0:00:20.210,0:00:21.461
Hello, everybody.

0:00:21.461,0:00:25.221
It's great to be here[br]on stage at TEDxSpokane.

0:00:26.221,0:00:29.530
(Cheers) (Applause)

0:00:31.471,0:00:33.181
That's encouraging.

0:00:34.631,0:00:36.731
I'm really nervous right now.

0:00:38.561,0:00:42.982
But let me explain by telling you[br]a little bit about myself and my story.

0:00:44.102,0:00:47.902
I've always considered myself[br]as having two different identities.

0:00:47.902,0:00:53.401
The first and more natural identity[br]is a shy and awkward high school freshman.

0:00:53.741,0:00:56.086
I'm not very popular in school,

0:00:56.086,0:00:59.006
and I try to avoid[br]drawing attention to myself.

0:00:59.446,0:01:03.262
In fact, nobody at school[br]even knows that I'm here today.

0:01:03.262,0:01:05.740
They all just think that I'm homesick.

0:01:05.740,0:01:09.811
So let's just keep this whole[br]TED Talk thing between us, okay?

0:01:09.811,0:01:10.971
(Laughter)

0:01:10.971,0:01:11.971
Great.

0:01:11.971,0:01:14.231
But anyway, I think this persona,

0:01:14.231,0:01:16.561
the one that you're seeing[br]on stage right now

0:01:16.561,0:01:19.421
started taking shape[br]when I was just a little kid.

0:01:19.971,0:01:21.487
As long as I can remember,

0:01:21.487,0:01:23.242
whenever I wasn't in school,

0:01:23.242,0:01:26.762
I was always making[br]silly home movies with my Dad.

0:01:26.762,0:01:28.241
As time passed,

0:01:28.241,0:01:31.181
we started using video to tell stories.

0:01:31.181,0:01:33.731
And this was back when[br]Facebook and YouTube

0:01:33.731,0:01:35.321
were just getting started.

0:01:35.321,0:01:39.492
So nobody really knew much[br]about social media or online video.

0:01:39.492,0:01:42.672
So I started screening[br]my work in film festivals[br]

0:01:42.672,0:01:44.931
when I was about eight years old.

0:01:45.341,0:01:46.901
When I was in the fourth grade,

0:01:46.901,0:01:48.431
something that was bothering me

0:01:48.431,0:01:50.901
was the lunch being served[br]at my elementary school.

0:01:51.321,0:01:54.061
I asked my parents[br]if I could pack my own lunch,

0:01:54.061,0:01:56.506
but they wanted me[br]to eat the school lunch.

0:01:56.506,0:02:00.459
They saw the monthly menu published[br]by the Department of Education

0:02:00.459,0:02:02.922
and thought the food sounded amazing.

0:02:02.922,0:02:05.552
I told them that's not[br]what I was actually being served,

0:02:05.552,0:02:07.450
but, of course, they didn't believe me.

0:02:07.450,0:02:11.080
So I started sneaking a small[br]video camera into the lunch room,

0:02:11.080,0:02:12.784
and over the next six months,

0:02:12.784,0:02:15.141
I recorded pictures of my school lunch

0:02:15.141,0:02:18.691
and then compared them[br]to what was being advertised on the menu.

0:02:18.691,0:02:21.162
We turned that footage[br]into a short film called

0:02:21.162,0:02:25.173
"YUCK! A Fourth Grader's Short[br]Documentary About School Lunch."

0:02:25.363,0:02:27.503
(Video) Zachary Maxwell:[br]For this operation,

0:02:27.503,0:02:30.232
I was going to have to go way undercover.

0:02:30.232,0:02:32.643
I thought I'd use a few small HD cameras[br]

0:02:32.643,0:02:35.353
that I could easily fit into my pocket.

0:02:35.643,0:02:37.228
That way, I could sneak shots

0:02:37.228,0:02:40.068
when the lunch monitors weren't looking.

