What makes you special? | Mariana Atencio | TEDxUniversityofNevada
TLDRJournalist Mariana Atencio shares her journey from Venezuela to the United States, reflecting on the challenges and rewards of embracing cultural differences. Growing up in Caracas, her parents sent her to a summer camp in Minnesota, where she faced questions and misconceptions about her background. This experience, along with her high school year in Connecticut and later professional endeavors, taught her the importance of understanding and celebrating diversity. Atencio emphasizes the need to see beyond labels and to recognize the humanity in everyone, regardless of their differences. Her personal story, including her sister's accident and recovery, illustrates the resilience and strength found in individual uniqueness. She calls for a celebration of our differences and an embrace of our shared humanity.
Takeaways
- 🌍 The importance of experiencing different cultures from a young age to broaden one's perspective.
- 👧 The pain of feeling different and the struggle to belong, especially in childhood.
- 🤝 The value of making friends across cultural lines and the effort it can take to connect with others.
- 🏫 The challenges of adjusting to a new environment, like attending high school in a different country.
- 👸 The realization that preconceived notions can limit our understanding of others, as seen with the roommate Fatima.
- 🧐 The need for self-reflection to recognize our own biases and blind spots.
- 💃 Finding and embracing one's unique talents and using them to stand out and gain acceptance.
- 📰 The role of journalism in giving voice to the voiceless and humanizing marginalized groups.
- 🌈 Learning to see beyond labels and differences to recognize the shared humanity in everyone.
- 🤔 The difficulty of understanding and empathizing with others' experiences, especially when they are vastly different from our own.
- 🌟 The power of individual differences in shaping success and the importance of celebrating our uniqueness.
Q & A
Where did the journalist grow up?
-The journalist grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, in South America.
What was the purpose of sending the journalist and her sister to a summer camp in the United States?
-The purpose was to give them a wider view of the world and to experience different cultures.
How did the journalist describe her initial experience at the summer camp in Brainerd, Minnesota?
-The journalist described her initial experience as challenging because of the cultural differences, including being seen as different by the other children and facing questions that showed a lack of understanding of her background.
What was the 'summer camp experiment' that the journalist and her sister participated in?
-The 'summer camp experiment' involved spending eight years in different cities, attending summer camps to immerse themselves in various cultures and environments.
How did the journalist's high school experience in Wallingford, Connecticut differ from her expectations?
-The journalist expected a popular American high school experience similar to the TV show 'Saved by the Bell,' but instead faced a reality where she had to confront her own prejudices when she was assigned a Muslim roommate from Bahrain.
What was the turning point for the journalist in realizing the importance of embracing differences?
-The turning point was when she offered a dance class, inspired by Shakira, at a talent show and received an overwhelmingly positive response, making her feel special rather than different.
Why did the journalist's father suggest she leave Venezuela to pursue her career in journalism?
-The journalist's father suggested she leave due to the increasing censorship and shutdown of the largest television station in Venezuela, which limited her opportunities to practice journalism freely and safely.
How did the journalist's perspective on 'the other' change after covering the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election?
-After covering the election and witnessing the fear and uncertainty faced by undocumented families, including a young girl worried about her mother's deportation, the journalist realized the depth of division and the urgency to humanize and validate the experiences of marginalized communities.
What personal tragedy did the journalist's sister experience, and how did it affect the journalist's perspective on differences?
-The journalist's sister was in a car accident that left her with a high probability of never walking again. This tragedy made the journalist realize that some differences are difficult to find positivity in, but it also taught her that those differences should not define a person.
What message does the journalist advocate for at the end of her speech?
-The journalist advocates for celebrating our differences, defending the human race, and being humanists. She encourages people to embrace their uniqueness and to be curious about the differences in others.
How does the journalist's personal journey reflect the broader theme of her speech?
-The journalist's personal journey, from her experiences as a child in a foreign land, to her realizations as a teenager and later as a professional journalist, reflects the broader theme of embracing and celebrating differences as a path to understanding and unity.
