[Applause] this photo shows two Carl intercultural
this photo shows two Carl intercultural
this photo shows two Carl intercultural schools 2017-2018 central student
schools 2017-2018 central student
schools 2017-2018 central student council also known as the CSC does
council also known as the CSC does
council also known as the CSC does anything in this photo sent out to you
anything in this photo sent out to you
anything in this photo sent out to you there is only one female in this photo
there is only one female in this photo
there is only one female in this photo mean and I am just his first CSC female
mean and I am just his first CSC female
mean and I am just his first CSC female president in the past ten years when
president in the past ten years when
president in the past ten years when people think of gists international and
people think of gists international and
people think of gists international and progressive are often two adjectives
progressive are often two adjectives
progressive are often two adjectives that come into mind yet gender disparity
that come into mind yet gender disparity
that come into mind yet gender disparity and student leadership still persists
and student leadership still persists
and student leadership still persists here today now this graph shows a number
here today now this graph shows a number
here today now this graph shows a number of male to females CSC leaders elected
of male to females CSC leaders elected
of male to females CSC leaders elected annually over the past ten years purple
annually over the past ten years purple
annually over the past ten years purple is for females and green is for males on
is for females and green is for males on
is for females and green is for males on average there is only one point eight
average there is only one point eight
average there is only one point eight three females elected annually into the
three females elected annually into the
three females elected annually into the CSC this means that there is only one
CSC this means that there is only one
CSC this means that there is only one female to represent fifty percent of the
female to represent fifty percent of the
female to represent fifty percent of the student body and the CSC can be seen as
student body and the CSC can be seen as
student body and the CSC can be seen as a senior leadership position a council
a senior leadership position a council
a senior leadership position a council that is in charge of organizing
that is in charge of organizing
that is in charge of organizing school-wide events of improving student
school-wide events of improving student
school-wide events of improving student life and overseeing grade-level councils
life and overseeing grade-level councils
life and overseeing grade-level councils whereas grade-level councils can be seen
whereas grade-level councils can be seen
whereas grade-level councils can be seen as junior leadership positions councils
as junior leadership positions councils
as junior leadership positions councils only in charge of their grade level
only in charge of their grade level
only in charge of their grade level now this next graph shows the number of
now this next graph shows the number of
now this next graph shows the number of female to males
female to males
female to males elected annually into the grade level
elected annually into the grade level
elected annually into the grade level councils and clearly the numbers are
councils and clearly the numbers are
councils and clearly the numbers are more equal so from this graph we can
more equal so from this graph we can
more equal so from this graph we can know that girls are interested in
know that girls are interested in
know that girls are interested in leadership positions but what is
leadership positions but what is
leadership positions but what is stopping them from running for a higher
stopping them from running for a higher
stopping them from running for a higher position what is stopping them from
position what is stopping them from
position what is stopping them from running for presidency four years ago as
running for presidency four years ago as
running for presidency four years ago as a freshman I was actually not about to
a freshman I was actually not about to
a freshman I was actually not about to run for Student Council
run for Student Council
run for Student Council I remember sitting amongst my two
I remember sitting amongst my two
I remember sitting amongst my two hundred / classmates listening to our
hundred / classmates listening to our
hundred / classmates listening to our principal mr. Clark explained what
principal mr. Clark explained what
principal mr. Clark explained what student council is and a small part of
student council is and a small part of
student council is and a small part of me always wanted to run but I was scared
me always wanted to run but I was scared
me always wanted to run but I was scared and the weeks leading up to student
and the weeks leading up to student
and the weeks leading up to student council applications I was doubting
council applications I was doubting
council applications I was doubting myself
myself
myself even more because every day at school
even more because every day at school
even more because every day at school the Friends of male candidates would be
the Friends of male candidates would be
the Friends of male candidates would be extremely loud and rowdy and everyday
extremely loud and rowdy and everyday