0:02:40.068,0:02:42.023
I had to keep a low profile

0:02:42.023,0:02:46.623
because according to the School[br]Chancellor's Regulation A-640:

0:02:46.623,0:02:50.763
filming in school facilities[br]during school hours is only allowed

0:02:50.763,0:02:52.792
with the Principal's permission.

0:02:52.792,0:02:56.503
I really like our principal[br]but she runs a pretty tight ship,

0:02:56.503,0:02:58.933
and I don't think she's going to approve.

0:02:58.933,0:03:00.698
Needless to say ...

0:03:00.698,0:03:03.985
I could get in big trouble for this.

0:03:06.064,0:03:07.834
(On stage) ZM: Here's what happened.

0:03:07.834,0:03:10.203
The film ran in a bunch of film festivals,

0:03:10.203,0:03:13.043
the New York Times[br]ran a feature story on the project,

0:03:13.043,0:03:16.232
and that sparked[br]international media attention.

0:03:16.232,0:03:17.520
The school's Chancellor

0:03:17.520,0:03:20.580
had to make a public statement[br]about what was going on.

0:03:20.580,0:03:24.904
They created a student feedback committee[br]to work with the food service managers.

0:03:24.908,0:03:26.486
And my school ...

0:03:26.486,0:03:28.203
got a salad bar.

0:03:28.203,0:03:30.763
(Laughter)

0:03:30.763,0:03:33.703
(Applause)

0:03:33.703,0:03:37.694
I'm not huge fan of salad[br]but that's not the point.

0:03:37.694,0:03:41.583
The point is that the film[br]raised awareness and caused change.

0:03:41.583,0:03:44.953
And it was at that moment[br]that my second identity was born.

0:03:44.953,0:03:49.174
Zachary Maxwell: Fearless Kid Filmmaker.

0:03:50.354,0:03:52.304
Meanwhile, right around this time,

0:03:52.304,0:03:56.146
my other self was learning about[br]how government was supposed to work.

0:03:56.688,0:03:57.792
What I was being taught

0:03:57.792,0:04:00.698
was that government is supposed[br]to work for the people,

0:04:00.698,0:04:03.327
and regular people are supposed[br]to have the power

0:04:03.327,0:04:05.511
to tell the government what to do.

0:04:05.511,0:04:09.034
If you were a concerned citizen,[br]the solution was simple.

0:04:09.034,0:04:11.281
Just like we learned[br]in "School House Rock,"

0:04:11.281,0:04:13.335
you would call your elected official,

0:04:13.335,0:04:16.803
they would listen to your problem,[br]and then they would make a law.

0:04:17.053,0:04:19.830
But it seems to me[br]that somewhere along the way

0:04:19.830,0:04:22.344
that simple process became broken.

0:04:22.344,0:04:24.896
Because today, I think most politicians

0:04:24.896,0:04:29.104
only listen to rich and powerful donors[br]or special interest groups.

0:04:29.104,0:04:31.416
So I started wondering[br]if there was a better way

0:04:31.416,0:04:33.744
to get the attention of elected officials

0:04:33.744,0:04:36.776
and make them aware of the problems[br]that were important to me -

0:04:37.136,0:04:40.296
a regular shy and awkward[br]kid from Brooklyn.

0:04:40.946,0:04:43.845
For example, I want to tell you[br]about a problem that I had

0:04:43.845,0:04:45.545
when I was in the sixth grade.

0:04:46.535,0:04:49.776
Sometimes in New York City,[br]we get very brutal winters.

0:04:50.176,0:04:53.593
We get pounded with snow,[br]dangerous temperatures,

0:04:53.595,0:04:56.935
and pretty much[br]the entire city has to shut down.

0:04:57.670,0:05:01.504
Everything except, of course,[br]New York City Public Schools.

0:05:02.214,0:05:03.936
Nope. We never close.

0:05:03.936,0:05:07.497
Not even when the Governor[br]declares a state of emergency.

0:05:08.137,0:05:10.166
Well, I wanted to figure out why.

0:05:10.166,0:05:12.146
So enter my second identity.

