[Applause] tell your story change the conversation
tell your story change the conversation
tell your story change the conversation organized by students TEDx youth at shc
if I said to you boy I bet your butts
if I said to you boy I bet your butts are sore from sitting so long that’s
are sore from sitting so long that’s
are sore from sitting so long that’s empathy and if I invited you to stand up
empathy and if I invited you to stand up
empathy and if I invited you to stand up and stretch out your legs for a bit
and stretch out your legs for a bit
and stretch out your legs for a bit that’s compassion I get excited about
that’s compassion I get excited about
that’s compassion I get excited about empathy because it has the power to
empathy because it has the power to
empathy because it has the power to bring us together empathy is the ability
bring us together empathy is the ability
bring us together empathy is the ability to identify with what someone else might
to identify with what someone else might
to identify with what someone else might be feeling and that connection is what
be feeling and that connection is what
be feeling and that connection is what motivates us to treat others the way we
motivates us to treat others the way we
motivates us to treat others the way we want to be treated it motivates us to be
want to be treated it motivates us to be
want to be treated it motivates us to be compassionate
compassionate
compassionate which means empathy has the power to
which means empathy has the power to
which means empathy has the power to change the world
change the world
change the world now to understand why I say that we have
now to understand why I say that we have
now to understand why I say that we have to go back to the summer of 2014
to go back to the summer of 2014
to go back to the summer of 2014 every summer I would usually go to camp
every summer I would usually go to camp
every summer I would usually go to camp to have fun or to learn something new
to have fun or to learn something new
to have fun or to learn something new but that summer I hadn’t signed up in
but that summer I hadn’t signed up in
but that summer I hadn’t signed up in time so my plan was to just veg out for
time so my plan was to just veg out for
time so my plan was to just veg out for three months well unfortunately my mom
three months well unfortunately my mom
three months well unfortunately my mom said Audrey vegging is not an activity
said Audrey vegging is not an activity
said Audrey vegging is not an activity you’d better find something productive
you’d better find something productive
you’d better find something productive to do so I decided if I couldn’t go to
to do so I decided if I couldn’t go to
to do so I decided if I couldn’t go to camp I create my own camp I’d be the
camp I create my own camp I’d be the
camp I create my own camp I’d be the camp director the program director and
camp director the program director and
camp director the program director and all of the campers now the program
all of the campers now the program
all of the campers now the program offered unique and random experiences
offered unique and random experiences
offered unique and random experiences that would be fun or adventurous to try
that would be fun or adventurous to try
that would be fun or adventurous to try my camp for random experiences lasted 30
my camp for random experiences lasted 30
my camp for random experiences lasted 30 days and each day was different like one
days and each day was different like one
days and each day was different like one day I decided to eat only carrots
another day I decided to go barefoot
another day I decided to go barefoot well barefoot day happened to coincide
well barefoot day happened to coincide
well barefoot day happened to coincide with the day my family and I went to
with the day my family and I went to
with the day my family and I went to visit a goat farm and let me tell you
visit a goat farm and let me tell you
visit a goat farm and let me tell you trudging through that muck let’s just
trudging through that muck let’s just
trudging through that muck let’s just say since that experience I have never
say since that experience I have never
say since that experience I have never appreciated shoes more so in August I
appreciated shoes more so in August I
appreciated shoes more so in August I plan an experience designed to show me
plan an experience designed to show me
plan an experience designed to show me what it’s like to go
what it’s like to go
what it’s like to go life in a wheelchair I needed help with
life in a wheelchair I needed help with
life in a wheelchair I needed help with this one so I went to my mom again and I
this one so I went to my mom again and I
this one so I went to my mom again and I said hey mom can I have a wheelchair so
said hey mom can I have a wheelchair so
said hey mom can I have a wheelchair so I can go to the mall and get some stuff
I can go to the mall and get some stuff
I can go to the mall and get some stuff and she had said yes to my crazy
and she had said yes to my crazy
and she had said yes to my crazy requests all summer so when I asked her
requests all summer so when I asked her
requests all summer so when I asked her for a wheelchair all she said was you
for a wheelchair all she said was you
