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Power to Empower | Reem Younis | TEDxWhiteCity


my father since I was a child I love

my father since I was a child I love challenges and being different it was

challenges and being different it was

challenges and being different it was crucial for me not to do that same like

crucial for me not to do that same like

crucial for me not to do that same like others in the mainstream I still

others in the mainstream I still

others in the mainstream I still remember that instead of going up the

remember that instead of going up the

remember that instead of going up the stairs like the other kids I would cling

stairs like the other kids I would cling

stairs like the other kids I would cling to the outside rail and let my tiny feet

to the outside rail and let my tiny feet

to the outside rail and let my tiny feet flip in the air at that time it seemed

flip in the air at that time it seemed

flip in the air at that time it seemed to me like a challenge another challenge

to me like a challenge another challenge

to me like a challenge another challenge that I did not pick in my childhood was

that I did not pick in my childhood was

that I did not pick in my childhood was that my dear loving father had

that my dear loving father had

that my dear loving father had Parkinson’s disease so instead of him

Parkinson’s disease so instead of him

Parkinson’s disease so instead of him taking care of me I was the one who took

taking care of me I was the one who took

taking care of me I was the one who took care of him at the age of 19 I decided

care of him at the age of 19 I decided

care of him at the age of 19 I decided to go to the Technion to study civil

to go to the Technion to study civil

to go to the Technion to study civil engineering besides that mission I had

engineering besides that mission I had

engineering besides that mission I had another mission to accomplish which was

another mission to accomplish which was

another mission to accomplish which was to find a decent husband that would be

to find a decent husband that would be

to find a decent husband that would be okay with meridian engineer luckily both

okay with meridian engineer luckily both

okay with meridian engineer luckily both missions were accomplished

missions were accomplished

missions were accomplished [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] I’m a timid at the Technion very

