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Evolution of a Revolution | Jaime Witherspoon | TEDxMaysHighSchool


[Music]

[Music] [Applause]

I’m a revolutionary in the peak of a

I’m a revolutionary in the peak of a revolution well a revolution is a big

revolution well a revolution is a big

revolution well a revolution is a big change in the world it’s something that

change in the world it’s something that

change in the world it’s something that you do to make sure that the whole world

you do to make sure that the whole world

you do to make sure that the whole world hears you

hears you

hears you a revolutionary is the one that stands

a revolutionary is the one that stands

a revolutionary is the one that stands in the front the person that leaves the

in the front the person that leaves the

in the front the person that leaves the marches at least the protest you’re the

marches at least the protest you’re the

marches at least the protest you’re the person that the rest of the world looks

person that the rest of the world looks

person that the rest of the world looks to to follow personally I know I’m a

to to follow personally I know I’m a

to to follow personally I know I’m a revolutionary

revolutionary

revolutionary I’ve already had my mind and my heart

I’ve already had my mind and my heart

I’ve already had my mind and my heart set on changing this world I know that

set on changing this world I know that

set on changing this world I know that if I leave a positive impact on every

if I leave a positive impact on every

if I leave a positive impact on every person I come encounter with then the

person I come encounter with then the

person I come encounter with then the world would change think about that

world would change think about that

world would change think about that though let’s think about it well I put a

though let’s think about it well I put a

though let’s think about it well I put a smile on his face he turned around and

smile on his face he turned around and

smile on his face he turned around and put a smile on her face she walked all

put a smile on her face she walked all

put a smile on her face she walked all the way across the room for the smile on

the way across the room for the smile on

the way across the room for the smile on his face turn around for the smile on

his face turn around for the smile on

his face turn around for the smile on his mom’s face wouldn’t that be the

his mom’s face wouldn’t that be the

his mom’s face wouldn’t that be the first step of world peace honestly

first step of world peace honestly

first step of world peace honestly everybody no one’s gonna be happy world

everybody no one’s gonna be happy world

everybody no one’s gonna be happy world peace

peace

peace there was a time when I was walking in

there was a time when I was walking in

there was a time when I was walking in my high school I was on the way to the

my high school I was on the way to the

my high school I was on the way to the bathroom during first period and I ran

bathroom during first period and I ran

bathroom during first period and I ran into a girl who was crying I said are

into a girl who was crying I said are

into a girl who was crying I said are you okay can I do anything to help you

you okay can I do anything to help you

you okay can I do anything to help you she said I don’t think you’ll understand

she said I don’t think you’ll understand

she said I don’t think you’ll understand I really don’t want to talk about it

I really don’t want to talk about it

I really don’t want to talk about it pushed a little bit further and I said

pushed a little bit further and I said

pushed a little bit further and I said are you sure I’ve been through some

are you sure I’ve been through some

are you sure I’ve been through some things in my life that nobody knows

things in my life that nobody knows

things in my life that nobody knows about are you sure I wouldn’t understand

about are you sure I wouldn’t understand

about are you sure I wouldn’t understand so we can walk to the bathroom and you

so we can walk to the bathroom and you

so we can walk to the bathroom and you can wipe your tears and we could talk

can wipe your tears and we could talk

can wipe your tears and we could talk she said okay so he walked to the

she said okay so he walked to the

she said okay so he walked to the bathroom and she wanted to tell me how

bathroom and she wanted to tell me how

bathroom and she wanted to tell me how she had no food in her house how she

she had no food in her house how she

she had no food in her house how she felt unwanted and unloved by her mother

felt unwanted and unloved by her mother

felt unwanted and unloved by her mother her father was absent in her life

her father was absent in her life

her father was absent in her life she had a sister that was the same age

she had a sister that was the same age

she had a sister that was the same age as her who was depending on her when she

as her who was depending on her when she

as her who was depending on her when she had no one to depend on she felt as if

had no one to depend on she felt as if

had no one to depend on she felt as if the world was on her shoulders and she

the world was on her shoulders and she

the world was on her shoulders and she just couldn’t move any further

immediately I said hold on one second

immediately I said hold on one second bring out the bathroom and I grabbed the

bring out the bathroom and I grabbed the

bring out the bathroom and I grabbed the muffin that my mom had packed me that

muffin that my mom had packed me that

muffin that my mom had packed me that day and I came back because she told me

day and I came back because she told me

day and I came back because she told me she was hungry then I wiped her tears

she was hungry then I wiped her tears

she was hungry then I wiped her tears and I went on to tell her that she’s

and I went on to tell her that she’s

and I went on to tell her that she’s powerful she’s beautiful that she can do

powerful she’s beautiful that she can do

powerful she’s beautiful that she can do all things you know I’m saying then I

all things you know I’m saying then I

all things you know I’m saying then I cracked the joke to put a smile on her

cracked the joke to put a smile on her

