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How To Record Silence | Nasreen Sheikh | TEDxVail


[Music]

[Music] how many of you have been in a situation

how many of you have been in a situation

how many of you have been in a situation where you wanted to speak out but you

where you wanted to speak out but you

where you wanted to speak out but you kept silent how many of you have ideas

kept silent how many of you have ideas

kept silent how many of you have ideas that could change the world but you have

that could change the world but you have

that could change the world but you have not take action jitna Mubin Caracara

not take action jitna Mubin Caracara

not take action jitna Mubin Caracara Cobell with not cha the more silent you

Cobell with not cha the more silent you

Cobell with not cha the more silent you are the safer you will be as a child

are the safer you will be as a child

are the safer you will be as a child this phrase was continually repeated to

this phrase was continually repeated to

this phrase was continually repeated to me by my mother my family and my village

me by my mother my family and my village

me by my mother my family and my village it was a mantra that bore itself through

it was a mantra that bore itself through

it was a mantra that bore itself through every aspect of our life

every aspect of our life

every aspect of our life it was meant to oppress people to keep

it was meant to oppress people to keep

it was meant to oppress people to keep us silent I am here today to record my

us silent I am here today to record my

us silent I am here today to record my silence imagine a dusty undocumented

silence imagine a dusty undocumented

silence imagine a dusty undocumented village not found on any map a place

village not found on any map a place

village not found on any map a place with no electricity no cars and no

with no electricity no cars and no

with no electricity no cars and no hospital a place where children are born

hospital a place where children are born

hospital a place where children are born onto the floor of their family homes and

onto the floor of their family homes and

onto the floor of their family homes and neither birth nor death records are kept

