Am I a Stereotype? | Ziad Ahmed | TEDxYouth@ISP

Summary

The speaker challenges stereotypes about teenagers, arguing that society's expectations and labels limit their potential. They share personal experiences and those of Malala Yousafzai and Zendaya, showing how young people can make significant impacts on social justice. The speech calls for recognizing the multifaceted nature of youth and empowering them to use their voices for positive change.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The speaker grapples with the contradiction of being told that their generation holds the future while also being labeled as unfocused, lazy, and immoral.
• 👨‍🎓 As a teenager, the speaker feels the pressure of societal expectations that demand them to excel academically, perform in extracurriculars, and conform to various stereotypes.
• 🌐 The script discusses the pervasive stereotypes about millennials and the impact of technology on the perception of today's youth.
• 🌟 The speaker asserts that despite being labeled and stereotyped, they believe in their potential to make a difference, rejecting the idea of being inherently lesser due to their age.
• 📚 The script highlights the importance of not waiting for a 'later' to make an impact, urging that teenagers should engage in activism and social change now.
• 💬 The speaker criticizes the dismissive attitudes of adults who underestimate the intellectual capabilities of teenagers, suggesting that youth are often silenced in important conversations.
• 🌈 Three stories are shared to demonstrate the positive impact teenagers can have: Malala Yousufzai's fight for education, Zendaya's response to a racial slur, and the speaker's own activism through Redefine.
• 🏆 Malala's story is used to show that age is not a barrier to making a significant global impact and winning recognition, such as the Nobel Peace Prize.
• 🔍 Zendaya's response to a derogatory comment about her hair illustrates the power of using one's voice and social media platform to challenge stereotypes and promote cultural pride.
• 🌟 The speaker's personal story with Redefine emphasizes the collective power of teenagers to defy stereotypes and work towards social justice, gaining recognition from influential figures like President Barack Obama.
• 📖 The poem at the end of the script serves as a call to action, encouraging individuals to reject societal pressures to conform and to embrace their unique voices for change.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speech?

The main theme of the speech is challenging the stereotypes associated with teenagers and advocating for the recognition of their potential to effect change and contribute meaningfully to society.

How does the speaker describe the societal expectations placed on teenagers?

The speaker describes societal expectations as contradictory and suffocating, where teenagers are told to achieve excellence in academics and extracurriculars while also being told that their views and opinions are not as valuable as those of adults.

What is the significance of the story of Malala Yousufzai in the speech?

Malala Yousufzai's story is used to demonstrate the power and efficacy of a teenager's activism, showing that age does not limit one's ability to make a significant impact on the world.

How does the speaker address the issue of stereotypes and labels?

The speaker addresses stereotypes and labels by sharing personal experiences of being belittled and marginalized, and by asserting the need to challenge these perceptions to achieve true self-expression and societal change.

What role does social media play in the speech?

Social media is presented as a powerful tool that teenagers can use to share their opinions, challenge stereotypes, and mobilize for social justice, as exemplified by the stories of Malala Yousufzai and Zendaya.

Why does the speaker mention the story of Zendaya's locks at the Oscars?

The story of Zendaya's locks is mentioned to highlight how teenagers can use their platform to challenge ignorance and stereotypes, and to promote positive representation of their culture and identity.

What personal story does the speaker share about their own activism?

The speaker shares their own story of founding an organization called Redefine, which aims to defy stereotypes and promote acceptance, and their journey in using their voice for social justice despite facing challenges and prejudices.

How does the speaker feel about the potential of teenagers to bring about change?

The speaker is optimistic and confident about the potential of teenagers to bring about change, emphasizing that age is not a barrier to activism or leadership.

What is the message conveyed by the poem recited at the end of the speech?

The poem conveys a message of defiance against societal norms and expectations that suppress individuality and creativity, urging people to reject conformity and embrace their unique voices.

How does the speaker suggest teenagers can overcome the challenges they face?

The speaker suggests that teenagers can overcome challenges by using their voices, engaging in activism, leveraging social media, and refusing to be limited by societal stereotypes or expectations.

Outlines

00:00

📱 The Struggle with Teenage Stereotypes

The speaker begins by questioning whether they fit the stereotype of a technology-obsessed, unfocused, and immoral teenager. They express the internal conflict between societal expectations and personal aspirations, highlighting the pressures of adolescence. The speaker challenges the notion of being defined by stereotypes such as being a millennial or a Muslim American teenager. They discuss the unrealistic expectations placed on teenagers, such as excelling academically, participating in extracurriculars, and maintaining a balance in social and personal life. The speaker asserts their belief in their capabilities despite the pervasive stereotypes and societal judgments, emphasizing the need to break free from these constraints and not let age dictate potential.