I’m a timid at the Technion very

I’m a timid at the Technion very handsome young man right I optimistic

handsome young man right I optimistic

handsome young man right I optimistic restless and not afraid of hard work

restless and not afraid of hard work

restless and not afraid of hard work teknion usually is a hard experience for

teknion usually is a hard experience for

teknion usually is a hard experience for most of the people but what kept him

most of the people but what kept him

most of the people but what kept him going was the dream that one day he will

going was the dream that one day he will

going was the dream that one day he will be an electrical engineer and he will

be an electrical engineer and he will

be an electrical engineer and he will join the high tech scene that was

join the high tech scene that was

join the high tech scene that was looming in Israel during the 80s mainly

looming in Israel during the 80s mainly

looming in Israel during the 80s mainly in the defense and the security area it

in the defense and the security area it

in the defense and the security area it never occurred to him that upon

never occurred to him that upon

never occurred to him that upon graduating it will be almost impossible

graduating it will be almost impossible

graduating it will be almost impossible to find a job only because of security

to find a job only because of security

to find a job only because of security issues and because Arabs could not work

issues and because Arabs could not work

issues and because Arabs could not work in this field so here arriving at the

in this field so here arriving at the

in this field so here arriving at the fork in the road having to decide

fork in the road having to decide

fork in the road having to decide between two options either be

between two options either be

between two options either be underemployed as high school teachers in

underemployed as high school teachers in

underemployed as high school teachers in Nazareth or challenging the situation

Nazareth or challenging the situation

Nazareth or challenging the situation and starting our own high-tech company

and starting our own high-tech company

and starting our own high-tech company changing Nazareth the periphery and our

changing Nazareth the periphery and our

changing Nazareth the periphery and our future being naive is a competent that

future being naive is a competent that

future being naive is a competent that accompanied us during all the time and

accompanied us during all the time and

accompanied us during all the time and still live so we picked challenge number

still live so we picked challenge number

still live so we picked challenge number to start a high-tech company living in

to start a high-tech company living in

to start a high-tech company living in Haifa and after gaining a few years of

Haifa and after gaining a few years of

Haifa and after gaining a few years of experience he mad working with neuro

experience he mad working with neuro

experience he mad working with neuro scientists at the medical faculty in the

scientists at the medical faculty in the

scientists at the medical faculty in the Technion me working at a big

Technion me working at a big

Technion me working at a big construction firm and with our amazing

construction firm and with our amazing

construction firm and with our amazing one month year old Dima we decided it

one month year old Dima we decided it

one month year old Dima we decided it was time to go back home to Nazareth

was time to go back home to Nazareth

was time to go back home to Nazareth to fulfill the challenge that we

to fulfill the challenge that we

to fulfill the challenge that we committed ourselves to arriving to

committed ourselves to arriving to

committed ourselves to arriving to Nazareth both our parents thought that

Nazareth both our parents thought that

Nazareth both our parents thought that we lost it leaving to good-paying jobs

we lost it leaving to good-paying jobs

we lost it leaving to good-paying jobs to pursue such a stupid dream and

to pursue such a stupid dream and

to pursue such a stupid dream and actually their amazement was doubled

actually their amazement was doubled

actually their amazement was doubled when they understood that we were

when they understood that we were

when they understood that we were starting to companies one high-tech

starting to companies one high-tech

starting to companies one high-tech companies another company for CAD tools

companies another company for CAD tools

companies another company for CAD tools in for engineering and architectural

in for engineering and architectural

in for engineering and architectural design alpha omega and alpha can start a

design alpha omega and alpha can start a

design alpha omega and alpha can start a business you need the capital so we sold

business you need the capital so we sold

business you need the capital so we sold our better car and image for gave us

our better car and image for gave us

our better car and image for gave us four gold coins like these which were

four gold coins like these which were

four gold coins like these which were supposed to be used only on black days

supposed to be used only on black days

supposed to be used only on black days to sell and pursue the craziness renting

to sell and pursue the craziness renting

to sell and pursue the craziness renting to small offices in downtown nazareth

to small offices in downtown nazareth

to small offices in downtown nazareth sharing everything from fax machine to

sharing everything from fax machine to

sharing everything from fax machine to coffee cups that was the way that we

coffee cups that was the way that we

coffee cups that was the way that we bootstrapped both companies fast-forward

bootstrapped both companies fast-forward

bootstrapped both companies fast-forward 23 years later today alpha omega is

23 years later today alpha omega is

23 years later today alpha omega is considered a worldwide leader in

considered a worldwide leader in

considered a worldwide leader in neurosurgery

from Nazareth in the gallery brilliant

from Nazareth in the gallery brilliant Arab and Jewish employees develop and

Arab and Jewish employees develop and

Arab and Jewish employees develop and manufacture systems to help a neuro

manufacture systems to help a neuro

manufacture systems to help a neuro surgeons perform a procedure named deep

surgeons perform a procedure named deep

surgeons perform a procedure named deep brain stimulation DBS and help people

brain stimulation DBS and help people

brain stimulation DBS and help people with mural disorders come back to their

with mural disorders come back to their

with mural disorders come back to their normal life and the irony of life is

normal life and the irony of life is

normal life and the irony of life is that my dear father died before he had a

that my dear father died before he had a

that my dear father died before he had a chance to go through that procedure so I

chance to go through that procedure so I

chance to go through that procedure so I often think about them and try to

often think about them and try to

often think about them and try to imagine how would his and our life be if

imagine how would his and our life be if

imagine how would his and our life be if this DBS procedure had been discovered

this DBS procedure had been discovered

this DBS procedure had been discovered earlier with global presence from Israel

earlier with global presence from Israel

earlier with global presence from Israel the United States Europe and Asia we’re

the United States Europe and Asia we’re

the United States Europe and Asia we’re reaching out as one team fulfilling one

reaching out as one team fulfilling one

reaching out as one team fulfilling one mission doing the best that we can to

mission doing the best that we can to

mission doing the best that we can to help humanity but what about community

help humanity but what about community

help humanity but what about community all what we started was intended to

all what we started was intended to

all what we started was intended to impact the challenges that the Arab

impact the challenges that the Arab

impact the challenges that the Arab community have in Israel and the

community have in Israel and the

community have in Israel and the challenges that we are all having here

challenges that we are all having here

challenges that we are all having here in the Middle East to share with you

in the Middle East to share with you

in the Middle East to share with you some government numbers from 2014 more

some government numbers from 2014 more

some government numbers from 2014 more than fifty percent of Arab households or

than fifty percent of Arab households or

than fifty percent of Arab households or below poverty line Arab community is

below poverty line Arab community is

below poverty line Arab community is about twenty percent of the Israeli

about twenty percent of the Israeli

about twenty percent of the Israeli population yet we do contribute only

population yet we do contribute only

population yet we do contribute only eight percent to the GDP we contribute

eight percent to the GDP we contribute

eight percent to the GDP we contribute less than one percent to the export Arab

less than one percent to the export Arab

less than one percent to the export Arab employees is the high-tech industry two

employees is the high-tech industry two

employees is the high-tech industry two percent the list goes on and it gets

percent the list goes on and it gets

percent the list goes on and it gets more and more depressing so here i found

more and more depressing so here i found

more and more depressing so here i found and take responsibility for these

and take responsibility for these

and take responsibility for these numbers I’m the one who should start

numbers I’m the one who should start

numbers I’m the one who should start affecting those numbers changing these

affecting those numbers changing these

affecting those numbers changing these numbers and changing perceptions

starting by our children raising them as

starting by our children raising them as leaders and people who are eager to give

