1 00:00:09,365 --> 00:00:13,164 I moved from Venezuela with my family about three months ago. 2 00:00:13,584 --> 00:00:16,636 And in my first day in Wiregrass, 3 00:00:17,968 --> 00:00:21,203 my history teacher asked us, a really simple question. 4 00:00:21,759 --> 00:00:25,371 "How many of you have ever sent a letter, or an email, 5 00:00:25,371 --> 00:00:28,651 or even called your local representative or senator?" 6 00:00:29,441 --> 00:00:32,281 For a second, everyone stayed silent. 7 00:00:32,281 --> 00:00:35,580 Then someone stood up and said, "I had never done that, 8 00:00:35,580 --> 00:00:38,410 because it won't make a difference; they won't hear that." 9 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:40,821 I was really shocked when I heard that answer, 10 00:00:40,821 --> 00:00:42,851 but everyone seems to agree with it, 11 00:00:43,331 --> 00:00:46,113 like it was a perfectly rational explanation. 12 00:00:47,819 --> 00:00:50,303 I wanted to think that it wasn't a common feeling 13 00:00:50,303 --> 00:00:53,115 among American teens and American youths, 14 00:00:53,115 --> 00:00:57,894 but the thing is that it is a fact that most American teens 15 00:00:59,211 --> 00:01:03,064 do not understand the power their voice and their opinions can have. 16 00:01:04,613 --> 00:01:08,383 In the 2014 mid-term elections, 17 00:01:09,483 --> 00:01:14,103 only 22% of 18 to 29 years old, voted. 18 00:01:14,475 --> 00:01:18,505 Only 22%; 21.5%, if you want to be exact. 19 00:01:20,075 --> 00:01:22,221 In my country, we will never lose an election. 20 00:01:22,221 --> 00:01:25,080 You will see 80% , 90% turnout. 21 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:27,800 People wake up, go to vote, then go home. 22 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,020 I think that's the rational thing to do. 23 00:01:31,020 --> 00:01:35,263 Furthermore, when you look at political interest among millennials, 24 00:01:35,263 --> 00:01:38,602 which are people from 18 to 29 years old, 25 00:01:38,712 --> 00:01:40,272 right now in 2016, 26 00:01:40,542 --> 00:01:44,298 you see that only 26% consider politics and government 27 00:01:44,298 --> 00:01:46,401 one of their top three interests. 28 00:01:46,571 --> 00:01:48,343 What does this tell me? 29 00:01:48,343 --> 00:01:52,919 Most American teens do not worry about what happens in their country. 30 00:01:52,946 --> 00:01:57,405 And just by extension, I see that most Americans do not realise the power 31 00:01:57,405 --> 00:01:59,337 their actions and opinions can have. 32 00:01:59,481 --> 00:02:03,331 You may say, "Who are you to criticize me? 33 00:02:03,331 --> 00:02:05,181 Why are you saying this to me?" 34 00:02:05,355 --> 00:02:09,410 Let me start by saying that in many countries around the world, 35 00:02:10,435 --> 00:02:13,832 you risk your life just by standing up for your beliefs. 36 00:02:14,247 --> 00:02:17,501 You don't have the power to say, "Hey, I don't agree with this," 37 00:02:17,597 --> 00:02:18,942 or "I don't like this.". 38 00:02:19,522 --> 00:02:21,722 This is something really close to my heart 39 00:02:21,722 --> 00:02:25,994 because in 2014, I was part of the protest 40 00:02:26,274 --> 00:02:28,421 that took place in Venezuela. 41 00:02:28,951 --> 00:02:32,121 We went out and we protested against the dictatorial government 42 00:02:33,071 --> 00:02:38,194 that has kept scarcity, crime, and inflation 43 00:02:38,624 --> 00:02:41,084 at the highest rates in the history of our country. 44 00:02:41,142 --> 00:02:44,489 We fought, with banners like this one. 45 00:02:45,161 --> 00:02:49,575 We just wanted to make voices heard, to actually say what we believed in. 46 00:02:50,672 --> 00:02:54,255 And we faced off against police, against the military, 47 00:02:55,085 --> 00:02:57,275 just to stand up for our beliefs. 48 00:02:57,275 --> 00:03:00,365 And this was the government's response; 49 00:03:01,725 --> 00:03:07,056 more than 42 people dead; 20 of them were less than 18 years old. 50 00:03:07,385 --> 00:03:11,962 More than 5,000 injured, 3,000 were jailed, 51 00:03:11,962 --> 00:03:15,581 and more than three million blacklisted, including me and my family. 52 00:03:15,990 --> 00:03:20,329 This is the reason why I left my country, I left everything behind. 53 00:03:20,839 --> 00:03:24,387 We left our family, our friends, and we came here, 54 00:03:24,387 --> 00:03:26,694 and we're living under these conditions. 55 00:03:28,434 --> 00:03:31,724 We agreed to do this, and we accept this, 56 00:03:31,974 --> 00:03:35,085 because here, we have something that we've never had in our lives. 57 00:03:35,725 --> 00:03:37,090 We have freedom. 58 00:03:37,473 --> 00:03:39,955 The freedom to stand up for what we believe in, 59 00:03:40,345 --> 00:03:43,292 and to actually demand our rights. 60 00:03:43,852 --> 00:03:47,304 Our family here has turned their back on us, 61 00:03:48,064 --> 00:03:51,379 we have trouble getting the money to pay bills, 62 00:03:51,379 --> 00:03:55,703 but we will fight to stay here because we want to be free. 63 00:03:57,996 --> 00:04:02,956 This is just my opinion on why I have 64 00:04:03,876 --> 00:04:05,466 the responsibility to tell you 65 00:04:05,466 --> 00:04:09,205 that you can make a change in your country, in your community. 66 00:04:12,073 --> 00:04:16,872 During the 1960s civil rights movement, the words of a man 67 00:04:17,115 --> 00:04:19,822 helped shape the identity of a nation. 68 00:04:20,302 --> 00:04:24,575 "I have a dream" became a mantra for everyone around the world 69 00:04:24,575 --> 00:04:28,675 who wanted to change his reality for the better. 70 00:04:28,675 --> 00:04:32,485 Small actions like a woman who refused to give up her seat on the bus, 71 00:04:34,285 --> 00:04:36,152 helped form a movement 72 00:04:36,152 --> 00:04:39,725 that changed the identity, the whole identity, the whole society 73 00:04:39,725 --> 00:04:41,816 in America for the better. 74 00:04:42,536 --> 00:04:46,216 So please don't say that your actions are too little too late. 75 00:04:46,516 --> 00:04:49,019 Everything that you can do to change society, 76 00:04:49,019 --> 00:04:51,648 to change the world, will matter. 77 00:04:53,012 --> 00:04:55,433 Never, never give up. 78 00:04:55,433 --> 00:04:57,903 And always think positively. 79 00:04:58,433 --> 00:05:01,235 You can go as far as your dreams take you. 80 00:05:02,490 --> 00:05:07,093 And remember that every revolution, all around the world, 81 00:05:07,093 --> 00:05:09,055 starts with a single person. 82 00:05:09,055 --> 00:05:12,692 And I believe that everyone in this room has the power to be that person. 83 00:05:12,692 --> 00:05:13,961 Thank you very much.