05:01

🌟 Malala's Activism and the Power of Youth

The second paragraph narrates the story of Malala Yousufzai, a young Pakistani activist who advocated for female education and became a global symbol of courage. Despite being shot by the Taliban for her activism, Malala continued her fight for education after recovery. Her story is used to illustrate the impact a teenager can have, regardless of age. Malala's activism led her to address the United Nations and win the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17. The speaker emphasizes how social media, with its predominantly young user base, can be a powerful tool for change, as seen with the #IAmMalala campaign that spread widely among youth.

10:03

🤔 Challenging Stereotypes: The Power of Social Media

In this paragraph, the speaker recounts the experience of Zendaya, a young actress and activist, who faced a racially insensitive comment about her hair during the Oscars. Zendaya's response, which highlighted the ignorance and offensiveness of the comment, went viral, demonstrating the power of social media to challenge stereotypes and promote positive discourse. The speaker points out that Zendaya's activism, which includes speaking out against cultural appropriation and promoting self-love, has significantly influenced public perception and discourse, showing that teenagers can use their platforms to advance social justice.

15:04

🌍 Teen Activism and Global Impact

The final paragraph is a personal narrative by the speaker, who introduces themselves as a 14-year-old activist named Odd Ahmed. They discuss their journey with Redefine, an organization that challenges stereotypes and promotes acceptance. The speaker emphasizes that age should not be a barrier to activism and that teenagers have a unique perspective and skills to influence change. They share their experiences, including a meeting with President Barack Obama, to inspire others to engage in activism. The speaker concludes with a poem that reflects on societal expectations and the importance of individuality and authenticity over conformity.

Keywords

💡Stereotype

A stereotype is a widely held but oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. In the context of the video, the speaker discusses how teenagers are often stereotyped as unfocused, lazy, and immoral, which contradicts the societal expectation that they will shape the future. The speaker challenges these stereotypes by highlighting the potential and achievements of young people, such as Malala Yousufzai and Zendaya, who have made significant impacts despite their age.

💡Adolescence

Adolescence refers to the period of life when a child is developing into an adult, typically including the teenage years. The video script mentions 'purgatory that is adolescence' to describe the complex and challenging experiences faced by teenagers, who are expected to navigate societal expectations and personal growth while also dealing with the pressures of school, extracurricular activities, and identity formation.

💡Activism

Activism is the policy or action of using vigorous public action or protests to achieve a political or social goal. The video features examples of teenage activism, such as Malala Yousufzai's fight for education rights and the speaker's own involvement in social justice organizations. These instances demonstrate how teenagers can be agents of change, challenging the stereotype that they are apathetic or disengaged.

💡Social Media

Social media refers to websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or participate in social networking. The script discusses how social media platforms can be powerful tools for teenagers to express their opinions, raise awareness about issues, and mobilize support, as seen with the #IAmMalala campaign and Zendaya's response to a derogatory comment.

💡Generational Labels

Generational labels are terms used to categorize people based on the era in which they were born, often associated with certain characteristics or behaviors. The video script challenges labels like 'millennial' and the associated stereotypes, arguing that these oversimplified classifications can be limiting and demeaning to young people.

💡Self-Belief

Self-belief refers to the confidence one has in one's own abilities or judgments. The speaker talks about the importance of believing in oneself and not being defined by societal labels or expectations. This is exemplified by the speaker's own journey and the achievements of other young activists, who have overcome doubts and challenges to make a difference.

💡Societal Expectations

Societal expectations are the norms, values, and standards that a society collectively agrees upon and expects its members to adhere to. The video script explores how these expectations can be suffocating and contradictory for teenagers, who are told to excel academically and socially while also being criticized for being too focused on superficial matters.

💡Discrimination

Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or gender. The video script touches on various forms of discrimination, such as racial bias and ageism, that teenagers face and how they can challenge these injustices through activism and advocacy.

💡Global Change

Global change refers to significant transformations or shifts that occur on a worldwide scale. The video emphasizes that teenagers have the potential to influence global change, not just in the future but right now, through their actions, ideas, and use of social media to raise awareness and mobilize support for various causes.

