hola I’m trying to channel my inner Venezuelan beauty queen that somewhere
Venezuelan beauty queen that somewhere
Venezuelan beauty queen that somewhere in there for those of you who follow
in there for those of you who follow
in there for those of you who follow beauty queen pageants we’ve got the most
beauty queen pageants we’ve got the most
beauty queen pageants we’ve got the most in the world so oh yeah hi hi uh pero la
in the world so oh yeah hi hi uh pero la
in the world so oh yeah hi hi uh pero la I hear it where I’m from usually this is
I hear it where I’m from usually this is
I hear it where I’m from usually this is a time of day where those little coffees
a time of day where those little coffees
a time of day where those little coffees come out and you get that power surge I
come out and you get that power surge I
come out and you get that power surge I want to make sure that he’s here
want to make sure that he’s here
want to make sure that he’s here go moist on there are you people so show
go moist on there are you people so show
go moist on there are you people so show of hands how many of you have said or
of hands how many of you have said or
of hands how many of you have said or have used the phrase walk a mile in
have used the phrase walk a mile in
have used the phrase walk a mile in somebody’s shoes walk a mile in his
somebody’s shoes walk a mile in his
somebody’s shoes walk a mile in his shoes her shoes right it’s a great
shoes her shoes right it’s a great
shoes her shoes right it’s a great phrase it allows us to think of other
phrase it allows us to think of other
phrase it allows us to think of other people think of their experiences to
people think of their experiences to
people think of their experiences to empathize to understand others right we
empathize to understand others right we
empathize to understand others right we we’re sort of taught this from childhood
we’re sort of taught this from childhood
we’re sort of taught this from childhood how to think about others and what they
how to think about others and what they
how to think about others and what they go through so the message I want to give
go through so the message I want to give
go through so the message I want to give you today is don’t just imagine walking
you today is don’t just imagine walking
you today is don’t just imagine walking in somebody else’s shoes walk along with
in somebody else’s shoes walk along with
in somebody else’s shoes walk along with them walk that mile with them because
them walk that mile with them because
them walk that mile with them because when we do that we’re not just
when we do that we’re not just
when we do that we’re not just championing diversity and inclusion
championing diversity and inclusion
championing diversity and inclusion we’re also championing belonging and
we’re also championing belonging and
we’re also championing belonging and belonging is a key thing that we all
belonging is a key thing that we all
belonging is a key thing that we all want and desire and it’s a good thing
want and desire and it’s a good thing
want and desire and it’s a good thing for us so I’m going to tell you a little
for us so I’m going to tell you a little
for us so I’m going to tell you a little personal story to illustrate to you how
personal story to illustrate to you how
personal story to illustrate to you how to walk with someone along with them not
to walk with someone along with them not
to walk with someone along with them not to send their shoes you ready
to send their shoes you ready
to send their shoes you ready a nice dose man you guys need that got a
a nice dose man you guys need that got a
a nice dose man you guys need that got a seat though I’m not sure so when my
seat though I’m not sure so when my
seat though I’m not sure so when my father left war-torn Italy in 1955 all
father left war-torn Italy in 1955 all
father left war-torn Italy in 1955 all his belongings were just the clothes he
his belongings were just the clothes he
his belongings were just the clothes he had on himself he got into a ship a
had on himself he got into a ship a
had on himself he got into a ship a grain ship as a stowaway and went
grain ship as a stowaway and went
grain ship as a stowaway and went Venezuela bound instead of New York
Venezuela bound instead of New York
Venezuela bound instead of New York bound like the rest of his cousins he
bound like the rest of his cousins he
bound like the rest of his cousins he only had one pair of shoes it was a pair
only had one pair of shoes it was a pair
only had one pair of shoes it was a pair of shoes that he was wearing on that
of shoes that he was wearing on that
of shoes that he was wearing on that trip when he arrived in Venezuela the
trip when he arrived in Venezuela the
trip when he arrived in Venezuela the first thing that he did too
first thing that he did too
first thing that he did too earn a living was to go door the door
earn a living was to go door the door
earn a living was to go door the door fixing shoes that’s how he started out
fixing shoes that’s how he started out
fixing shoes that’s how he started out 16 years later he had multiple very
16 years later he had multiple very
16 years later he had multiple very successful businesses but the four of us
successful businesses but the four of us