neither birth nor death records are kept

neither birth nor death records are kept that is where I was born and where I

that is where I was born and where I

that is where I was born and where I began my journey as an undocumented

began my journey as an undocumented

began my journey as an undocumented individual I still cannot tell you with

individual I still cannot tell you with

individual I still cannot tell you with any certainty my exact age I believe I

any certainty my exact age I believe I

any certainty my exact age I believe I am somewhere 25 26 and 27 today I am

am somewhere 25 26 and 27 today I am

am somewhere 25 26 and 27 today I am going to share with you the challenge of

going to share with you the challenge of

going to share with you the challenge of being undocumented and not have social

being undocumented and not have social

being undocumented and not have social security number or driver license

security number or driver license

security number or driver license passport or mesh certificate bank

passport or mesh certificate bank

passport or mesh certificate bank accounts and credit cards it means we

accounts and credit cards it means we

accounts and credit cards it means we couldn’t go to school and obtain

couldn’t go to school and obtain

couldn’t go to school and obtain appropriate employment we couldn’t rent

appropriate employment we couldn’t rent

appropriate employment we couldn’t rent a home we couldn’t receive medical

a home we couldn’t receive medical

a home we couldn’t receive medical treatment if we were sick

treatment if we were sick

treatment if we were sick if someone inflicted violence on us or

if someone inflicted violence on us or

if someone inflicted violence on us or murder us there will be no police report

murder us there will be no police report

murder us there will be no police report we will be simply for garden I still

we will be simply for garden I still

we will be simply for garden I still clearly remember one of my village and

clearly remember one of my village and

clearly remember one of my village and who was bit more or two spoken and liked

who was bit more or two spoken and liked

who was bit more or two spoken and liked to wear makeup she was very kind and

to wear makeup she was very kind and

to wear makeup she was very kind and beautiful she had a wonderful smile her

beautiful she had a wonderful smile her

beautiful she had a wonderful smile her husband had been raised in a belief

husband had been raised in a belief

husband had been raised in a belief system

system

system prohibited women from speaking loudly

prohibited women from speaking loudly

prohibited women from speaking loudly and looked upon her behavior as the same

and looked upon her behavior as the same

and looked upon her behavior as the same to his household and family in a fit of

to his household and family in a fit of

to his household and family in a fit of rage he murdered her

rage he murdered her

rage he murdered her her death was never documented and

her death was never documented and

her death was never documented and police report was never filed she was

police report was never filed she was

police report was never filed she was silently buried by the villagers that is

silently buried by the villagers that is

silently buried by the villagers that is when I feared and I felt I will be next

when I feared and I felt I will be next

when I feared and I felt I will be next at the age of nine or ten without any

at the age of nine or ten without any

at the age of nine or ten without any documentation I found myself working in

documentation I found myself working in

documentation I found myself working in Katmandu as a sweatshop child laborer

Katmandu as a sweatshop child laborer

Katmandu as a sweatshop child laborer making clothes for massive export

making clothes for massive export

making clothes for massive export companies six of us lived worked slept

companies six of us lived worked slept

companies six of us lived worked slept in 10 by 10 room without bed bathroom or

in 10 by 10 room without bed bathroom or

in 10 by 10 room without bed bathroom or clean water we were getting paid less

clean water we were getting paid less

clean water we were getting paid less than $2 a day and forced to work 12 to

than $2 a day and forced to work 12 to

than $2 a day and forced to work 12 to 15 hours a day if we did not meet our

15 hours a day if we did not meet our

15 hours a day if we did not meet our deadline we would not get paid at all to

deadline we would not get paid at all to

deadline we would not get paid at all to keep up with the work I slept very

keep up with the work I slept very

keep up with the work I slept very little there was a moment I felt my

little there was a moment I felt my

little there was a moment I felt my little fingers were fast as machine I

little fingers were fast as machine I

little fingers were fast as machine I was surrounded by pieces of clothing day

was surrounded by pieces of clothing day

was surrounded by pieces of clothing day and night I hated those clothes they

and night I hated those clothes they

and night I hated those clothes they were woven with the energy of my

were woven with the energy of my

were woven with the energy of my suffering at the end of each day I would

suffering at the end of each day I would

suffering at the end of each day I would collapse onto the large bundle of

collapse onto the large bundle of

collapse onto the large bundle of clothes and daydream about where they

clothes and daydream about where they

clothes and daydream about where they would end up and who would wear them if

would end up and who would wear them if

would end up and who would wear them if you don’t know who made your clothes

you don’t know who made your clothes

you don’t know who made your clothes maybe some of you wearing my clothes

maybe some of you wearing my clothes

maybe some of you wearing my clothes right now last fall turkey star

right now last fall turkey star

right now last fall turkey star treatment landed in well-known luxury

treatment landed in well-known luxury

treatment landed in well-known luxury shop the search contained hidden label

shop the search contained hidden label

shop the search contained hidden label which read I made this item you’re going

which read I made this item you’re going

which read I made this item you’re going to buy but I did not get paid for it the