Outlines
🌍 Cultural Exchange and Personal Growth
The journalist Mariana shares her journey from Venezuela to the United States, highlighting her experiences with cultural immersion and the importance of understanding different perspectives. Her story begins with her childhood in Caracas and her parents' decision to send her and her sister to a summer camp in the U.S. to broaden their worldview. Despite initial challenges, such as language barriers and cultural differences, Mariana embraces the American way of life and learns the value of belonging and acceptance. This experience shapes her future career as a journalist and her desire to challenge stereotypes and promote understanding.
🤔 Recognizing Blind Spots and Embracing Differences
Mariana reflects on her high school experience in Connecticut, where she initially struggles to connect with her roommate Fatima, a Muslim girl from Bahrain. This encounter makes Mariana confront her own prejudices and the dehumanizing effect of labeling someone as 'different.' She emphasizes the need to recognize and embrace one's unique traits as a first step towards appreciating the distinctive qualities in others. Mariana's realization comes when she successfully offers a dance class at a school talent show, which makes her feel special rather than different. This leads her to reconsider her initial judgment of Fatima and to understand the importance of seeing beyond superficial differences.
🏛️ Journalism and the Quest for Understanding
Mariana's journey continues as she becomes a journalist, motivated by her experiences and a desire to change negative perceptions about her home country and people from similar backgrounds. She recounts the challenges she faced when the Venezuelan government shut down the largest TV station, prompting her to leave her country and pursue her career in the U.S. Mariana expresses disappointment with the persistence of racial tensions despite the historic election of President Barack Obama, questioning why such divisions remain in a country that should be inclusive for all. Her experiences as an immigrant and a journalist provide her with a unique perspective on the importance of dialogue and understanding in bridging societal divides.
😢 Compassion and the Human Experience
Mariana discusses the profound impact of her sister's life-altering car accident, which resulted in a long and painful rehabilitation process. This event teaches her about the hardships of dealing with differences that are not easily overcome. However, it also reinforces the lesson that one should not be defined by their limitations. Mariana calls for a celebration of individual differences and the shared humanity that unites us all. She encourages the audience to stand up for humanism and to embrace the unique qualities that make each person special. Her story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of empathy and understanding in creating a more inclusive world.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Journalist
💡Cultural Experience
💡Diversity
💡Stereotype
💡Belonging
💡Difference
💡Refugee
💡Racial Tensions
💡Immigration
💡Humanism
💡Censorship
Highlights
The journalist's journey began in Venezuela, a place of magic and wonder, and was shaped by a desire for a wider view of the world.
At age seven, the speaker was sent to a summer camp in the United States to experience different cultures.
The initial cultural shock of being different led to a realization of the importance of embracing one's uniqueness.
The experience of feeling like an outsider at summer camp and later in high school was a catalyst for personal growth.
The concept of 'the other' was challenged by the realization that everyone has unique qualities that should be celebrated.
The importance of making an effort to belong and connect with others, despite differences, was emphasized.
The speaker's high school experience in Connecticut with a Muslim roommate from Bahrain further highlighted the theme of difference.
A talent show in high school where the speaker offered a dance class demonstrated the value of one's cultural background.
The realization that differences should be embraced, not just tolerated, led to a change in perspective about others.
The journalist's career choice was influenced by a commitment to understanding and sharing diverse perspectives.
The political climate in Venezuela and the shutdown of a major TV station influenced the speaker's decision to move to the U.S.
The experience of being an immigrant and a refugee at 24 years old highlighted the complexities of the 'other' label.
The coverage of President Barack Obama's election was a significant moment that challenged the speaker's assumptions about America.
The election of Donald Trump underscored the deep divisions and the perception of certain groups as 'the other' in society.
The importance of dialogue and understanding different perspectives to avoid repeating mistakes was stressed.
The journalist's coverage of the 2016 election included spending time with undocumented families, highlighting their vulnerability.
The personal tragedy of the speaker's sister's accident and the public's changed perception of her deepened the speaker's empathy.
The sister's recovery journey and the lessons learned about not letting differences define you were powerful takeaways.
The final message was one of celebrating our differences and being humanists, advocating for the human race.
Transcripts
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