he worked the register and from working the register he became

from working the register he became

from working the register he became manager and for managing he owned his

manager and for managing he owned his

manager and for managing he owned his own subway and then from owning your own

own subway and then from owning your own

own subway and then from owning your own subway you end in 2017 with 13 I hopped

subway you end in 2017 with 13 I hopped

subway you end in 2017 with 13 I hopped 700 employees and the father of three

700 employees and the father of three

700 employees and the father of three children whom you sent prestigious high

children whom you sent prestigious high

children whom you sent prestigious high schools and universities

so now you’re all probably inspired by

so now you’re all probably inspired by this story of an immigrant but you’re

this story of an immigrant but you’re

this story of an immigrant but you’re wondering how does this apply to me how

wondering how does this apply to me how

wondering how does this apply to me how does this apply to each of you I was

does this apply to each of you I was

does this apply to each of you I was born in the United States and I was

born in the United States and I was

born in the United States and I was raised here and I speak English and I’ve

raised here and I speak English and I’ve

raised here and I speak English and I’ve never seen ships California Highway

never seen ships California Highway

never seen ships California Highway Patrol so does the American Dream exist

Patrol so does the American Dream exist

Patrol so does the American Dream exist for a girl like me does it exist for

for a girl like me does it exist for

for a girl like me does it exist for each one of you James Truslow Adams in

each one of you James Truslow Adams in

each one of you James Truslow Adams in the 1930s a man that was born and raised

the 1930s a man that was born and raised

the 1930s a man that was born and raised in the United States to find the

in the United States to find the

in the United States to find the American dream as life should be richer

American dream as life should be richer

American dream as life should be richer and fuller for each based on potential

and fuller for each based on potential

and fuller for each based on potential and ability so I did a quick search of

and ability so I did a quick search of

and ability so I did a quick search of what people my age thought of the

what people my age thought of the

what people my age thought of the American Dream in a study conducted by

American Dream in a study conducted by

American Dream in a study conducted by the Harvard Institute of Politics

the Harvard Institute of Politics

the Harvard Institute of Politics it was found that almost 50 percent of

it was found that almost 50 percent of

it was found that almost 50 percent of Millennials believe that the American

Millennials believe that the American

Millennials believe that the American Dream is dead I cannot find this farther

Dream is dead I cannot find this farther

Dream is dead I cannot find this farther from the truth as long as we have the

from the truth as long as we have the

from the truth as long as we have the ability to speak up and use our voice to

ability to speak up and use our voice to

ability to speak up and use our voice to change what we believe me it’s changing

change what we believe me it’s changing

change what we believe me it’s changing the American Dream is very much alive

the American Dream is very much alive

the American Dream is very much alive but I can easily tell you what the

but I can easily tell you what the

but I can easily tell you what the American Dream is not it is not one size

American Dream is not it is not one size

American Dream is not it is not one size fits all it is not having one uniform

fits all it is not having one uniform

fits all it is not having one uniform dream for a big house and fancy cars and

dream for a big house and fancy cars and

dream for a big house and fancy cars and a lot of money it is not having a

a lot of money it is not having a

a lot of money it is not having a checklist where you know where the next

checklist where you know where the next

checklist where you know where the next step is because let’s be honest life

step is because let’s be honest life

step is because let’s be honest life gets in the way you don’t know where

gets in the way you don’t know where

gets in the way you don’t know where your next step is going to be but the

your next step is going to be but the

your next step is going to be but the fact of the American Dream is that

fact of the American Dream is that

fact of the American Dream is that progress is available and is well here

progress is available and is well here

progress is available and is well here and now so what is the here and now of

and now so what is the here and now of

and now so what is the here and now of the American Dream why is the United

the American Dream why is the United

the American Dream why is the United States the place of progress well you

States the place of progress well you

States the place of progress well you hear all the time this is the land of

hear all the time this is the land of

hear all the time this is the land of the free and the home of the brave so

the free and the home of the brave so

the free and the home of the brave so why is it that we are constantly

why is it that we are constantly

why is it that we are constantly questioning how free we are in this

questioning how free we are in this

questioning how free we are in this country no matter what we can and cannot

country no matter what we can and cannot

country no matter what we can and cannot do free speech is the most liberating

do free speech is the most liberating

do free speech is the most liberating tool that we have as Americans take the

tool that we have as Americans take the

tool that we have as Americans take the protest that I attended sample on the

protest that I attended sample on the

protest that I attended sample on the day that I stood at the Philadelphia

day that I stood at the Philadelphia

day that I stood at the Philadelphia International Airport there was a family

International Airport there was a family

International Airport there was a family of Syrian refugees detained this family

of Syrian refugees detained this family

of Syrian refugees detained this family spent years in brutal conditions

spent years in brutal conditions

spent years in brutal conditions months trying to apply to find safe

months trying to apply to find safe

months trying to apply to find safe haven in the United States only to be

haven in the United States only to be

haven in the United States only to be turned away when they got here they had

turned away when they got here they had

turned away when they got here they had no voice so I stood with America in my

no voice so I stood with America in my

no voice so I stood with America in my hands and I was their voice and I didn’t

hands and I was their voice and I didn’t

hands and I was their voice and I didn’t only fight for what I believe their

only fight for what I believe their

only fight for what I believe their rights were but for the America that I

rights were but for the America that I

