You Don’t Need to Be a “Grown Up” to Tackle Diversity | Ella Martin | TEDxBroadway

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I will be tall enough to reach the

I will be tall enough to reach the branches as I need to reach to climb the

branches as I need to reach to climb the

branches as I need to reach to climb the trees you get to climb when you are

trees you get to climb when you are

trees you get to climb when you are grown up

I will be smart enough to answer all the

I will be smart enough to answer all the questions that you need to know all the

questions that you need to know all the

questions that you need to know all the answers

that was a song called when I grew up

that was a song called when I grew up from Mathilda the musical and one phrase

from Mathilda the musical and one phrase

from Mathilda the musical and one phrase that speaks to me the loudest is the

that speaks to me the loudest is the

that speaks to me the loudest is the questions that you need to know the

questions that you need to know the

questions that you need to know the answers to before you’re grown up as a

answers to before you’re grown up as a

answers to before you’re grown up as a 15 year old freshman in high school I

15 year old freshman in high school I

15 year old freshman in high school I definitely have some things to figure

definitely have some things to figure

definitely have some things to figure out before I grow up I certainly

out before I grow up I certainly

out before I grow up I certainly recognize that I have a lot to learn

recognize that I have a lot to learn

recognize that I have a lot to learn when it comes to navigating the adult

when it comes to navigating the adult

when it comes to navigating the adult world and that’s okay because after all

world and that’s okay because after all

world and that’s okay because after all I’m growing up I remember a time two

I’m growing up I remember a time two

I’m growing up I remember a time two years ago when I was naive when I

years ago when I was naive when I

years ago when I was naive when I ventured for my Philadelphia suburb to

ventured for my Philadelphia suburb to

ventured for my Philadelphia suburb to New York City to train to realize my

New York City to train to realize my

New York City to train to realize my dream of becoming an actor I could not

dream of becoming an actor I could not

dream of becoming an actor I could not have been more thrilled to be growing as

have been more thrilled to be growing as

have been more thrilled to be growing as an artist at Broadway for all I knew I

an artist at Broadway for all I knew I

an artist at Broadway for all I knew I would develop as an actor as a result of

would develop as an actor as a result of

would develop as an actor as a result of their professional training but little

their professional training but little

their professional training but little did I realize how profoundly I would

did I realize how profoundly I would

did I realize how profoundly I would grow as an individual as well growing up

grow as an individual as well growing up

grow as an individual as well growing up in my predominantly white community this

in my predominantly white community this

in my predominantly white community this topic of diversity was distant for me I

topic of diversity was distant for me I

topic of diversity was distant for me I couldn’t imagine that diversity would be

couldn’t imagine that diversity would be

couldn’t imagine that diversity would be an obstacle for actors let alone imagine

an obstacle for actors let alone imagine

an obstacle for actors let alone imagine someone my age would be subject to that

someone my age would be subject to that

someone my age would be subject to that kind of hindrance I had no idea that

kind of hindrance I had no idea that

kind of hindrance I had no idea that race and ethnicity would even be a

race and ethnicity would even be a

race and ethnicity would even be a problem broadly for all is a program

problem broadly for all is a program

problem broadly for all is a program strategically designed to integrate

strategically designed to integrate

strategically designed to integrate talented teens living poverty with those

talented teens living poverty with those

talented teens living poverty with those from middle and upper income homes

from middle and upper income homes

from middle and upper income homes across all racial and ethnic backgrounds

across all racial and ethnic backgrounds

across all racial and ethnic backgrounds the more I started to build

the more I started to build

the more I started to build relationships through the program the

relationships through the program the

relationships through the program the more I became aware of the opportunities

more I became aware of the opportunities

more I became aware of the opportunities available among my friends it was

available among my friends it was

available among my friends it was incredibly frustrating to hear some of

incredibly frustrating to hear some of

incredibly frustrating to hear some of the difficulties they had to face solely

the difficulties they had to face solely

the difficulties they had to face solely based on their race or gender I had more