extremely loud and rowdy and everyday they would shout across campus to vote
they would shout across campus to vote
they would shout across campus to vote for this guy and every day they would
for this guy and every day they would
for this guy and every day they would promote the parties that they held for
promote the parties that they held for
promote the parties that they held for another however my friends were more
another however my friends were more
another however my friends were more quiet my friends were more restrained
quiet my friends were more restrained
quiet my friends were more restrained and my friends unintentionally didn’t
and my friends unintentionally didn’t
and my friends unintentionally didn’t give me that same feeling of
give me that same feeling of
give me that same feeling of encouragement I felt as if I didn’t have
encouragement I felt as if I didn’t have
encouragement I felt as if I didn’t have supporters as if I wasn’t going to win
supporters as if I wasn’t going to win
supporters as if I wasn’t going to win and in that moment my biggest setback
and in that moment my biggest setback
and in that moment my biggest setback wasn’t my qualifications my biggest
wasn’t my qualifications my biggest
wasn’t my qualifications my biggest setback was my mindset in fact girls
setback was my mindset in fact girls
setback was my mindset in fact girls have been submerged into a culture that
have been submerged into a culture that
have been submerged into a culture that conditions them to idealize perfection
conditions them to idealize perfection
conditions them to idealize perfection it all first started with being the
it all first started with being the
it all first started with being the perfect wife to our husbands then it
perfect wife to our husbands then it
perfect wife to our husbands then it moved on to having the perfect body and
moved on to having the perfect body and
moved on to having the perfect body and now we have this crazy idea of
now we have this crazy idea of
now we have this crazy idea of effortless perfection that in addition
effortless perfection that in addition
effortless perfection that in addition to being physically beautiful 24/7 we’re
to being physically beautiful 24/7 we’re
to being physically beautiful 24/7 we’re also expected to be smart to be
also expected to be smart to be
also expected to be smart to be successful but also feminine and
successful but also feminine and
successful but also feminine and ladylike and somehow we’re supposed to
ladylike and somehow we’re supposed to
ladylike and somehow we’re supposed to do all of this effortlessly and then we
do all of this effortlessly and then we
do all of this effortlessly and then we begin equating perfection with the idea
begin equating perfection with the idea
begin equating perfection with the idea of having it all but also note that this
of having it all but also note that this
of having it all but also note that this is only one aspect of the lack of female
is only one aspect of the lack of female
is only one aspect of the lack of female teenage leaders there are also other
teenage leaders there are also other
teenage leaders there are also other factors like a community’s bias towards
factors like a community’s bias towards
factors like a community’s bias towards male leaders however I found that
male leaders however I found that
male leaders however I found that perception of failure was most prominent
perception of failure was most prominent
perception of failure was most prominent around teenage girls because perception
around teenage girls because perception
around teenage girls because perception of failure impacts confidence it impacts
of failure impacts confidence it impacts
of failure impacts confidence it impacts risk-taking
risk-taking
risk-taking it impacts innovation all of which are
it impacts innovation all of which are
it impacts innovation all of which are important aspects of becoming a leader
important aspects of becoming a leader
important aspects of becoming a leader and I want to remind everyone in this
and I want to remind everyone in this
and I want to remind everyone in this room that perfection is not a human
room that perfection is not a human
room that perfection is not a human quality and if you believe that it is
quality and if you believe that it is
quality and if you believe that it is then you’re preventing yourself from
then you’re preventing yourself from
then you’re preventing yourself from stepping out of your comfort zone and
stepping out of your comfort zone and
stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something that might lead to
trying something that might lead to
trying something that might lead to failure or great success because we
failure or great success because we
failure or great success because we associate
associate
associate failure with imperfection and that is
failure with imperfection and that is
failure with imperfection and that is clearly not the case
clearly not the case
clearly not the case take JK rowling for example who faced 12
take JK rowling for example who faced 12
take JK rowling for example who faced 12 rejections before becoming the first
rejections before becoming the first
rejections before becoming the first billionaire author in 2014 or take Oprah
billionaire author in 2014 or take Oprah
billionaire author in 2014 or take Oprah Winfrey whose failure inarguably
Winfrey whose failure inarguably