💡Hashtag Activism

Hashtag activism refers to the use of social media hashtags to raise awareness and show support for social or political causes. The video mentions the power of hashtags like #IAmMalala, which have been used to amplify the voices of young activists and rally support for their causes, demonstrating the potential of digital platforms for social change.

💡Personal Validation

Personal validation is the process of seeking or receiving confirmation that one's feelings, beliefs, or actions are correct or acceptable. The speaker in the video talks about the importance of personal validation in their journey as an activist, highlighting moments where they received recognition from influential figures, which reinforced their commitment to social justice.

Highlights

The speaker challenges stereotypes about teenagers being unfocused and immoral.

The contradiction of being told that the future is in the hands of the youth while also being labeled as lazy and immoral.

The struggle with societal expectations and the pressure to conform to labels.

The idea that teenagers are belittled and labeled, leading to self-doubt and a clouded judgment of oneself and others.

The assertion that nobody has the right to tell a teenager they cannot do something because of their age.

The pervasiveness of stereotypes and their detrimental effects on the psyche of the youth.

The story of Malala Yousufzai, a teenager who stood up for education and became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

The power of social media in amplifying the voices of teenagers and creating change, as demonstrated by Malala's hashtag.

The story of Zendaya, who used her platform to challenge stereotypes and promote self-love and acceptance.

The importance of not fitting into stereotypes and the power of using one's voice for social justice.

The speaker's personal story of founding an organization to defy stereotypes and promote acceptance.

The recognition of the speaker's work by influential figures, including President Barack Obama.

The poem that encapsulates the theme of not conforming to societal expectations and the power of individuality.

The call to action for teenagers to use their unique skills and perspectives to influence global change.

The reminder that world issues affect teenagers and that they have the power to advocate and make a difference now.

The conclusion that age does not limit activism and that teenagers can and should be at the forefront of change.