successful businesses but the four of us through college – through MBAs and one
through college – through MBAs and one
through college – through MBAs and one through a PhD in literature much to the
through a PhD in literature much to the
through a PhD in literature much to the dismay of a family full of scientists
dismay of a family full of scientists
dismay of a family full of scientists and business people but it was my father
and business people but it was my father
and business people but it was my father Vincenzo’s spirit his resilience his
Vincenzo’s spirit his resilience his
Vincenzo’s spirit his resilience his intrepid miss his generosity that I now
intrepid miss his generosity that I now
intrepid miss his generosity that I now understand is in my genes and I now also
understand is in my genes and I now also
understand is in my genes and I now also understand that that is the same force
understand that that is the same force
understand that that is the same force that drives the students that I have the
that drives the students that I have the
that drives the students that I have the pleasure of working with through various
pleasure of working with through various
pleasure of working with through various educational organizations so I also have
educational organizations so I also have
educational organizations so I also have the distinct honor of being that
the distinct honor of being that
the distinct honor of being that professor who doesn’t remember your name
professor who doesn’t remember your name
professor who doesn’t remember your name but you’re like I love your class I
but you’re like I love your class I
but you’re like I love your class I remember I got an A and the professor’s
remember I got an A and the professor’s
remember I got an A and the professor’s like ah wonderful that’s me and the
like ah wonderful that’s me and the
like ah wonderful that’s me and the students I want to tell you about today
students I want to tell you about today
students I want to tell you about today in particular are the young Latin X
in particular are the young Latin X
in particular are the young Latin X students and when you hear the term
students and when you hear the term
students and when you hear the term Latin X what turf comes to your mind I’m
Latin X what turf comes to your mind I’m
Latin X what turf comes to your mind I’m asking you to write out what comes when
asking you to write out what comes when
asking you to write out what comes when you hear Latin X mm-hmm non
you hear Latin X mm-hmm non
you hear Latin X mm-hmm non gender-specific
gender-specific
gender-specific diversity embracing our likenesses our
diversity embracing our likenesses our
diversity embracing our likenesses our similarities probably delicious food
similarities probably delicious food
similarities probably delicious food like the one we had today at lunch but
like the one we had today at lunch but
like the one we had today at lunch but it also brings the proverbial seat at
it also brings the proverbial seat at
it also brings the proverbial seat at the table
the table
the table right that’s part of how we think of
right that’s part of how we think of
right that’s part of how we think of inclusion pull up a chair at the table
inclusion pull up a chair at the table
inclusion pull up a chair at the table but what happens when pulling a chair up
but what happens when pulling a chair up
but what happens when pulling a chair up to the table is not enough what happens
to the table is not enough what happens
to the table is not enough what happens when you’re seated at a banquet and you
when you’re seated at a banquet and you
when you’re seated at a banquet and you don’t know what to do with the
don’t know what to do with the
don’t know what to do with the silverware the typical oh my goodness
silverware the typical oh my goodness
silverware the typical oh my goodness what’s that third little fork for what
what’s that third little fork for what
what’s that third little fork for what did I do with that or something is
did I do with that or something is
did I do with that or something is brought out on a tray and you’re like
brought out on a tray and you’re like
brought out on a tray and you’re like what is that you don’t know what you’re
what is that you don’t know what you’re
what is that you don’t know what you’re going to eat or how to eat it those are
going to eat or how to eat it those are
going to eat or how to eat it those are the spaces where we can’t just imagine
the spaces where we can’t just imagine
the spaces where we can’t just imagine walking in somebody’s shoes we have to
walking in somebody’s shoes we have to
walking in somebody’s shoes we have to walk along with them and that’s what I
walk along with them and that’s what I
walk along with them and that’s what I do with my latin ex students give you a
do with my latin ex students give you a
do with my latin ex students give you a sense of who they are I have students
sense of who they are I have students
sense of who they are I have students who have told me for example the story
who have told me for example the story
who have told me for example the story of crossing the desert with his mother
of crossing the desert with his mother
of crossing the desert with his mother try rive in this country the heat the
try rive in this country the heat the