Winfrey whose failure inarguably launched her on a career of TV success
launched her on a career of TV success
launched her on a career of TV success or take me who failed to make the
or take me who failed to make the
or take me who failed to make the cross-country traveling team and
cross-country traveling team and
cross-country traveling team and freshman year but because I failed to
freshman year but because I failed to
freshman year but because I failed to make the cross-country team it made me
make the cross-country team it made me
make the cross-country team it made me train harder over the summer train
train harder over the summer train
train harder over the summer train harder over the next season and become
harder over the next season and become
harder over the next season and become so dedicated to the sport that I became
so dedicated to the sport that I became
so dedicated to the sport that I became captain of the girls cross-country team
captain of the girls cross-country team
captain of the girls cross-country team and senior year you see failure doesn’t
and senior year you see failure doesn’t
and senior year you see failure doesn’t hinder you instead it shapes the type of
hinder you instead it shapes the type of
hinder you instead it shapes the type of person that you will become and we’re so
person that you will become and we’re so
person that you will become and we’re so obsessed with this idea of perfection
obsessed with this idea of perfection
obsessed with this idea of perfection that we’ve created the fear of failure
that we’ve created the fear of failure
that we’ve created the fear of failure and studies have actually shown that
and studies have actually shown that
and studies have actually shown that girls and boys interpret failure
girls and boys interpret failure
girls and boys interpret failure differently a study found that teachers
differently a study found that teachers
differently a study found that teachers and parents give less and fewer cues to
and parents give less and fewer cues to
and parents give less and fewer cues to girls to try harder or again when they
girls to try harder or again when they
girls to try harder or again when they fail boys however are encouraged to
fail boys however are encouraged to
fail boys however are encouraged to persevere to find new strategies and
persevere to find new strategies and
persevere to find new strategies and then we begin to see how these
then we begin to see how these
then we begin to see how these experiences shape a person because boys
experiences shape a person because boys
experiences shape a person because boys begin to see failures as a learning
begin to see failures as a learning
begin to see failures as a learning experience whereas girls see it as a
experience whereas girls see it as a
experience whereas girls see it as a threat and a study by Stanford found out
threat and a study by Stanford found out
threat and a study by Stanford found out when fifth grade students were given an
when fifth grade students were given an
when fifth grade students were given an incredibly hard task to solve it was the
incredibly hard task to solve it was the
incredibly hard task to solve it was the girls who were derailed by confusion and
girls who were derailed by confusion and
girls who were derailed by confusion and unable to solve it in fact it was the
unable to solve it in fact it was the
unable to solve it in fact it was the highest IQ girls who couldn’t solve it
highest IQ girls who couldn’t solve it
highest IQ girls who couldn’t solve it the most and a Harvard professor also
the most and a Harvard professor also
the most and a Harvard professor also found that it was girls who are dropping
found that it was girls who are dropping
found that it was girls who are dropping out of Economics classes when they
out of Economics classes when they
out of Economics classes when they failed to receive aids but what I find
failed to receive aids but what I find
failed to receive aids but what I find even more interesting is that I don’t
even more interesting is that I don’t
even more interesting is that I don’t have to look at all of these studies to
have to look at all of these studies to
have to look at all of these studies to see this disparity in mindset because
see this disparity in mindset because
see this disparity in mindset because this disparity in mindset exists edges
this disparity in mindset exists edges
this disparity in mindset exists edges as well last year I was taking an AP
as well last year I was taking an AP
as well last year I was taking an AP calculus AP class
calculus AP class
calculus AP class which can be seen as an honors math
which can be seen as an honors math
which can be seen as an honors math route for an 11th grade student and from
route for an 11th grade student and from
route for an 11th grade student and from this class two of my female classmates
this class two of my female classmates
this class two of my female classmates dropped out whereas all of my male
dropped out whereas all of my male
dropped out whereas all of my male classmates continued and when I asked
classmates continued and when I asked
classmates continued and when I asked the girls why they would always say that
the girls why they would always say that
the girls why they would always say that math is too hard I can’t do it but when
math is too hard I can’t do it but when
math is too hard I can’t do it but when I asked the boys why they would say mass
I asked the boys why they would say mass