0:05:12.146,0:05:14.745
I started writing letters, sending emails,

0:05:14.745,0:05:17.945
and making short video messages[br]to the people in charge.

0:05:17.945,0:05:21.515
And I did this for months[br]but nobody would respond to me.

0:05:21.515,0:05:24.046
They all thought[br]I was some crazy sixth grader.

0:05:24.046,0:05:25.396
And you know what?

0:05:25.396,0:05:28.175
They were right![br]And I kept coming at them.

0:05:29.585,0:05:32.725
(Video starts) (Phone ringing)

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Phone voice: Press Office. Hello?

0:05:40.915,0:05:45.409
ZM: Hello, my name is Zachary Maxwell[br]and I'm a documentary filmmaker.

0:05:45.409,0:05:48.459
Right now, I'm working on[br]a project about snow days,

0:05:48.459,0:05:51.786
and I've sent a number[br]of letters and emails

0:05:52.186,0:05:57.167
requesting an on-camera interview[br]with the Chancellor.

0:05:57.547,0:06:00.598
PV: Okay.[br]When did you send these letters?

0:06:00.598,0:06:02.675
ZM: Like, for the last three months.

0:06:02.675,0:06:04.257
PV: Three months? Alright.

0:06:04.257,0:06:07.877
Let me check and see [br]if she's received them

0:06:07.877,0:06:10.568
and someone's looking into that for you.

0:06:10.568,0:06:11.926
ZM: Thank you so much.

0:06:11.926,0:06:14.308
PV: Thank you, Zach. No problem.

0:06:15.508,0:06:16.536
ZM: Bye.

0:06:20.426,0:06:22.565
(On stage) ZM: And here's what happened.

0:06:22.565,0:06:25.179
I finally started bothering[br]the right people,

0:06:25.179,0:06:27.351
and they helped me[br]get meetings with officials

0:06:27.351,0:06:30.905
in charge of both city sanitation[br]and emergency management.

0:06:30.905,0:06:32.505
And believe it or not,

0:06:32.505,0:06:34.974
I was eventually invited to City Hall

0:06:34.974,0:06:38.935
for a one-on-one sit-down interview[br]with the Mayor of New York City

0:06:38.935,0:06:41.805
where I grilled him[br]on his decision-making process.

0:06:41.805,0:06:44.305
(Laughter)

0:06:44.305,0:06:47.805
Later that year, the resulting film[br]"Anatomy of a Snow Day"

0:06:47.805,0:06:50.998
premiered in the country's[br]largest documentary film festival,

0:06:50.998,0:06:54.004
and it's also drawn[br]a lot of positive attention.

0:06:54.004,0:06:55.536
But more importantly,

0:06:55.536,0:06:59.365
the film raised awareness[br]about how our city works.

0:07:00.479,0:07:03.869
We all hear about how technology[br]today is so advanced,

0:07:03.869,0:07:06.279
and just about anybody can make a film

0:07:06.279,0:07:09.748
as long as they have a cell phone[br]and a modest computer.

0:07:10.258,0:07:11.538
Well, unfortunately,

0:07:11.538,0:07:13.839
what I've been seeing[br]is that most kids my age

0:07:13.839,0:07:18.230
are just wasting this opportunity[br]and only using this technology

0:07:18.230,0:07:20.860
to do things like record themselves[br]playing video games

0:07:20.860,0:07:23.080
or babbling about their life.

0:07:23.080,0:07:25.676
When I think we can[br]be using this technology

0:07:25.676,0:07:27.778
to flex our creative muscles

0:07:27.778,0:07:30.288
and highlight real issues[br]in our community.

0:07:30.288,0:07:33.717
Because what I've started learning[br]with the stuff that I've been doing is

0:07:33.717,0:07:37.306
if you work really hard to create[br]something interesting and unique,

0:07:37.306,0:07:38.836
people pay attention.

0:07:38.836,0:07:42.028
And when enough people[br]begin to pay attention to an issue,

0:07:42.028,0:07:44.242
elected officials pay attention.

0:07:44.242,0:07:47.431
And when that begins to happen,[br]change can happen.

