Special Olympics let me be myself -- a champion
-
0:01 - 0:03Hello.
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0:03 - 0:05My name is Matthew Williams,
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0:05 - 0:07and I am a champion.
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0:08 - 0:10I have won medals
in three different sports -
0:10 - 0:13and national games in Canada,
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0:13 - 0:17competed at the international
level in basketball -
0:17 - 0:20and was proud to represent Canada
-
0:20 - 0:21on the world stage.
-
0:21 - 0:26(Applause)
-
0:27 - 0:31I train five days a week
for basketball and speed skating, -
0:31 - 0:34work with top quality coaches
-
0:34 - 0:36and mental performance consultants
-
0:36 - 0:39to be at my best in my sport.
-
0:41 - 0:45By the way, all that
is through Special Olympics. -
0:45 - 0:47Does that change the way you think of me
-
0:47 - 0:49and my accomplishments?
-
0:51 - 0:55The world does not see
all people like me as champions. -
0:56 - 1:01Not long ago, people like me
were shunned and hidden away. -
1:02 - 1:07There has been lots of change
since Special Olympics began in 1968, -
1:07 - 1:10but in too many cases,
-
1:10 - 1:12people with intellectual disabilities
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1:12 - 1:16are invisible to the wider population.
-
1:18 - 1:22People use the r-word in front of me,
and they think it doesn't matter. -
1:23 - 1:26That's the word "retard" or "retarded"
-
1:26 - 1:28used in a derogatory manner.
-
1:29 - 1:34They're not thinking about how much
it hurts me and my friends. -
1:36 - 1:40I don't want you to think
I'm here because I'm a charity case. -
1:40 - 1:44I am here because there is still
a big problem with the way -
1:44 - 1:49many people see individuals
with intellectual disabilities, -
1:50 - 1:51or, too often,
-
1:51 - 1:53how they don't see them at all.
-
1:54 - 1:57Did you know the World Games
happened this year? -
1:58 - 2:04I was one of over 6,500 athletes
with intellectual disabilities -
2:04 - 2:09from 165 countries who competed in LA.
-
2:09 - 2:14There was over 62,000 spectators
watching opening ceremonies, -
2:14 - 2:19and there was live coverage
on TSN and ESPN. -
2:19 - 2:21Did you even know that happened?
-
2:24 - 2:26What do you think of
when you see someone like me? -
2:28 - 2:31I am here today to challenge you
-
2:31 - 2:33to look at us as equals.
-
2:35 - 2:39Special Olympics transforms
the self-identity of athletes -
2:39 - 2:42with intellectual disabilities
-
2:42 - 2:45and the perceptions of everyone watching.
-
2:46 - 2:48For those of you who aren't familiar,
-
2:48 - 2:53Special Olympics is for athletes
with intellectual disabilities. -
2:55 - 2:59Special Olympics is separate
from the Paralympics and Olympics. -
3:00 - 3:04We offer high-quality,
year round sports programs -
3:04 - 3:07for people with intellectual disabilities
-
3:07 - 3:10that changes lives and perceptions.
-
3:12 - 3:15This movement has changed my life
-
3:15 - 3:18and those of so many others.
-
3:18 - 3:20And it has changed the way
-
3:20 - 3:24the world sees people
with intellectual disabilities. -
3:25 - 3:30I was born with epilepsy
and an intellectual disability. -
3:31 - 3:35Growing up, I played hockey
until I was 12 years old. -
3:37 - 3:40The older I got, the more I felt
-
3:40 - 3:43it was harder to keep up
with everyone else, -
3:43 - 3:46and I was angry and frustrated.
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3:48 - 3:51For a while, I did not play any sports,
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3:51 - 3:53didn't have many friends
-
3:53 - 3:56and felt left out and sad.
-
3:58 - 4:02There was a time when people
with intellectual disabilities -
4:03 - 4:05were hidden away from society.
-
4:07 - 4:10No one thought they could
participate in sports, -
4:10 - 4:13let alone be a valued member of society.
-
4:15 - 4:19In the 1960s, Dr. Frank Hayden,
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4:19 - 4:22a scientist at the University of Toronto,
-
4:22 - 4:26was studying the effects
of regular exercise -
4:26 - 4:31on the fitness levels of children
with intellectual disabilities. -
4:32 - 4:35Using rigorous scientific research,
-
4:35 - 4:38Dr. Hayden and other researchers
-
4:38 - 4:40came to the conclusion
-
4:40 - 4:44that it was simply the lack
of opportunity to participate -
4:44 - 4:46that caused their fitness
levels to suffer. -
4:48 - 4:53Lots of people doubted
that people with intellectual disabilities -
4:53 - 4:56could benefit from fitness programs
-
4:56 - 4:59and sports competition opportunities.