to buy but I did not get paid for it the

to buy but I did not get paid for it the luxury brand had been paying for the

luxury brand had been paying for the

luxury brand had been paying for the reproduction but the manufacturer had

reproduction but the manufacturer had

reproduction but the manufacturer had not been paying its workers this

not been paying its workers this

not been paying its workers this incident highlight major problem Western

incident highlight major problem Western

incident highlight major problem Western corporation outsourcing loosely

corporation outsourcing loosely

corporation outsourcing loosely regulated foreign manufacturing

regulated foreign manufacturing

regulated foreign manufacturing unregulated manufacture use undocumented

unregulated manufacture use undocumented

unregulated manufacture use undocumented individual who works from secret and

individual who works from secret and

individual who works from secret and illegal sweatshop hidden in unmarked

illegal sweatshop hidden in unmarked

illegal sweatshop hidden in unmarked buildings throughout

buildings throughout

buildings throughout cities and religious and slumps me and

cities and religious and slumps me and

cities and religious and slumps me and my colleagues found ourself in this very

my colleagues found ourself in this very

my colleagues found ourself in this very same situation just like the Turkish

same situation just like the Turkish

same situation just like the Turkish factory worker the owner left town

factory worker the owner left town

factory worker the owner left town without paying anyone my brother and I

without paying anyone my brother and I

without paying anyone my brother and I and my colleagues felt completely

and my colleagues felt completely

and my colleagues felt completely destitute and disempowered i sat across

destitute and disempowered i sat across

destitute and disempowered i sat across the local street and they dream about

the local street and they dream about

the local street and they dream about what it would be like to be a student I

what it would be like to be a student I

what it would be like to be a student I was feeling completely hopeless

was feeling completely hopeless

was feeling completely hopeless when universe closed every door there is

when universe closed every door there is

when universe closed every door there is a secret door for all of us and for me

a secret door for all of us and for me

a secret door for all of us and for me the secret door was brown white animal a

the secret door was brown white animal a

the secret door was brown white animal a dog that came up and he sniffed my hand

dog that came up and he sniffed my hand

dog that came up and he sniffed my hand literally made me so jump because in my

literally made me so jump because in my

literally made me so jump because in my village dogs are forbidden to touch

village dogs are forbidden to touch

village dogs are forbidden to touch there was a man I looked up and he told

there was a man I looked up and he told

there was a man I looked up and he told me come here don’t be scared he’s like

me come here don’t be scared he’s like

me come here don’t be scared he’s like my son when he told me come here I

my son when he told me come here I

my son when he told me come here I immediately grabbed his wrist and said

immediately grabbed his wrist and said

immediately grabbed his wrist and said uncle can you please teach me this man

uncle can you please teach me this man

uncle can you please teach me this man Lesley John was so moved by my request

Lesley John was so moved by my request

Lesley John was so moved by my request that for the last 10 years he have been

that for the last 10 years he have been

that for the last 10 years he have been teaching me he also helped me get my

teaching me he also helped me get my

teaching me he also helped me get my birth certificate and eventually attend

birth certificate and eventually attend

birth certificate and eventually attend college Lesley is here where are you

thank you I want you to kill me I just

thank you I want you to kill me I just want you to kill me in 2008 I took my

want you to kill me in 2008 I took my

want you to kill me in 2008 I took my first loan I opened my first bank

first loan I opened my first bank

first loan I opened my first bank account and I started a Fairtrade

account and I started a Fairtrade

account and I started a Fairtrade organization in the same city where I

organization in the same city where I

organization in the same city where I was a former child laborer local women’s

was a former child laborer local women’s

was a former child laborer local women’s handicraft

handicraft

handicraft is a clothing company that work with

is a clothing company that work with

is a clothing company that work with undocumented marginalized and

undocumented marginalized and

undocumented marginalized and disadvantaged women we are collecting

disadvantaged women we are collecting

disadvantaged women we are collecting our stories through the product we

our stories through the product we

our stories through the product we design make and sell together I wanted

design make and sell together I wanted

design make and sell together I wanted to create a work environment there was

to create a work environment there was

to create a work environment there was exact opposite of the shirt shop I had

exact opposite of the shirt shop I had

exact opposite of the shirt shop I had worked in these are L WH principle

worked in these are L WH principle

worked in these are L WH principle provide a living wage ethical trade

provide a living wage ethical trade

provide a living wage ethical trade standards transparency and

standards transparency and

standards transparency and accountability opportunities for

accountability opportunities for

accountability opportunities for disadvantaged women safe working

disadvantaged women safe working

disadvantaged women safe working conditions respect for the environment

conditions respect for the environment

conditions respect for the environment promote social enterprise innovative

promote social enterprise innovative

promote social enterprise innovative training programs social project and

training programs social project and

training programs social project and partnership our Factory he 100 year old

partnership our Factory he 100 year old

partnership our Factory he 100 year old loom we have a biogas when you do

loom we have a biogas when you do

loom we have a biogas when you do something from the heart everything

something from the heart everything

something from the heart everything works like magic the elder blood shop

works like magic the elder blood shop

works like magic the elder blood shop became magnet for journalists activists

became magnet for journalists activists

became magnet for journalists activists social workers and artists when I got

social workers and artists when I got

social workers and artists when I got published in Forbes magazine I had no

published in Forbes magazine I had no

published in Forbes magazine I had no idea what Forbes magazine was despite

idea what Forbes magazine was despite

idea what Forbes magazine was despite running my own business my parents still

running my own business my parents still

running my own business my parents still expected me to return back to my village