try rive in this country the heat the exhaustion the thirst and it’s very
exhaustion the thirst and it’s very
exhaustion the thirst and it’s very different when you read about this in
different when you read about this in
different when you read about this in the report see it on TV and when you
the report see it on TV and when you
the report see it on TV and when you have somebody sitting next to you who is
have somebody sitting next to you who is
have somebody sitting next to you who is not of legal age yet and that is the
not of legal age yet and that is the
not of legal age yet and that is the story that they tell you where they come
story that they tell you where they come
story that they tell you where they come from or the student who has never
from or the student who has never
from or the student who has never visited the country where she was born
visited the country where she was born
visited the country where she was born because it’s too dangerous to go there
because it’s too dangerous to go there
because it’s too dangerous to go there they’re also the amazing gates
they’re also the amazing gates
they’re also the amazing gates millennial scholars who are intelligent
millennial scholars who are intelligent
millennial scholars who are intelligent beyond my understanding and who you know
beyond my understanding and who you know
beyond my understanding and who you know will do amazing things in this world
will do amazing things in this world
will do amazing things in this world there’s a student who is the first one
there’s a student who is the first one
there’s a student who is the first one in her family to go through grade school
in her family to go through grade school
in her family to go through grade school middle school high school and be college
middle school high school and be college
middle school high school and be college bound and these are students that it’s
bound and these are students that it’s
bound and these are students that it’s not enough to imagine walking in their
not enough to imagine walking in their
not enough to imagine walking in their shoes you must walk along with them so
shoes you must walk along with them so
shoes you must walk along with them so last year my father Vincenzo who I was
last year my father Vincenzo who I was
last year my father Vincenzo who I was telling you about suffered a stroke in
telling you about suffered a stroke in
telling you about suffered a stroke in Venezuela in the midst of this terrible
Venezuela in the midst of this terrible
Venezuela in the midst of this terrible political social and economic crisis
political social and economic crisis
political social and economic crisis that is really tearing the country apart
that is really tearing the country apart
that is really tearing the country apart I immediately bought a ticket to go down
I immediately bought a ticket to go down
I immediately bought a ticket to go down thinking I would go down for a week and
thinking I would go down for a week and
thinking I would go down for a week and a half and once I was there I could not
a half and once I was there I could not
a half and once I was there I could not leave a country legally I can’t tell you
leave a country legally I can’t tell you
leave a country legally I can’t tell you how I left that would compromise all of
how I left that would compromise all of
how I left that would compromise all of you but I was there for two months and
you but I was there for two months and
you but I was there for two months and having thought that I would go there for
having thought that I would go there for
having thought that I would go there for a week and a half I only took down two
a week and a half I only took down two
a week and a half I only took down two pairs of shoes the one I was wearing on
pairs of shoes the one I was wearing on
pairs of shoes the one I was wearing on the trip down was his gold pair of
the trip down was his gold pair of
the trip down was his gold pair of moccasins which in hindsight really was
moccasins which in hindsight really was
moccasins which in hindsight really was a big wardrobe malfunction considering
a big wardrobe malfunction considering
a big wardrobe malfunction considering gold shoes to go to a country that’s
gold shoes to go to a country that’s
gold shoes to go to a country that’s about to go into Civil War not very
about to go into Civil War not very
about to go into Civil War not very smart but those are the shoes that I had
smart but those are the shoes that I had
smart but those are the shoes that I had and those were the shoes that I wore
and those were the shoes that I wore
and those were the shoes that I wore every day as I was in Venezuela taking
every day as I was in Venezuela taking
every day as I was in Venezuela taking care of my father I wore them to go to
care of my father I wore them to go to
care of my father I wore them to go to the clinics
the clinics
the clinics I wear them to go to the banks the
I wear them to go to the banks the
I wear them to go to the banks the offices grocery stores pharmacies you
offices grocery stores pharmacies you
offices grocery stores pharmacies you name it because now in Venezuela
name it because now in Venezuela
name it because now in Venezuela anywhere you go you have to stand in
anywhere you go you have to stand in