I asked the boys why they would say mass is always hard and it’s important to
is always hard and it’s important to
is always hard and it’s important to note that these were people with same if
note that these were people with same if
note that these were people with same if not similar grades that their
not similar grades that their
not similar grades that their capabilities were the same yet girls
capabilities were the same yet girls
capabilities were the same yet girls tended to associate their failures in
tended to associate their failures in
tended to associate their failures in two internal factors like their lack of
two internal factors like their lack of
two internal factors like their lack of ability whereas boys associated it to
ability whereas boys associated it to
ability whereas boys associated it to external factors like the subject a
external factors like the subject a
external factors like the subject a building is not the problem here
building is not the problem here
building is not the problem here but mindset is a completely different
but mindset is a completely different
but mindset is a completely different story and there’s so many articles books
story and there’s so many articles books
story and there’s so many articles books and videos on failure and overcoming it
and videos on failure and overcoming it
and videos on failure and overcoming it yet it still persists here today with
yet it still persists here today with
yet it still persists here today with teenage girls and it’s because we apply
teenage girls and it’s because we apply
teenage girls and it’s because we apply the same mindset we have to our school
the same mindset we have to our school
the same mindset we have to our school work on failure we procrastinate if you
work on failure we procrastinate if you
work on failure we procrastinate if you see an opportunity that might lead to
see an opportunity that might lead to
see an opportunity that might lead to failure if it is something that you want
failure if it is something that you want
failure if it is something that you want to do don’t run away don’t tell yourself
to do don’t run away don’t tell yourself
to do don’t run away don’t tell yourself I’ll do it next time
I’ll do it next time
I’ll do it next time because if not now then when tomorrow
because if not now then when tomorrow
because if not now then when tomorrow next year when you graduate university
next year when you graduate university
next year when you graduate university or maybe even when you’re on your
or maybe even when you’re on your
or maybe even when you’re on your deathbed no the answer is now and the
deathbed no the answer is now and the
deathbed no the answer is now and the truth is that nobody is ready to face
truth is that nobody is ready to face
truth is that nobody is ready to face their fears to face what the future
their fears to face what the future
their fears to face what the future holds but the future is inevitable
holds but the future is inevitable
holds but the future is inevitable so like guru nanak once said conquer
so like guru nanak once said conquer
so like guru nanak once said conquer your mind and you will conquer it the
your mind and you will conquer it the
your mind and you will conquer it the world Circe’s that internet in that
world Circe’s that internet in that
world Circe’s that internet in that internal battle of yours to seize the
internal battle of yours to seize the
internal battle of yours to seize the moments and your fear of rejection and
moments and your fear of rejection and
moments and your fear of rejection and go out find your passion and don’t look
go out find your passion and don’t look
go out find your passion and don’t look back but we also need to widen our lens
back but we also need to widen our lens
back but we also need to widen our lens and look at ourselves because a lack of
and look at ourselves because a lack of
and look at ourselves because a lack of female teenage leaders doesn’t only lie
female teenage leaders doesn’t only lie
female teenage leaders doesn’t only lie within the individual but also by the
within the individual but also by the
within the individual but also by the communities
communities
communities rounding these girls and we as a
rounding these girls and we as a
rounding these girls and we as a community have failed we have tried and
community have failed we have tried and
community have failed we have tried and tried to have more females in leadership
tried to have more females in leadership
tried to have more females in leadership positions by giving them the
positions by giving them the
positions by giving them the opportunities by giving them the
opportunities by giving them the
opportunities by giving them the resources but clearly we aren’t
resources but clearly we aren’t
resources but clearly we aren’t successful so what can we do girls will
successful so what can we do girls will
successful so what can we do girls will not step up to leadership positions if
not step up to leadership positions if
not step up to leadership positions if they don’t see themselves as worthy or
they don’t see themselves as worthy or
they don’t see themselves as worthy or capable of these positions and how they
capable of these positions and how they
capable of these positions and how they create these perceptions of themselves
create these perceptions of themselves
create these perceptions of themselves comes from the environment and the