expected me to return back to my village

expected me to return back to my village and get married

and get married

and get married I have watched my older sister forced

I have watched my older sister forced

I have watched my older sister forced into marriage at the age of 16 the

into marriage at the age of 16 the

into marriage at the age of 16 the reason of marrying girls as young as

reason of marrying girls as young as

reason of marrying girls as young as possible is because they are too easy to

possible is because they are too easy to

possible is because they are too easy to control they’re so naive when I was

control they’re so naive when I was

control they’re so naive when I was turning 21

turning 21

turning 21 my parents they took the responsibility

my parents they took the responsibility

my parents they took the responsibility and they arranged my marriage with a man

and they arranged my marriage with a man

and they arranged my marriage with a man I never met or never talked once but my

I never met or never talked once but my

I never met or never talked once but my family and my villagers did

family and my villagers did

family and my villagers did notnot that my story is published

notnot that my story is published

notnot that my story is published everywhere I have learned how to use

everywhere I have learned how to use

everywhere I have learned how to use Facebook to turn Google and I watch TED

Facebook to turn Google and I watch TED

Facebook to turn Google and I watch TED talk my story of forced marriage got

talk my story of forced marriage got

talk my story of forced marriage got seared all explosively social media with

seared all explosively social media with

seared all explosively social media with the help of my world friends

the help of my world friends

the help of my world friends my younger sister Sahin a $400 bribe to

my younger sister Sahin a $400 bribe to

my younger sister Sahin a $400 bribe to my village elders a permanent mark of

my village elders a permanent mark of

my village elders a permanent mark of shame on my family I became the first

shame on my family I became the first

shame on my family I became the first girl in my village who have ever escaped

girl in my village who have ever escaped

girl in my village who have ever escaped forced marriage

the life of my aunt and my sister are

the life of my aunt and my sister are gone our just a girl then to do anything

gone our just a girl then to do anything

gone our just a girl then to do anything but those memories are becoming clear

but those memories are becoming clear

but those memories are becoming clear each and every day today I’m a woman and

each and every day today I’m a woman and

each and every day today I’m a woman and I’m educated and I’m independent and I’m

I’m educated and I’m independent and I’m

I’m educated and I’m independent and I’m very aware of the injustice that

very aware of the injustice that

very aware of the injustice that happened around the world is actually a

happened around the world is actually a

happened around the world is actually a solvable problem this is the time for

solvable problem this is the time for

solvable problem this is the time for action a time for everyone to speak out

action a time for everyone to speak out

action a time for everyone to speak out and record your silence in public domain

and record your silence in public domain

and record your silence in public domain today I have chosen to record my silence

today I have chosen to record my silence

today I have chosen to record my silence stop force marriage right now stop child

stop force marriage right now stop child

stop force marriage right now stop child labor right now ask the who made your

labor right now ask the who made your

labor right now ask the who made your products and give the voices to the

products and give the voices to the

products and give the voices to the millions of artists who are faceless now

millions of artists who are faceless now

millions of artists who are faceless now I was a child labor I am a first woman

I was a child labor I am a first woman

I was a child labor I am a first woman my village to escape forced marriage I’m

my village to escape forced marriage I’m

my village to escape forced marriage I’m an entrepreneur and I’m an advocate for

an entrepreneur and I’m an advocate for

an entrepreneur and I’m an advocate for equality and most important I’m a human

equality and most important I’m a human

equality and most important I’m a human being just like you

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

”

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