anywhere you go you have to stand in line and you have to be in line for a
line and you have to be in line for a
line and you have to be in line for a long time to get anything that you need
long time to get anything that you need
long time to get anything that you need by the time I return the shoes as you
by the time I return the shoes as you
by the time I return the shoes as you can see we’re pretty beat-up
can see we’re pretty beat-up
can see we’re pretty beat-up they weren’t shiny anymore the soles
they weren’t shiny anymore the soles
they weren’t shiny anymore the soles were all torn up the last one had a hole
were all torn up the last one had a hole
were all torn up the last one had a hole my thought was what am i adding with
my thought was what am i adding with
my thought was what am i adding with these shoes they stink but you know I
these shoes they stink but you know I
these shoes they stink but you know I couldn’t throw out those shoes because
couldn’t throw out those shoes because
couldn’t throw out those shoes because these were the shoes that I use to walk
these were the shoes that I use to walk
these were the shoes that I use to walk along with my father on this unexpected
along with my father on this unexpected
along with my father on this unexpected journey that we had together so I kept
journey that we had together so I kept
journey that we had together so I kept those shoes and these shoes have taught
those shoes and these shoes have taught
those shoes and these shoes have taught me many things about resilience but also
me many things about resilience but also
me many things about resilience but also about empathy at one point these shoes
about empathy at one point these shoes
about empathy at one point these shoes also taught me to understand better the
also taught me to understand better the
also taught me to understand better the journeys that my own students have gone
journeys that my own students have gone
journeys that my own students have gone through and to understand that for me as
through and to understand that for me as
through and to understand that for me as an educator I can’t just sit in my
an educator I can’t just sit in my
an educator I can’t just sit in my office and print reports about my
office and print reports about my
office and print reports about my students to show how great they’re doing
students to show how great they’re doing
students to show how great they’re doing or plan wonderful trips and educational
or plan wonderful trips and educational
or plan wonderful trips and educational experiences for them that is not enough
experiences for them that is not enough
experiences for them that is not enough I have to know them and they have to
I have to know them and they have to
I have to know them and they have to know me so my students know me they know
know me so my students know me they know
know me so my students know me they know my children I know their parents which
my children I know their parents which
my children I know their parents which means many kings and us so the point
means many kings and us so the point
means many kings and us so the point that you wonder how many more girls are
that you wonder how many more girls are
that you wonder how many more girls are gonna turn 15 this year I also means
gonna turn 15 this year I also means
gonna turn 15 this year I also means amazing family reunions with amazing
amazing family reunions with amazing
amazing family reunions with amazing food it also means a phone call because
food it also means a phone call because
food it also means a phone call because the car won’t start
the car won’t start
the car won’t start and it’s pouring rain and a student
and it’s pouring rain and a student
and it’s pouring rain and a student needs to be at that educational
needs to be at that educational
needs to be at that educational committee meeting that we have because
committee meeting that we have because
committee meeting that we have because that meeting might be an amazing
that meeting might be an amazing
that meeting might be an amazing opportunity for that student to go to
opportunity for that student to go to
opportunity for that student to go to college or open doors for them and
college or open doors for them and
college or open doors for them and that’s where walking with someone comes
that’s where walking with someone comes
that’s where walking with someone comes in not just imagining what my students
in not just imagining what my students
in not just imagining what my students go through but actually being there
go through but actually being there
go through but actually being there walking through them in these journeys
walking through them in these journeys
walking through them in these journeys so the hole in my shoe I’m proud of the
so the hole in my shoe I’m proud of the
so the hole in my shoe I’m proud of the hole in my shoe it has taught me how to
hole in my shoe it has taught me how to
hole in my shoe it has taught me how to walk with people not just imagine
walk with people not just imagine
walk with people not just imagine what people are going through so when my
what people are going through so when my
what people are going through so when my father came up to do his rehab at the
father came up to do his rehab at the