-
5:00 - 5:05But pioneers like Dr. Hayden
and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, -
5:05 - 5:07the founder of Special Olympics,
-
5:07 - 5:09persevered,
-
5:09 - 5:12and Special Olympics athletes
have proved them right -
5:12 - 5:15four and a half million times over.
-
5:16 - 5:21(Applause)
-
5:21 - 5:24Before I joined Special Olympics,
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5:24 - 5:25I was nervous
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5:25 - 5:29because I was young, shy, not confident
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5:29 - 5:31and didn't have many friends.
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5:33 - 5:36When I got there, though,
everyone was very encouraging, -
5:36 - 5:40supportive, and let me be myself
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5:40 - 5:41without being judged.
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5:43 - 5:47Now, I am a basketball player
and speed skater -
5:47 - 5:51who has competed
at provincial, national games, -
5:51 - 5:56and this year made it all the way
to the World Summer Games in LA, -
5:56 - 5:59where I was part of the first ever
Canadian basketball team -
6:00 - 6:02to compete at World Games.
-
6:02 - 6:06(Applause)
-
6:10 - 6:14I am one of more than four and a half
million athletes around the globe, -
6:14 - 6:17and I've heard so many similar stories.
-
6:18 - 6:20Being Special Olympics athletes
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6:20 - 6:23restores our pride and dignity.
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6:25 - 6:29Special Olympics also addresses
critical health needs. -
6:30 - 6:33Studies have shown that, on average,
-
6:33 - 6:36men with intellectual disabilities
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6:36 - 6:40die 13 years younger than men without,
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6:40 - 6:43and women with intellectual disabilities
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6:43 - 6:45die 20 years younger than women without.
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6:47 - 6:49Special Olympics keeps us healthy
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6:49 - 6:51by getting us active
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6:51 - 6:53and participating in sport.
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6:54 - 6:59Also, our coaches teach us
about nutrition and health. -
7:01 - 7:04Special Olympics also provides
free health screening -
7:04 - 7:09for athletes who have difficulty
communicating with their doctor -
7:09 - 7:11or accessing health care.
-
7:13 - 7:16At the 2015 World Summer Games,
-
7:16 - 7:21my Team Canada teammates and I
played the Nigerian basketball team. -
7:22 - 7:24The day before our game,
-
7:24 - 7:29the Nigerian basketball team went to
the World Games Healthy Athlete screening, -
7:30 - 7:32where seven of 10 members
-
7:32 - 7:34were given hearing aids for free
-
7:34 - 7:38and got to hear clearly
for the first time. -
7:38 - 7:42(Applause)
-
7:47 - 7:49The change in them was amazing.
-
7:50 - 7:54They were more excited,
happy and confident, -
7:54 - 7:57because their coach could
vocally communicate with them. -
7:58 - 7:59And they were emotional
-
7:59 - 8:02because they could hear
the sounds of the basketball, -
8:02 - 8:04the sounds of the whistle
-
8:04 - 8:07and the cheering fans in the stands --
-
8:07 - 8:10sounds that we take for granted.
-
8:12 - 8:16Special Olympics is transforming more
than just the athlete in their sport. -
8:17 - 8:21Special Olympics is transforming
their lives off the field. -
8:23 - 8:26This year, research findings showed
-
8:26 - 8:29that nearly half of the adults in the US
-
8:29 - 8:33don't know a single person
with an intellectual disability, -
8:34 - 8:36and the 44 percent of Americans
-
8:36 - 8:40who don't have personal contact
with intellectual disabilities -
8:41 - 8:45are significantly
less accepting and positive. -
8:46 - 8:48Then there's the r-word,
-
8:48 - 8:51proving that people
with intellectual disabilities -
8:51 - 8:53are still invisible
-
8:53 - 8:55to far too many people.
-
8:57 - 9:00People use it as a casual
term or an insult. -
9:01 - 9:04It was tweeted more than
nine million times last year, -
9:04 - 9:06and it is deeply hurtful
-
9:06 - 9:11to me and my four and a half million
fellow athletes around the planet. -
9:13 - 9:15People don't think it's insulting,
-
9:15 - 9:16but it is.
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9:18 - 9:23As my fellow athlete and global messenger
John Franklin Stephens wrote -
9:23 - 9:26in an open letter to a political pundit
-
9:27 - 9:29who used the r-word as an insult,
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9:30 - 9:33"Come join us someday at Special Olympics.