leaders and people who are eager to give

leaders and people who are eager to give back to their community continuing with

back to their community continuing with

back to their community continuing with our employees by changing our company’s

our employees by changing our company’s

our employees by changing our company’s mission statement statement mission

mission statement statement mission

mission statement statement mission sorry to include all four aspects

sorry to include all four aspects

sorry to include all four aspects company client employees and community

company client employees and community

company client employees and community and deciding as a company to invest in

and deciding as a company to invest in

and deciding as a company to invest in the three e’s which are education

the three e’s which are education

the three e’s which are education employment and entrepreneurship maybe by

employment and entrepreneurship maybe by

employment and entrepreneurship maybe by doing this we can change the numbers

doing this we can change the numbers

doing this we can change the numbers that i mentioned earlier but I

that i mentioned earlier but I

that i mentioned earlier but I constantly try to change myself first by

constantly try to change myself first by

constantly try to change myself first by rejecting perceptions by trying to act

rejecting perceptions by trying to act

rejecting perceptions by trying to act as role model by trying to create a

as role model by trying to create a

as role model by trying to create a culture that challenges your competences

culture that challenges your competences

culture that challenges your competences and not your genes by employing a

and not your genes by employing a

and not your genes by employing a diverse team of engineers and opening

diverse team of engineers and opening

diverse team of engineers and opening high tech working opportunities for high

high tech working opportunities for high

high tech working opportunities for high school graduates by encouraging

school graduates by encouraging

school graduates by encouraging employees who leave the company to open

employees who leave the company to open

employees who leave the company to open their own businesses and by working with

their own businesses and by working with

their own businesses and by working with other partners to try and make Nazareth

other partners to try and make Nazareth

other partners to try and make Nazareth high tech hub but above all loving what

high tech hub but above all loving what

high tech hub but above all loving what we do and having endless fashion to make

we do and having endless fashion to make

we do and having endless fashion to make this happen people change workplaces

this happen people change workplaces

this happen people change workplaces already for employees left the company

already for employees left the company

already for employees left the company to open their own business

to open their own business

to open their own business employing more and more people from the

employing more and more people from the

employing more and more people from the community looking at the small picture

community looking at the small picture

community looking at the small picture you would say they’re competing with us

you would say they’re competing with us

you would say they’re competing with us but looking at the bigger picture you

but looking at the bigger picture you

but looking at the bigger picture you see they are bringing the change it one

see they are bringing the change it one

see they are bringing the change it one day Malekith it takes two hands to clap

now that is today has more than 15 Arab

now that is today has more than 15 Arab own technology companies three

own technology companies three

own technology companies three satellites for global companies 22

satellites for global companies 22

satellites for global companies 22 incubators endless accelerators and

incubators endless accelerators and

incubators endless accelerators and hundreds of engineers who are employed

hundreds of engineers who are employed

hundreds of engineers who are employed in the high-tech industry more news to

in the high-tech industry more news to

in the high-tech industry more news to come soon you will be hearing more good

come soon you will be hearing more good

come soon you will be hearing more good things coming out of Nazareth my dream

things coming out of Nazareth my dream

things coming out of Nazareth my dream is to depart from this world leaving a

is to depart from this world leaving a

is to depart from this world leaving a stable company in Nazareth a management

stable company in Nazareth a management

stable company in Nazareth a management team that can take the company and the

team that can take the company and the

team that can take the company and the community to the next level for the

community to the next level for the

community to the next level for the coming generations naive trying not to

coming generations naive trying not to

coming generations naive trying not to be enslaved by my perceptions if I was

be enslaved by my perceptions if I was

be enslaved by my perceptions if I was different I might have missed on all of

different I might have missed on all of

different I might have missed on all of these opportunities including this

these opportunities including this

these opportunities including this opportunity

[Applause]

[Applause] so my dear friend next time you hear a

so my dear friend next time you hear a

so my dear friend next time you hear a tap community things Nazareth think

tap community things Nazareth think

tap community things Nazareth think medical device think entrepreneurship

medical device think entrepreneurship

medical device think entrepreneurship and think how technology can change

and think how technology can change

and think how technology can change community through empowering people but

community through empowering people but

community through empowering people but above all think I want to know more

above all think I want to know more

above all think I want to know more shukran

shukran

shukran [Applause]

”

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