father came up to do his rehab at the rehab center they informed him that he
rehab center they informed him that he
rehab center they informed him that he needed some sneakers my father is the
needed some sneakers my father is the
needed some sneakers my father is the gentleman on your right side
gentleman on your right side
gentleman on your right side with a cigarette in his hand you might
with a cigarette in his hand you might
with a cigarette in his hand you might imagine this is a picture I used as a
imagine this is a picture I used as a
imagine this is a picture I used as a teenager and as an adult to remind him
teenager and as an adult to remind him
teenager and as an adult to remind him that he smoked whenever I was chastised
that he smoked whenever I was chastised
that he smoked whenever I was chastised for smoking or drinking and so being the
for smoking or drinking and so being the
for smoking or drinking and so being the very elegant Italian gentleman that he
very elegant Italian gentleman that he
very elegant Italian gentleman that he was he had not owned a pair of sneakers
was he had not owned a pair of sneakers
was he had not owned a pair of sneakers since he actually used to exercise in
since he actually used to exercise in
since he actually used to exercise in his 40s so I took my two sons to the
his 40s so I took my two sons to the
his 40s so I took my two sons to the store an actual store to buy no no
store an actual store to buy no no
store an actual store to buy no no that’s grandfather in Italian some
that’s grandfather in Italian some
that’s grandfather in Italian some sneakers and as I was looking around
sneakers and as I was looking around
sneakers and as I was looking around trying to find the perfect pair of
trying to find the perfect pair of
trying to find the perfect pair of sneakers the ones that would be that fit
sneakers the ones that would be that fit
sneakers the ones that would be that fit him that would do the right thing my
him that would do the right thing my
him that would do the right thing my seven-year-old son just went mommy here
seven-year-old son just went mommy here
seven-year-old son just went mommy here are the sneakers that Nonna needs and lo
are the sneakers that Nonna needs and lo
are the sneakers that Nonna needs and lo and behold they were the perfect pair of
and behold they were the perfect pair of
and behold they were the perfect pair of shoes for what his grandfather needed
shoes for what his grandfather needed
shoes for what his grandfather needed and that seven year old my little
and that seven year old my little
and that seven year old my little seven-year-old understood that because
seven-year-old understood that because
seven-year-old understood that because he had already walked with his
he had already walked with his
he had already walked with his grandfather he hadn’t just imagine what
grandfather he hadn’t just imagine what
grandfather he hadn’t just imagine what his grandfather was going through but he
his grandfather was going through but he
his grandfather was going through but he had walked with him in this journey and
had walked with him in this journey and
had walked with him in this journey and there was the learning and so the idea
there was the learning and so the idea
there was the learning and so the idea of walking with someone is what allows
of walking with someone is what allows
of walking with someone is what allows us to think of bringing somebody to the
us to think of bringing somebody to the
us to think of bringing somebody to the table for the diversity of including
table for the diversity of including
table for the diversity of including them but also giving them a sense of
them but also giving them a sense of
them but also giving them a sense of belonging it’s what allows us to knit
belonging it’s what allows us to knit
belonging it’s what allows us to knit the tapestry of what makes our
the tapestry of what makes our
the tapestry of what makes our communities it’s in the walking together
communities it’s in the walking together
communities it’s in the walking together that we really understand whether
that we really understand whether
that we really understand whether community is about when we gather at the
community is about when we gather at the
community is about when we gather at the table and so my message to you is put on
table and so my message to you is put on
table and so my message to you is put on your shoes walk a mile with someone
your shoes walk a mile with someone
your shoes walk a mile with someone don’t just imagine what they’ve been
don’t just imagine what they’ve been
don’t just imagine what they’ve been through what they’ve walked through walk
through what they’ve walked through walk
through what they’ve walked through walk along with them make that empathy become
along with them make that empathy become
along with them make that empathy become your inclusion make a person feel like
your inclusion make a person feel like
your inclusion make a person feel like they belong by walking with them so put
they belong by walking with them so put
they belong by walking with them so put on your shoes and walk a mile with
on your shoes and walk a mile with
on your shoes and walk a mile with someone vamonos
someone vamonos
someone vamonos [Applause]
”
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