for a wheelchair all she said was you wanna what
okay I’ll see if we can borrow one and
okay I’ll see if we can borrow one and when I finally convinced my cousin to
when I finally convinced my cousin to
when I finally convinced my cousin to push me around at the mall all day we
push me around at the mall all day we
push me around at the mall all day we were set and I was super excited until
were set and I was super excited until
were set and I was super excited until we rolled through the mall doors and
we rolled through the mall doors and
we rolled through the mall doors and something terrible happened I completely
something terrible happened I completely
something terrible happened I completely disappeared suddenly people were talking
disappeared suddenly people were talking
disappeared suddenly people were talking slowly or loudly to me as if I had a
slowly or loudly to me as if I had a
slowly or loudly to me as if I had a hearing problem salespeople talked over
hearing problem salespeople talked over
hearing problem salespeople talked over me to my cousin assuming I couldn’t make
me to my cousin assuming I couldn’t make
me to my cousin assuming I couldn’t make my own decisions
my own decisions
my own decisions I thought is this how all people in
I thought is this how all people in
I thought is this how all people in wheelchairs feel like like others see
wheelchairs feel like like others see
wheelchairs feel like like others see them for their disability and not for
them for their disability and not for
them for their disability and not for who they are as a person I never would
who they are as a person I never would
who they are as a person I never would have known how hard it is to go through
have known how hard it is to go through
have known how hard it is to go through life treated that way if I hadn’t put
life treated that way if I hadn’t put
life treated that way if I hadn’t put myself in a wheelchair and that day I
myself in a wheelchair and that day I
myself in a wheelchair and that day I vowed I’d never treat anyone the way I
vowed I’d never treat anyone the way I
vowed I’d never treat anyone the way I had been treated the next summer I went
had been treated the next summer I went
had been treated the next summer I went to the Dominican Republic on a service
to the Dominican Republic on a service
to the Dominican Republic on a service trip where I experienced real hardship
trip where I experienced real hardship
trip where I experienced real hardship and that summer my empathy for others
and that summer my empathy for others
and that summer my empathy for others grew exponentially as I learned what
grew exponentially as I learned what
grew exponentially as I learned what it’s like to not have enough so the
it’s like to not have enough so the
it’s like to not have enough so the third summer the summer of 2016 was
third summer the summer of 2016 was
third summer the summer of 2016 was shaping up to be really boring but this
shaping up to be really boring but this
shaping up to be really boring but this time I thought okay I have one crazy
time I thought okay I have one crazy
time I thought okay I have one crazy self run camp and a little real world
self run camp and a little real world
self run camp and a little real world experience what if I combine those into
experience what if I combine those into
experience what if I combine those into some sort of camp where kids could walk
some sort of camp where kids could walk
some sort of camp where kids could walk in other people’s shoes and that’s how
in other people’s shoes and that’s how
in other people’s shoes and that’s how project empathy started so I contacted
project empathy started so I contacted
project empathy started so I contacted all of my little sister’s friends
all of my little sister’s friends
all of my little sister’s friends parents and said hey I’m running this
parents and said hey I’m running this
parents and said hey I’m running this awesome experiential learning camp to
awesome experiential learning camp to
awesome experiential learning camp to promote empathy and youth would you like
promote empathy and youth would you like
promote empathy and youth would you like to sign your kids up and I quickly got
to sign your kids up and I quickly got
to sign your kids up and I quickly got 15 campers most
15 campers most
15 campers most around 11 years old so within a few
around 11 years old so within a few
around 11 years old so within a few weeks project empathy was off and
weeks project empathy was off and
weeks project empathy was off and running the camp was four days long with
running the camp was four days long with
running the camp was four days long with a four to five hour block on each day
a four to five hour block on each day
a four to five hour block on each day that concentrated on one specific
that concentrated on one specific
that concentrated on one specific experience for example one day the group
experience for example one day the group
experience for example one day the group put on eye patches so they couldn’t see
put on eye patches so they couldn’t see
put on eye patches so they couldn’t see another day
another day
another day I put the campers to work for pitiful
I put the campers to work for pitiful
I put the campers to work for pitiful wages the day that probably made the