cracked the joke to put a smile on her face because that’s what I do I make

face because that’s what I do I make

face because that’s what I do I make people smile she told me that I changed

people smile she told me that I changed

people smile she told me that I changed her life she told me that I reminded her

her life she told me that I reminded her

her life she told me that I reminded her that there’s still positive people in

that there’s still positive people in

that there’s still positive people in this world she told me I changed her

this world she told me I changed her

this world she told me I changed her life remind you I was only talking to

life remind you I was only talking to

life remind you I was only talking to her for about five to eight minutes not

her for about five to eight minutes not

her for about five to eight minutes not even ten five to eight minutes and I

even ten five to eight minutes and I

even ten five to eight minutes and I changed her life okay now what could you

changed her life okay now what could you

changed her life okay now what could you do in ten minutes right you’re talking

do in ten minutes right you’re talking

do in ten minutes right you’re talking to somebody for ten minutes not knowing

to somebody for ten minutes not knowing

to somebody for ten minutes not knowing their background nor where they came

their background nor where they came

their background nor where they came from and you can change their life right

from and you can change their life right

from and you can change their life right hope you’re rocking with me right here

hope you’re rocking with me right here

hope you’re rocking with me right here when I say there are different things

when I say there are different things

when I say there are different things that you can revolutionize you can start

that you can revolutionize you can start

that you can revolutionize you can start with racism or you can do racism which

with racism or you can do racism which

with racism or you can do racism which is a big problem in this world females

is a big problem in this world females

is a big problem in this world females you can do feminism but I want you guys

you can do feminism but I want you guys

you can do feminism but I want you guys to start with something that really hits

to start with something that really hits

to start with something that really hits home bully ISM bully it’s not in the

home bully ISM bully it’s not in the

home bully ISM bully it’s not in the dictionary I just made it up bully ISM

dictionary I just made it up bully ISM

dictionary I just made it up bully ISM stand up to a bully don’t participate in

stand up to a bully don’t participate in

stand up to a bully don’t participate in silent isms I note is omit means that

silent isms I note is omit means that

silent isms I note is omit means that you’re not going to sit here

you’re not going to sit here

you’re not going to sit here you’re not going to participate in the

you’re not going to participate in the

you’re not going to participate in the wrong actions you’re not going to sit

wrong actions you’re not going to sit

wrong actions you’re not going to sit here and be quiet because you don’t want

here and be quiet because you don’t want

here and be quiet because you don’t want to be judged does that make sense you

to be judged does that make sense you

to be judged does that make sense you know what I’m saying you don’t want to

know what I’m saying you don’t want to

know what I’m saying you don’t want to be judged so you’re gonna sit here and

be judged so you’re gonna sit here and

be judged so you’re gonna sit here and say nothing at all not knowing what the

say nothing at all not knowing what the

say nothing at all not knowing what the person’s going through they just need

person’s going through they just need

person’s going through they just need you to push them so they can back you up

you to push them so they can back you up

you to push them so they can back you up right you say something you stand up to

right you say something you stand up to

right you say something you stand up to your boss

your boss

your boss your co-workers will back you up think

your co-workers will back you up think

your co-workers will back you up think of it like that don’t participate in

of it like that don’t participate in

of it like that don’t participate in silent ISM okay so imagine this you want

silent ISM okay so imagine this you want

silent ISM okay so imagine this you want to be a revolutionary right wants to be

to be a revolutionary right wants to be

to be a revolutionary right wants to be a revolutionary anybody in here want to

a revolutionary anybody in here want to

a revolutionary anybody in here want to be a revolutionary all right let’s say

be a revolutionary all right let’s say

be a revolutionary all right let’s say you’re scared you fear what the next

you’re scared you fear what the next

you’re scared you fear what the next person has to say that happens a lot I

person has to say that happens a lot I

person has to say that happens a lot I know a lot of people my age they fear

know a lot of people my age they fear

know a lot of people my age they fear what their classmates are gonna say I

what their classmates are gonna say I

what their classmates are gonna say I know a lot of people a lot of adults I

know a lot of people a lot of adults I

know a lot of people a lot of adults I know I fear what their boss is gonna say

know I fear what their boss is gonna say

know I fear what their boss is gonna say if their co-workers are going to agree

if their co-workers are going to agree

if their co-workers are going to agree with them I understand

with them I understand

with them I understand but then again I say don’t participate

but then again I say don’t participate

but then again I say don’t participate in silent ism right how could we be a

in silent ism right how could we be a

in silent ism right how could we be a revolutionary not by violence right we

revolutionary not by violence right we

revolutionary not by violence right we can’t be violent and want to change this

can’t be violent and want to change this

can’t be violent and want to change this world you don’t have to raise your fists