Transcripts

am i a stereotype am I just another kid

entranced by technology and oblivious to

all else or his got just what society

expects of me the thing is as a teenager

I've been told that my generation has

the future in our hands and

simultaneously that we are unfocused

lazy and immoral I've struggled the

contradiction a lot as I navigate my way

to the purgatory that is adolescence I

grew up believing in myself a younger

sea otter have stood before you today

and asserted that you be the next

president United States of America would

change the world and was good enough but

that is not this yog you see before you

and it begs the question why not it goes

back to the idea of what it means to be

a teenager and the stereotype of it what

it means to be a so-called millennial

and what it means to be connected to the

world to the increasingly complicated

medium of Technology it comes down to

the fact that I've been belittled enough

times through those stereotypes that

sometimes I start to believe that I'm a

16 year old Muslim American Bangladeshi

teenager and I've been labeled enough

times that he considered a GMO and the

thing is that's true for almost any

teenager we live in a world we were

suffocated by societal expectations our

childhood was get dressed eat your

breakfast go to school play have fun

our teenage years are choked back the

tears laugh at the right times achieve

excellence in all areas of academics

perform on the field sexualized yourself

and maintain your modesty flirt but not

too much think but don't challenge prey

but don't be religious be yourself

but conform to every label that this

earth can conjure upon your existence I

sleep less than five hours a night I do

more extracurriculars than I can count

on my hands and lord knows I'm not

equipped to do arithmetic without a

calculator I feel as if my life is

spinning faster than the free fall of

the earth around the Sun but yet I stand

here before you believe in that I do too

much and not enough

all at once I think I believe that

because I've been told too many times I

need to focus on my studies now and my

time to be somebody will be later I

believe that because in one sentence

I've been told that I need to get out

more and that these four years will

define the rest of my life I believe

that because my efficacy is continually

scrutinized by those use ageist

attitudes to demean my passion the

stereotypes have clouded my judgment of

myself my peers and Society for far too

long

and I've gotten to a place in my life

where I'm ready to unapologetically

declare that nobody has the right to

tell me I cannot do something simply

because of my age the idea that the

number of the years I the number of

years I've lived on this earth somehow

it makes me inherently lesser than is

inherently ludicrous these stereotypes

having just called in my judgment though

they're pervasive throughout global

culture the language used to describe my

generation has created a psyche amongst

a lot of youth that is been extremely

detrimental if you log on to any social

media platform you will see kids with

in-depth formulate and educated opinions

on all the world's greatest problems but

at school we are told that conversations

are for adults and at home we are shot

into the basement while our parents

engage in political discourse over wine

and cheese this continued the little men

of teenage intellectual thought has led

to a mindset amongst a lot of you that

is about parties relationships and

grades but just like all human beings we

are multifaceted it cannot continue to

be put into this

box we have voices and I've personally

seen the good positivity and power they

can inspire I would now like to offer

three story that I think demonstrate

this positivity perfectly the first is

at the pan the second is of locks and

the third is of a mirror I think this

first story is one that many of you

might be familiar with but when it never

ceases to amaze me on October 9th of

2012 a bowl a girl's boarded her school

bus in the Swat Valley of Pakistan and

it was met by bullet to her face at the

hands of the Taliban that girl is Malala

yousufzai born into a household that

valued her education she began to speak

out as early as at the age of 12

asserting that battalion had no right to

take the right of education away from

her she began to blog anonymously for

BBC or ado chronicling the atrocities

committed by the Taliban including the

including the clothes in her burying

school in 2009 and their subsequent

bombings of over a hundred girls schools

the schools eventually reopened in the

blog ended her activism was only

starting after the New York Times leased

a documentary about her she began to

receive attention from international

media winning a host of extremely

prestigious awards she continued to

speak out despite the fact that it made

her life in danger Malala was shot in

the face on that fateful day because of

the power of her activism and after a

long medical rehabilitation process she

continued to trail blades in a truly

unprecedented way bringing her before

the United Nations to state that I am

not against anyone neither am i here in

terms of personal revenge against the

Taliban or any terrorist group I am here

to stand up for the right of education

for every child I wanted to catch into

the sons and daughters of attalia bond

and any terrorist at any other terrorist

or extremist group at the age of 17

Malala became the youngest Nobel Laura

but in the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Malala

and her pen are heroes

the demonstrate the efficacy one can

have irrespective of one's age hashtag I

am Malala has insured over 1 million

times in social media her story has

largely been shared as a result of tea

and eating moved by her story and a blue

ding her narrative using their cloud on

social media a study of IB of our

reports it's 74 percent of Twitter users

are between the age of 15 and 25 Malala

is emblematic of the efficacy a teenager

can have and her rise to prominence is

indicative of the power connectors wield

with the hashtag in our Arsenal the

second story I would now like to share

is one of some of you might be familiar

with and it is a flocks last spring a

versatile accomplished and talented

teenager walked the Oscar red carpet

it's putting a new hairstyle gorgeous

Brown locks her fans social media and

many gushed over the way her beautiful

hair complemented her white gown

however giuliana rancic who was then

part of east fashion please wasn't so

kind stating that is India's locks made

her feel like Cynthia smelled like weed

the dyers founded eloquently with a

statement attached to a tweet that reads

there is a fine line between what is

funny

and disrespectful someone said something

about my hair at the Oscars that left me

in awe not because I was relishing the

rave outfit reviews but because I was

hit with pura d'Or suspect and in an

ignorant slurs to say that an eighteen

year old woman with locs must not like

Petrucci oil or weed is not only a large

theater but also outrageously offensive

i don't usually feel the need to respond

to negative things but certain remarks

cannot go unchecked she then continued

by declaring that many of her family

members of combat individuals and

historical figures all have lots in

common none of which smell like

marijuana she concluded by saying