rights were but for the America that I know and I loved and that itself is a

know and I loved and that itself is a

know and I loved and that itself is a dream and change followed but it can

dream and change followed but it can

dream and change followed but it can also look different take women’s

also look different take women’s

also look different take women’s progress for example a century go women

progress for example a century go women

progress for example a century go women did not have the right to vote now we

did not have the right to vote now we

did not have the right to vote now we are holding office take black lives

are holding office take black lives

are holding office take black lives matter whether you agree with this

matter whether you agree with this

matter whether you agree with this movement or not the fact that we can

movement or not the fact that we can

movement or not the fact that we can stand up and fight for what we believe

stand up and fight for what we believe

stand up and fight for what we believe needs changing is the ultimate sign of

needs changing is the ultimate sign of

needs changing is the ultimate sign of progress people will tell you that

progress people will tell you that

progress people will tell you that discrimination is a sign that we are

discrimination is a sign that we are

discrimination is a sign that we are lacking progress in our society and

lacking progress in our society and

lacking progress in our society and they’re constantly doubting the

they’re constantly doubting the

they’re constantly doubting the melting-pot theory that America is the

melting-pot theory that America is the

melting-pot theory that America is the place where people mesh together into

place where people mesh together into

place where people mesh together into one culture but I would argue we are not

one culture but I would argue we are not

one culture but I would argue we are not a melting pot we are more like a stew

a melting pot we are more like a stew

a melting pot we are more like a stew where there’s many ingredients but each

where there’s many ingredients but each

where there’s many ingredients but each one is just as important as the other

one is just as important as the other

one is just as important as the other and each one has the potential to do

and each one has the potential to do

and each one has the potential to do whatever it can so if each person is

whatever it can so if each person is

whatever it can so if each person is different and each person has the

different and each person has the

different and each person has the potential to live the American dream

potential to live the American dream

potential to live the American dream then how can we measure progress how can

then how can we measure progress how can

then how can we measure progress how can we measure someone’s success we often

we measure someone’s success we often

we measure someone’s success we often make the mistake of looking at someone

make the mistake of looking at someone

make the mistake of looking at someone who has a lot of money in a big house

who has a lot of money in a big house

who has a lot of money in a big house and expensive cars and we automatically

and expensive cars and we automatically

and expensive cars and we automatically label them as successful we don’t know

label them as successful we don’t know

label them as successful we don’t know where they started or where they’re

where they started or where they’re

where they started or where they’re ended you have no idea the journey that

ended you have no idea the journey that

ended you have no idea the journey that they traveled I would argue that this

they traveled I would argue that this

they traveled I would argue that this looks more like success someone that was

looks more like success someone that was

looks more like success someone that was homeless and became valedictorian this

homeless and became valedictorian this

homeless and became valedictorian this is the power of ambition you might

is the power of ambition you might

is the power of ambition you might already look at someone who’s

already look at someone who’s

already look at someone who’s valedictorian and say that they’re

valedictorian and say that they’re

valedictorian and say that they’re successful but this man who started out

successful but this man who started out

successful but this man who started out as homeless traveled with an

as homeless traveled with an

as homeless traveled with an unimaginable journey and I would argue

unimaginable journey and I would argue

unimaginable journey and I would argue is more successful than any billionaire

is more successful than any billionaire

is more successful than any billionaire but can it also look smaller

but can it also look smaller

but can it also look smaller it can be the person in front of you at

it can be the person in front of you at

it can be the person in front of you at a supermarket or someone at a fast-food

a supermarket or someone at a fast-food

a supermarket or someone at a fast-food restaurant because you have no idea

restaurant because you have no idea

restaurant because you have no idea where they started they could have been

where they started they could have been

where they started they could have been homeless they could have battled an

homeless they could have battled an

homeless they could have battled an addiction

addiction

addiction and now they are providing for

and now they are providing for

and now they are providing for themselves and possibly their families

themselves and possibly their families

themselves and possibly their families this is success and this is exact reason

this is success and this is exact reason

this is success and this is exact reason that I don’t say that I live the

that I don’t say that I live the

that I don’t say that I live the American Dream just because my father

American Dream just because my father

American Dream just because my father did because you can’t be born into

did because you can’t be born into

did because you can’t be born into success if success is the measure of

success if success is the measure of

success if success is the measure of your own progress so what is the point

your own progress so what is the point

your own progress so what is the point of me proving to you that the American

of me proving to you that the American

of me proving to you that the American Dream exists it is because pessimism

Dream exists it is because pessimism

Dream exists it is because pessimism staggers progress if we don’t believe

staggers progress if we don’t believe

staggers progress if we don’t believe that we have the ability to change we

that we have the ability to change we

that we have the ability to change we will never change so use your voice

will never change so use your voice

will never change so use your voice change what you believe needs changing

change what you believe needs changing

change what you believe needs changing and remember the American Dream exists

and remember the American Dream exists

and remember the American Dream exists for each one of you but it will look

for each one of you but it will look

for each one of you but it will look different thank you

different thank you

different thank you [Applause]