wages the day that probably made the
wages the day that probably made the biggest impression on kids was the day
biggest impression on kids was the day
biggest impression on kids was the day they learn what it’s like to live in a
they learn what it’s like to live in a
they learn what it’s like to live in a drought stricken area so at the
drought stricken area so at the
drought stricken area so at the beginning of each of these days
beginning of each of these days
beginning of each of these days I told kids to write down how they
I told kids to write down how they
I told kids to write down how they thought they would feel as they did the
thought they would feel as they did the
thought they would feel as they did the activity and then at the end of the
activity and then at the end of the
activity and then at the end of the simulation they’d write down how they
simulation they’d write down how they
simulation they’d write down how they actually felt on visual impairment day
actually felt on visual impairment day
actually felt on visual impairment day Anna thought she would feel helpless but
Anna thought she would feel helpless but
Anna thought she would feel helpless but she actually trusted her guide and
she actually trusted her guide and
she actually trusted her guide and didn’t feel lonely on poverty day Sophia
didn’t feel lonely on poverty day Sophia
didn’t feel lonely on poverty day Sophia thought she probably wouldn’t have
thought she probably wouldn’t have
thought she probably wouldn’t have enough money to buy everything she
enough money to buy everything she
enough money to buy everything she wanted at the store but she wrote how
wanted at the store but she wrote how
wanted at the store but she wrote how hard it was to choose just the things
hard it was to choose just the things
hard it was to choose just the things she needed on drought day Mira thought
she needed on drought day Mira thought
she needed on drought day Mira thought she feel the same after lugging two
she feel the same after lugging two
she feel the same after lugging two gallons of water home but she wrote I
gallons of water home but she wrote I
gallons of water home but she wrote I felt like my arms were going to rip off
felt like my arms were going to rip off
felt like my arms were going to rip off it was remarkable to see how much these
it was remarkable to see how much these
it was remarkable to see how much these kids grew as they walked in someone
kids grew as they walked in someone
kids grew as they walked in someone else’s shoes so on the last day of camp
else’s shoes so on the last day of camp
else’s shoes so on the last day of camp I asked campers to give a PowerPoint
I asked campers to give a PowerPoint
I asked campers to give a PowerPoint presentation to their families and
presentation to their families and
presentation to their families and friends and their presentations
friends and their presentations
friends and their presentations summarized their experiences at camp
summarized their experiences at camp
summarized their experiences at camp their insights inspired everyone and my
their insights inspired everyone and my
their insights inspired everyone and my personal favorite came from a boy named
personal favorite came from a boy named
personal favorite came from a boy named Alvaro who said I think empathy is
Alvaro who said I think empathy is
Alvaro who said I think empathy is important because it gives you a reason
important because it gives you a reason
important because it gives you a reason to help others I mean how cool is that
to help others I mean how cool is that
to help others I mean how cool is that this 11 year old boy was able to
this 11 year old boy was able to
this 11 year old boy was able to summarize why my entire project exists
summarize why my entire project exists
summarize why my entire project exists because empathy gives you a reason to
because empathy gives you a reason to
because empathy gives you a reason to help others it helps you develop the
help others it helps you develop the
help others it helps you develop the compassion to help others so that was
compassion to help others so that was
compassion to help others so that was last summer fall in spring of my junior
last summer fall in spring of my junior
last summer fall in spring of my junior year this year
year this year
year this year i expanded project empathy into the
i expanded project empathy into the
i expanded project empathy into the local middle school my high school peers
local middle school my high school peers
local middle school my high school peers and I from the Campo Lindo interact club
and I from the Campo Lindo interact club
and I from the Campo Lindo interact club ran Experian
ran Experian
ran Experian learning stations for the eighth-grade
learning stations for the eighth-grade
learning stations for the eighth-grade leadership class and then we taught them
leadership class and then we taught them
leadership class and then we taught them how to run their own workshops for the
how to run their own workshops for the
how to run their own workshops for the entire sixth grade even with these small
entire sixth grade even with these small
entire sixth grade even with these small steps I’ve taken I can see how empathy
steps I’ve taken I can see how empathy