comes from the environment and the
comes from the environment and the community around them
community around them
community around them now let’s backtrack into my freshman
now let’s backtrack into my freshman
now let’s backtrack into my freshman year where I lacked the confidence and
year where I lacked the confidence and
year where I lacked the confidence and feared the failure of not making it into
feared the failure of not making it into
feared the failure of not making it into the student council I remember clearly
the student council I remember clearly
the student council I remember clearly sitting at my laptop screen looking at
sitting at my laptop screen looking at
sitting at my laptop screen looking at the application deadlines and my sister
the application deadlines and my sister
the application deadlines and my sister came up to me and said not believing in
came up to me and said not believing in
came up to me and said not believing in your capabilities will be one of your
your capabilities will be one of your
your capabilities will be one of your biggest regrets and in that moment of
biggest regrets and in that moment of
biggest regrets and in that moment of self belief and self-confidence I
self belief and self-confidence I
self belief and self-confidence I applied and four years later Here I am
applied and four years later Here I am
applied and four years later Here I am the president of the high school all
the president of the high school all
the president of the high school all because one person told me to believe in
because one person told me to believe in
because one person told me to believe in myself and while my sister said four
myself and while my sister said four
myself and while my sister said four years ago impacted Who I am today
years ago impacted Who I am today
years ago impacted Who I am today and what I do today will impact my best
and what I do today will impact my best
and what I do today will impact my best friends and along the way more and more
friends and along the way more and more
friends and along the way more and more people will be impacted and their
people will be impacted and their
people will be impacted and their tomorrows will be affected however these
tomorrows will be affected however these
tomorrows will be affected however these perceptions of failures applies equally
perceptions of failures applies equally
perceptions of failures applies equally to boys but from the studies to the
to boys but from the studies to the
to boys but from the studies to the statistics to this picture we can
statistics to this picture we can
statistics to this picture we can already see that boys are already
already see that boys are already
already see that boys are already receiving this feeling and encouragement
receiving this feeling and encouragement
receiving this feeling and encouragement and I’m not telling you to go out and
and I’m not telling you to go out and
and I’m not telling you to go out and neglect the male population as a whole
neglect the male population as a whole
neglect the male population as a whole I’m rather I’m telling you to balance
I’m rather I’m telling you to balance
I’m rather I’m telling you to balance the Equality the encouragement between
the Equality the encouragement between
the Equality the encouragement between both sexes by increasing this
both sexes by increasing this
both sexes by increasing this encouragement towards females as well
encouragement towards females as well
encouragement towards females as well and we can all benefit from having more
and we can all benefit from having more
and we can all benefit from having more female leaders and how we move towards
female leaders and how we move towards
female leaders and how we move towards that is by changing how we treat women
that is by changing how we treat women
that is by changing how we treat women and we can all start from today so if
and we can all start from today so if
and we can all start from today so if you can reach under your chairs you will
you can reach under your chairs you will
you can reach under your chairs you will find an envelope with a pen and a slip
find an envelope with a pen and a slip
find an envelope with a pen and a slip of paper
of paper
of paper and I want you to think of a girl any a
and I want you to think of a girl any a
and I want you to think of a girl any a girl and write her a note telling her
girl and write her a note telling her
girl and write her a note telling her that you believe in her and maybe you
that you believe in her and maybe you
that you believe in her and maybe you will make a difference in her life and
will make a difference in her life and
will make a difference in her life and then I want you to reflect on your
then I want you to reflect on your
then I want you to reflect on your failures and reflect on your successes
failures and reflect on your successes
failures and reflect on your successes because failure is success a trying
because failure is success a trying
because failure is success a trying success at learning how to succeed and
success at learning how to succeed and
success at learning how to succeed and if you didn’t try your hardest then you
if you didn’t try your hardest then you
if you didn’t try your hardest then you failed at failure thank you
failed at failure thank you
failed at failure thank you [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
”
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