there is already a harsh criticism of

african-american hair and society

without the help of ignorant individuals

who choose to judge people based on the

coral of their hair my wearing of hair

and lox the Oscars was to showcase them

in a positive light and to remind people

of color that our hair is good enough to

me

LOX are a symbol of strength and beauty

almost like a lion's mane finishing by

suggesting that people not judged so

quickly her words have been shared over

80,000 times drunk widespread a

widespread attention inspiring pride or

in support of many she demonstrated to

the world the beauty of black culture

and that raises ignorance cannot go

unchallenged

she flawlessly demonstrated that she did

not have to fit a stereotype to be

perceived seem or feel beautiful she is

furthered that same commitment to social

justice - recently speaking out on the

difference between cultural

appropriation and appreciation and

famously recently calling out modernized

magazine for publishing a retouched

image of her with a post on Instagram

that reads this is what makes women feel

self-conscious the create the

unrealistic ideals of beauty that we

have anyone who knows me knows that I

stand for honest and pure self-love

motto lies the magazine men took down

the retouched image and replaced that

with the original her bravery has

transformed public perception discourse

and activism in a truly positive way

Cynthia is only 19 years old the change

either been able to impact on society is

truly remarkable she has proven the

power one can have by using social media

to advance the cause of justice she's

over 15 million followers on Instagram

and over 6 million followers on Twitter

many of which are teenagers and she used

that for positivity a study by the Pew

Research Center found that 71 percent of

teenagers are active on more than one

social media site and men's adaiah

influentially capitalized on

that fact to make this world a better

place the last story I will now share is

one that isn't at global in its impact

nor is the one that many of you be

familiar with but it's one that

definitely hits close to home I will now

share my story my name is the odd Ahmed

and I stand before you today because of

my passion for social justice a 14 years

old moved by the injustice I saw around

me I found that an organization for

teens called redefine with our mission

being to defy stereotypes redefine

perspectives positively embrace

acceptance in part and to embrace

acceptance and to raise acceptance and

tolerance and to create an active

community my activism is rooted in my

belief that all and justices are one

injustice and I and I advocate for

equality because I recognize the fact

that we cannot selectively advocate for

equality because by definition it is for

all far too many people are being

marginalized belittled and ostracized I

use my voice to advance the cause of

justice whether it be in speeches like

this on Twitter or at school I do not

believe I'm limited by my age in any way

shape or form and I am tired of the

perception from an activism political

engagement or social changes for later

Brida Phi has grown to a team of nearly

a hundred 50 students from 10 different

countries to amass Oh Tomas over in two

thousand likes on Facebook and nearly 40

thousand hits on our website our work

has been commanded by PBS MTV and even

President Barack Obama personally last

summer

in the face of malicious bigotry hateful

ignorance and heartbreaking prejudice

I've questioned my legitimacy efficacy

and integrity but when I look in the

mirror I am proud of how far I've come

and a change that I've been able to

influence when I look in the mirror I

pray that people see me not for my

pigment my body type or any of my

arbitrary idiosyncrasies

but for Who I am and I pray that I can

be part of the solution that ensures

that reality for all I would be foolish

to believe that redefine successes all

things to mean or that my work is

remotely over so I aspire to be better

to think smarter to dream bigger to

advocate louder because of the people

I've met the story that's even moved by

because the role models I have because

of the support I've been blessed to

receive because of the reality I've

chosen to confront i sat at a table

across and the President of the United

States of America Barack Obama for

nearly two hours in disgust world

affairs ranging from education to

discrimination to foreign policy I had

the opportunity for him to validate my

existence by telling me he was proud of

me in a speech with chilling genuineness

I wish every day that every person every

teenager could experience that same

validation I am that much more motivated

to pursue my journey of activism

as a result of being never having dreamt

that read if I were taking anywhere let

alone legally I sit at that table but I

am here today to tell you that it can be

you but it could happen it happened to

me and I am so confident that if

everyone in this room takes the time to

initiate a positive change in this world

that all of you will experience a moment

of validation that precious I want to

say though that it's hard I've lost

friends I've been called names I've had

to miss out on all I've sacrificed

it's not easy to oppose the status quo

but it's essential the shift the

paradigms of society I think it's often

easy to forget but today's world issues

affect us teenagers as much as anyone

but more than that it's hard to remember

the not only do they affect us as much

as anyone but the begin of as much

advocacy in solving them as much as

anyone in so many different meaningful

ways whether it be globally or locally

our time can be called your adulthood

but it doesn't have to be poverty racism

discrimination homophobia disease all of

our world's greatest problems are

happening now and we can act now and

make a real difference look at sandhaya

Malala or even me and don't view us as

the exception but see yourself our age

does not limit our activism we have the

hashtag our perspectives and unique

skills that position us to influence

global change and to not only sit at the

table but to be at the head I now want

to leave you with a poem that I wrote in

August 2014 that I think perfectly sums

up a lot of the issues I've talked about

today

we used to play that game Simon Says the

leader tells you what to do and you

imitate exactly or you were our Simon

Says Simon Says Simon Says the words

almost never end the name of the game

was to copy to conform to instructor

because originality was a childhood

felony society says and if we don't

follow our we out no because laymen's

that I gave me despite what some might

say no one is our but society says and

we follow or we feel that we were out

winning has so quickly become equated

with the idea of imitating the best

instead of being the best being yourself

maybe that ironic foreshadowing of the

silly games the lesson that we elected

to teach our kids by the force that is

society maybe we've systematically

taught that you do not oppose that Simon

Says from what society says goes maybe

there was our fatal flaw for what

society says doesn't just go maybe what

we say goes who we are goes he wanted so

much to win to stay in that stupid

little game because Society says Society

says Society screams but I say no I

never liked Simon anyway

[Applause]