steps I’ve taken I can see how empathy has a snowball effect one person can
has a snowball effect one person can
has a snowball effect one person can have empathy for many people inspiring
have empathy for many people inspiring
have empathy for many people inspiring many more to be empathetic those people
many more to be empathetic those people
many more to be empathetic those people in turn spread empathy until there are
in turn spread empathy until there are
in turn spread empathy until there are enough empathetic people to have an
enough empathetic people to have an
enough empathetic people to have an impact when people recognize the common
impact when people recognize the common
impact when people recognize the common humanity between others in their own
humanity between others in their own
humanity between others in their own communities they can create small-scale
communities they can create small-scale
communities they can create small-scale change acts of compassion like
change acts of compassion like
change acts of compassion like volunteering at a homeless shelter
volunteering at a homeless shelter
volunteering at a homeless shelter participating in a canned food drive
participating in a canned food drive
participating in a canned food drive when there’s a greater swell of empathy
when there’s a greater swell of empathy
when there’s a greater swell of empathy people recognize the common humanity
people recognize the common humanity
people recognize the common humanity between others that can extend beyond
between others that can extend beyond
between others that can extend beyond just communities to around the globe
just communities to around the globe
just communities to around the globe during the universal March to support
during the universal March to support
during the universal March to support women in January among their ranks were
women in January among their ranks were
women in January among their ranks were men they marched to show solidarity and
men they marched to show solidarity and
men they marched to show solidarity and that was an act of compassion driven by
that was an act of compassion driven by
that was an act of compassion driven by empathy we live in a time of division
empathy we live in a time of division
empathy we live in a time of division and rapidly growing hate where acts of
and rapidly growing hate where acts of
and rapidly growing hate where acts of terrorism and closing of boundaries are
terrorism and closing of boundaries are
terrorism and closing of boundaries are real threats when we become aware of the
real threats when we become aware of the
real threats when we become aware of the lives and the feelings of others our
lives and the feelings of others our
lives and the feelings of others our embassy grows we’re inspired to treat
embassy grows we’re inspired to treat
embassy grows we’re inspired to treat others with compassion compassion that
others with compassion compassion that
others with compassion compassion that can extend beyond summer camps beyond
can extend beyond summer camps beyond
can extend beyond summer camps beyond classrooms more empathy can lead to
classrooms more empathy can lead to
classrooms more empathy can lead to universal tolerance no more walls fewer
universal tolerance no more walls fewer
universal tolerance no more walls fewer Wars former President Obama said
Wars former President Obama said
Wars former President Obama said learning to stand in someone else’s
learning to stand in someone else’s
learning to stand in someone else’s shoes to see through their eyes that’s
shoes to see through their eyes that’s
shoes to see through their eyes that’s how peace begins and it’s up to you to
how peace begins and it’s up to you to
how peace begins and it’s up to you to make that happen four years ago
make that happen four years ago
make that happen four years ago when my mom told me to find something
when my mom told me to find something
when my mom told me to find something productive to do I came up with my camp
productive to do I came up with my camp
productive to do I came up with my camp for random experiences today I’m
for random experiences today I’m
for random experiences today I’m bringing empathy workshops into schools
bringing empathy workshops into schools
bringing empathy workshops into schools and there’s nothing random about that
and there’s nothing random about that
and there’s nothing random about that and in these past four years I’ve
and in these past four years I’ve
and in these past four years I’ve learned a lot
learned a lot
learned a lot empathy and how it has the power to
empathy and how it has the power to
empathy and how it has the power to unite us and make us more compassionate
unite us and make us more compassionate
unite us and make us more compassionate I have more to learn and more to do and
I have more to learn and more to do and
I have more to learn and more to do and I don’t know where my empathy workshops
I don’t know where my empathy workshops
I don’t know where my empathy workshops will lead me but wherever they take me I
will lead me but wherever they take me I
will lead me but wherever they take me I promise you and my mom I’ll find
promise you and my mom I’ll find
promise you and my mom I’ll find something productive to do thank you
”
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