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9:33 - 9:37See if you walk away
with your heart unchanged." -
9:38 - 9:45(Applause)
-
9:48 - 9:52This year, at the 2015 World Summer Games,
-
9:52 - 9:54people lined up for hours
-
9:54 - 9:57to get into the final night
of powerlifting competition. -
9:58 - 10:02So it was standing room only
when my teammate Jackie Barrett, -
10:02 - 10:04the Newfoundland Moose,
-
10:04 - 10:08deadlifted 655 pounds
-
10:08 - 10:11and lifted 611 pounds in the squat --
-
10:12 - 10:15(Applause)
-
10:19 - 10:23setting huge new records
for Special Olympics. -
10:24 - 10:29Jackie is a record holder
among all powerlifters in Newfoundland -- -
10:29 - 10:32not just Special Olympics,
all powerlifters. -
10:34 - 10:37Jackie was a huge star in LA,
-
10:37 - 10:41and ESPN live-tweeted
his record-breaking lifts -
10:41 - 10:44and were wowed by his performance.
-
10:45 - 10:51Fifty years ago, few imagined
individuals with intellectual disabilities -
10:51 - 10:53could do anything like that.
-
10:55 - 11:01This year, 60,000 spectators filled
the famous LA Memorial Coliseum -
11:02 - 11:06to watch the opening
ceremonies of World Games -
11:06 - 11:09and cheer athletes from 165 countries
-
11:09 - 11:11around the world.
-
11:12 - 11:14Far from being hidden away,
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11:14 - 11:17we were cheered and celebrated.
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11:19 - 11:22Special Olympics teaches athletes
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11:22 - 11:24to be confident and proud of themselves.
-
11:26 - 11:28Special Olympics teaches the world
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11:28 - 11:31that people with intellectual disabilities
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11:31 - 11:34deserve respect and inclusion.
-
11:34 - 11:39(Applause)
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11:43 - 11:47Now, I have dreams
and achievements in my sport, -
11:47 - 11:49great coaches,
-
11:49 - 11:50respect and dignity,
-
11:51 - 11:52better health,
-
11:52 - 11:56and I am pursuing a career
as a personal trainer. -
11:56 - 12:00(Applause)
-
12:03 - 12:06I am no longer hidden, bullied
-
12:06 - 12:09and I am here doing a TED Talk.
-
12:09 - 12:14(Applause)
-
12:44 - 12:48The world is a different place
because of Special Olympics, -
12:50 - 12:52but there is still farther to go.
-
12:52 - 12:56So the next time you see someone
with an intellectual disability, -
12:56 - 12:59I hope you will see their ability.
-
12:59 - 13:03The next time someone uses
the r-word near you, -
13:03 - 13:05I hope you will tell them
how much it hurts. -
13:06 - 13:11I hope you will think about getting
involved with Special Olympics. -
13:12 - 13:15(Applause)
-
13:15 - 13:18I would like to leave you
with one final thought. -
13:19 - 13:21Nelson Mandela said,
-
13:21 - 13:24"Sports has the power
to change the world." -
13:25 - 13:28Special Olympics is changing the world
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13:28 - 13:31by transforming
four and a half million athletes -
13:32 - 13:34and giving us a place to be confident,
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13:34 - 13:36meet friends,
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13:36 - 13:38not be judged
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13:38 - 13:41and get to feel like and be champions.
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13:41 - 13:43Thank you very much.
-
13:43 - 13:47(Applause)
- Title:
- Special Olympics let me be myself -- a champion
- Speaker:
- Matthew Williams
- Description:
-
How much do you know about intellectual disabilities? Special Olympics champion and ambassador Matthew Williams is proof that athletic competition and the camaraderie it fosters can transform lives, both on and off the field. Together with his fellow athletes, he invites you to join him at the next meet -- and challenges you to walk away with your heart unchanged.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDTalks
- Duration:
- 14:12
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Special Olympics let me be myself -- a champion | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Special Olympics let me be myself -- a champion | ||
Brian Greene approved English subtitles for Special Olympics let me be myself -- a champion | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Special Olympics let me be myself -- a champion | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Special Olympics let me be myself -- a champion | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Special Olympics let me be myself -- a champion | ||
Joanna Pietrulewicz accepted English subtitles for Special Olympics let me be myself -- a champion | ||
Joanna Pietrulewicz edited English subtitles for Special Olympics let me be myself -- a champion |