0:07:48.551,0:07:50.922
I want to give you just one more example.

0:07:51.692,0:07:53.442
This is my little brother Lucas.

0:07:53.442,0:07:57.052
He goes to the same[br]elementary school that I went to.

0:07:57.052,0:07:59.392
The lunches are much better now.

0:07:59.392,0:08:01.211
You're welcome, Lucas.

0:08:02.071,0:08:04.534
But anyways, he was scared of the traffic

0:08:04.534,0:08:07.517
at a dangerous intersection[br]near his school.

0:08:07.517,0:08:10.123
So earlier this year,[br]I helped him make a video

0:08:10.123,0:08:13.542
to send to the Commissioner[br]of Transportation for New York City.

0:08:13.542,0:08:14.619
Now, look.

0:08:14.619,0:08:17.686
When you're going after somebody[br]very busy and important,

0:08:17.686,0:08:19.243
you have to grab their attention

0:08:19.243,0:08:22.603
with a concise, yet compelling[br]title for your video.

0:08:22.603,0:08:24.973
So we decided to title this one ...

0:08:24.973,0:08:28.332
"Dear Polly Trottenberg:[br]Urgent Imminent Death."

0:08:28.332,0:08:29.602
(Laughter)

0:08:29.602,0:08:32.627
(Video) Lucas: When I leave school[br]with my friends and family,

0:08:32.627,0:08:36.173
sometimes we have to walk[br]to the downtown six train.

0:08:36.643,0:08:39.863
To get there, we walk north[br]on Centre Street,

0:08:39.863,0:08:43.593
then we go west on Kenmare Street[br]to Lafayette Street.

0:08:43.593,0:08:45.231
Or as I like to call it ...

0:08:45.231,0:08:47.663
The "Corner of Death."

0:08:47.663,0:08:49.583
(Children screaming)

0:08:49.583,0:08:52.333
Okay. There's a big problem[br]at this corner.

0:08:52.993,0:08:56.593
When westbound vehicles[br]on Kenmare get to Lafayette,

0:08:56.593,0:08:58.503
they have to merge left.

0:08:58.503,0:09:00.692
But when they get to the intersection,

0:09:00.692,0:09:05.154
all they see is a green light[br]and a big sign that says "all traffic."

0:09:05.154,0:09:08.254
So when they make the turn,[br]they don't even realize

0:09:08.254,0:09:12.314
that kids with the walk sign[br]are trying to cross Lafayette.

0:09:12.314,0:09:15.853
And since they drive real fast[br]and there are two lanes,

0:09:15.853,0:09:20.242
sometimes, they don't even see us[br]until it's too late.

0:09:20.752,0:09:23.724
(Singing) La la la la la.

0:09:24.408,0:09:26.298
(Screeching tires)

0:09:28.775,0:09:29.975
(Gasp!)

0:09:29.975,0:09:32.294
Kid: Oh no! They killed Lucas!

0:09:32.294,0:09:36.325
Lucas: Ugh. Uh. I'm not dead[br]but I'm hurt really bad.

0:09:36.325,0:09:37.595
(Sirening)

0:09:37.595,0:09:39.916
It's okay, everybody. I'm fine.

0:09:39.916,0:09:42.783
But it could have been a lot worse.

0:09:43.396,0:09:46.788
(Groans) Ugh. Uh.

0:09:48.288,0:09:51.504
Oh the pain! Oh the pain!

0:09:51.504,0:09:53.517
Go away from the light.

0:09:53.517,0:09:57.467
Agghh. Go away from the light. Aggh.

0:09:58.246,0:10:00.395
(Laughter)

0:10:00.395,0:10:03.368
(On stage) ZM: I think you[br]already know where this is heading,

0:10:03.368,0:10:05.167
but let me tell you what happened.

0:10:05.167,0:10:07.556
The video drew a lot of attention.

0:10:07.556,0:10:11.985
The City Council got involved[br]and the Dep. of Transportation responded.