world you don’t have to raise your fists

world you don’t have to raise your fists nor shoot a gun to be heard they have

nor shoot a gun to be heard they have

nor shoot a gun to be heard they have people like Martin Luther King jr. who

people like Martin Luther King jr. who

people like Martin Luther King jr. who led protests March and gave speeches but

led protests March and gave speeches but

led protests March and gave speeches but never hurt anybody never killed one

never hurt anybody never killed one

never hurt anybody never killed one person

person

person they have Rosa Parks who sat on the bus

they have Rosa Parks who sat on the bus

they have Rosa Parks who sat on the bus didn’t say much

didn’t say much

didn’t say much didn’t hurt still made a change right

didn’t hurt still made a change right

didn’t hurt still made a change right they have at my school they have an

they have at my school they have an

they have at my school they have an organization like the Belles who don’t

organization like the Belles who don’t

organization like the Belles who don’t hurt fight go to all their classes and

hurt fight go to all their classes and

hurt fight go to all their classes and represent and change the world

represent and change the world

represent and change the world they have calling hoping they who simply

they have calling hoping they who simply

they have calling hoping they who simply went like this during the national

went like this during the national

went like this during the national anthem he said he doesn’t want to

anthem he said he doesn’t want to

anthem he said he doesn’t want to represent or participate in the national

represent or participate in the national

represent or participate in the national anthem that doesn’t support people that

anthem that doesn’t support people that

anthem that doesn’t support people that look like him nor himself he was the

look like him nor himself he was the

look like him nor himself he was the person that stepped out to be different

person that stepped out to be different

person that stepped out to be different from everybody else

from everybody else

from everybody else he was the first step now when people

he was the first step now when people

he was the first step now when people hear the national anthem they lock arms

hear the national anthem they lock arms

hear the national anthem they lock arms they raised their fists they sit down

they raised their fists they sit down

they raised their fists they sit down don’t participate he’s a revolutionary a

don’t participate he’s a revolutionary a

don’t participate he’s a revolutionary a nonviolent revolutionary ok

nonviolent revolutionary ok

nonviolent revolutionary ok hope you guys are still rocking with me

hope you guys are still rocking with me

hope you guys are still rocking with me this is how you become a revolutionary

this is how you become a revolutionary

this is how you become a revolutionary all right first you have to start with

all right first you have to start with

all right first you have to start with yourself and again I say I

yourself and again I say I

yourself and again I say I was born to be a revolutionary my name

was born to be a revolutionary my name

was born to be a revolutionary my name is Jamie French for I love you start

is Jamie French for I love you start

is Jamie French for I love you start with yourself you reduce the word hate

with yourself you reduce the word hate

with yourself you reduce the word hate you take the word hate out of your

you take the word hate out of your

you take the word hate out of your vocabulary and learn to love learn to

vocabulary and learn to love learn to

vocabulary and learn to love learn to love people that you don’t like then you

love people that you don’t like then you

love people that you don’t like then you work with your friends your close inner

work with your friends your close inner

work with your friends your close inner circle teach them how to love themselves

circle teach them how to love themselves

circle teach them how to love themselves and others

and others

and others next you work with your community before

next you work with your community before

next you work with your community before you know it be working with your country

you know it be working with your country

you know it be working with your country then your world why not be a

then your world why not be a

then your world why not be a revolutionary why not feed the hungry

revolutionary why not feed the hungry

revolutionary why not feed the hungry make the impossible possible I ask will

make the impossible possible I ask will

make the impossible possible I ask will you will you feed the hungry will you be

you will you feed the hungry will you be

you will you feed the hungry will you be the voice of the voiceless where you

the voice of the voiceless where you

the voice of the voiceless where you make the impossible very possible stand

make the impossible very possible stand

make the impossible very possible stand with me today and together we could be

with me today and together we could be

with me today and together we could be the peak of the next revolution thank

the peak of the next revolution thank

the peak of the next revolution thank you

you

you [Applause]

”

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