based on their race or gender I had more

based on their race or gender I had more opportunities to audition than they did

opportunities to audition than they did

opportunities to audition than they did that’s not just but I wasn’t sure where

that’s not just but I wasn’t sure where

that’s not just but I wasn’t sure where my voice fit in in this conversation of

my voice fit in in this conversation of

my voice fit in in this conversation of diversity I wasn’t even sure if my voice

diversity I wasn’t even sure if my voice

diversity I wasn’t even sure if my voice had a place given that I wasn’t a grown

had a place given that I wasn’t a grown

had a place given that I wasn’t a grown up however I realized my age and

up however I realized my age and

up however I realized my age and background shouldn’t be the factors

background shouldn’t be the factors

background shouldn’t be the factors determining my actions rather they

determining my actions rather they

determining my actions rather they should be the very things motivating me

should be the very things motivating me

should be the very things motivating me to affect change so what did I do

to affect change so what did I do

to affect change so what did I do I looked at my middle school drama club

I looked at my middle school drama club

I looked at my middle school drama club and I noticed the lack of diversity

and I noticed the lack of diversity

and I noticed the lack of diversity there now I’m talking with my drama

there now I’m talking with my drama

there now I’m talking with my drama teachers about how we can change the

teachers about how we can change the

teachers about how we can change the drama club so it looks like and

drama club so it looks like and

drama club so it looks like and represents our world this change doesn’t

represents our world this change doesn’t

represents our world this change doesn’t end the problem of a lack of diversity

end the problem of a lack of diversity

end the problem of a lack of diversity in the industry but it shows that a

in the industry but it shows that a

in the industry but it shows that a teenager with a cause and drive can make

teenager with a cause and drive can make

teenager with a cause and drive can make a difference no matter how small even if

a difference no matter how small even if

a difference no matter how small even if she’s still growing up parents often say

she’s still growing up parents often say

she’s still growing up parents often say their kids are not old enough to have

their kids are not old enough to have

their kids are not old enough to have difficult conversations but I say if a

difficult conversations but I say if a

difficult conversations but I say if a kid is old enough to experience

kid is old enough to experience

kid is old enough to experience prejudice and a lack of inclusion or

prejudice and a lack of inclusion or

prejudice and a lack of inclusion or like me notice her new friends aren’t

like me notice her new friends aren’t

like me notice her new friends aren’t being included then they’re definitely

being included then they’re definitely

being included then they’re definitely old enough to have that conversation and

old enough to have that conversation and

old enough to have that conversation and not only have that conversation but to

not only have that conversation but to

not only have that conversation but to start changing the way things are done

start changing the way things are done

start changing the way things are done kids have that power and also when I’m

kids have that power and also when I’m

kids have that power and also when I’m telling people about the work Broadway

telling people about the work Broadway

telling people about the work Broadway for all does with diversity they

for all does with diversity they

for all does with diversity they sometimes ask if Broadway for all is

sometimes ask if Broadway for all is

sometimes ask if Broadway for all is dedicated to making the industry more

dedicated to making the industry more

dedicated to making the industry more diverse why are they also training some

diverse why are they also training some

diverse why are they also training some white kids and I say maintaining

white kids and I say maintaining

white kids and I say maintaining diversity rests on all of our shoulders

diversity rests on all of our shoulders

diversity rests on all of our shoulders I feel humbled to have that awareness

I feel humbled to have that awareness

I feel humbled to have that awareness now I can never not be aware I can’t

now I can never not be aware I can’t

now I can never not be aware I can’t afford to be unaware I accept that

afford to be unaware I accept that

afford to be unaware I accept that responsibility in the theatre and

responsibility in the theatre and

responsibility in the theatre and outside it I realized now that if I

outside it I realized now that if I

outside it I realized now that if I don’t actively change how I think about

don’t actively change how I think about

don’t actively change how I think about the world then I will become an adult

the world then I will become an adult

the world then I will become an adult who is naive

who is naive

who is naive continue to do things the way that I’m

continue to do things the way that I’m

continue to do things the way that I’m used to them being done when I grow up

Peter teaches us how to empathize and

Peter teaches us how to empathize and how to love and everyone should be able

how to love and everyone should be able

how to love and everyone should be able to experience that I’m so fortunate to

to experience that I’m so fortunate to

to experience that I’m so fortunate to have found my own power as a young woman

have found my own power as a young woman

have found my own power as a young woman in this discussion of making theatre not

in this discussion of making theatre not

in this discussion of making theatre not a privilege but a right for all you are

a privilege but a right for all you are

a privilege but a right for all you are capable of enacting change no matter

capable of enacting change no matter

capable of enacting change no matter your age being an adult doesn’t grant

your age being an adult doesn’t grant

your age being an adult doesn’t grant you some special permission to make a

you some special permission to make a

you some special permission to make a difference in fact there are some of

difference in fact there are some of

difference in fact there are some of those who don’t know how to at all I’m

those who don’t know how to at all I’m

those who don’t know how to at all I’m not naming any names so to anyone my age

not naming any names so to anyone my age

not naming any names so to anyone my age or even younger don’t think about the

or even younger don’t think about the

or even younger don’t think about the service that you could do for others

service that you could do for others

service that you could do for others when you’re grown up to it now a whole

when you’re grown up to it now a whole

when you’re grown up to it now a whole bunch of your could be friends across

bunch of your could be friends across

bunch of your could be friends across America are counting on you thank you

America are counting on you thank you

America are counting on you thank you [Applause]

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