0:10:11.985,0:10:14.776
The Commissioner invited Lucas[br]to a press conference

0:10:14.776,0:10:17.946
where she announced[br]all kinds of new changes to the corner,

0:10:17.946,0:10:21.226
including new traffic lights,[br]new crosswalk markings,

0:10:21.226,0:10:24.726
and a 12-second head-start signal[br]for pedestrians.

0:10:24.726,0:10:26.936
Lucas was a hero for 15 minutes,

0:10:26.936,0:10:28.806
but most importantly,

0:10:28.806,0:10:33.509
that corner is now infinitely safer[br]for millions of pedestrians.

0:10:34.767,0:10:37.787
(Applause)

0:10:40.067,0:10:42.287
You have the power to do this too.

0:10:42.287,0:10:43.957
Even if you're just a kid,

0:10:43.957,0:10:46.398
you have the ability[br]to make meaningful change

0:10:46.398,0:10:47.738
in your community.

0:10:47.738,0:10:52.107
Think about something in your hometown[br]right now that's always bothered you.

0:10:52.107,0:10:54.357
Do the cars drive too fast?

0:10:54.357,0:10:56.688
Is there too much litter?

0:10:56.688,0:11:00.508
Should lightsaber dueling[br]be a varsity sport at your high school?

0:11:01.168,0:11:02.969
Yes. Yes, it should.

0:11:03.719,0:11:09.007
Then find a creative and interesting way[br]to tell the story of that problem.

0:11:09.517,0:11:12.357
I make films, but maybe[br]that's not your thing.

0:11:12.357,0:11:15.358
You can write a poem, compose a song,

0:11:15.358,0:11:17.688
take some pictures, paint your canvas.

0:11:17.688,0:11:19.864
It doesn't matter[br]how you express yourself,

0:11:19.864,0:11:21.768
just that you do it with passion,

0:11:21.768,0:11:23.734
and that it's in your own unique voice,

0:11:23.734,0:11:25.887
in a way that only you can say it.

0:11:25.887,0:11:28.268
And once you're done[br]with your masterpiece,

0:11:28.268,0:11:29.958
share it with the world.

0:11:29.958,0:11:31.378
Post it online.

0:11:31.378,0:11:33.797
Generate buzz through social media.

0:11:33.797,0:11:37.037
Send it to your TV station[br]or the local newspaper.

0:11:37.037,0:11:39.148
You have to make some noise.

0:11:39.148,0:11:40.918
But most importantly,

0:11:40.918,0:11:44.548
go directly after the people[br]that hold the power.

0:11:44.548,0:11:46.908
Don't be afraid to call somebody out.

0:11:46.908,0:11:48.238
Name names.

0:11:48.238,0:11:51.189
Shine the spotlight on the issue[br]and the people in charge,

0:11:51.189,0:11:54.128
and I promise you they will pay attention.

0:11:54.128,0:11:57.078
Because the fact is, we're no longer[br]living in the simple days

0:11:57.078,0:11:58.448
of just sitting back

0:11:58.448,0:12:01.088
and hoping that our government[br]is going to work for us.

0:12:01.088,0:12:02.898
You need to make it happen.

0:12:02.898,0:12:05.997
So even if you're shy and quiet like me,

0:12:05.997,0:12:08.019
find that other side of you.

0:12:08.019,0:12:09.589
Be bold.

0:12:09.589,0:12:11.229
Be creative.

0:12:11.229,0:12:13.079
Be fearless.

0:12:13.079,0:12:16.790
Channel your inner badass[br]and make change.

0:12:16.790,0:12:20.558
(Applause) (Cheers)

0:12:37.459,0:12:39.289
Thanks. Thanks, everyone.

0:12:39.289,0:12:40.449
And with that,

0:12:40.449,0:12:43.569
I guess I'm going to head back home now

0:12:43.569,0:12:47.419
and resume my other life[br]as a shy and awkward ninth grader.

0:12:47.419,0:12:48.709
(Laughter)

0:12:48.709,0:12:50.169
Thanks again.

0:12:50.169,0:12:53.129
(Applause) (Cheers)