How to Create Peace in Our World | Andréa Ranae Johnson | TEDxDelthorneWomen

Summary

The speaker reflects on their journey to embrace personal and societal differences as a path to true peace. From offering free hugs in Chicago to confronting their own self-imposed limitations, they advocate for a redefinition of peace as an ongoing practice that includes all aspects of ourselves and others. They challenge the audience to consider their own fears and judgments, and to embrace all parts of themselves to create a more harmonious world.

Takeaways

• 🤗 Peace is an active embrace of differences, not just the absence of conflict.
• 📍 The speaker's personal journey began with offering free hugs, symbolizing the acceptance of others' differences.
• 🏙️ The experience of giving free hugs in downtown Chicago showed varied reactions, reflecting society's diverse responses to openness.
• 😔 The speaker struggled with self-acceptance, having been made to feel 'too much' in various aspects of identity.
• 🔒 At a young age, the speaker chose to suppress parts of their identity to fit in and keep the peace.
• 💔 This suppression led to an internal war, contradicting the external peace the speaker sought.
• 🌟 The speaker advocates for redefining peace to include a practice of embracing one's own and others' differences.
• 🔄 Peace is described as dynamic and ever-changing, requiring continuous personal growth and understanding.
• 🌍 The speaker emphasizes the importance of individual self-acceptance as the starting point for collective change.
• 🌱 Encourages the audience to consider the parts of themselves they hide due to fear and to embrace these aspects openly.
• 🌈 The speaker envisions a world where differences are held without the need for change or dismissal, fostering a deeper sense of peace.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial motivation for offering free hugs in downtown Chicago?

The speaker was inspired to offer free hugs as a way to embrace and celebrate differences among people, creating a moment of connection and peace.

How did the public react to the free hugs initiative?

The public's reactions varied; some were curious, others were skeptical, some found it sweet and moved on, while others were open and ready to receive a hug.

What was the significance of the free hugs experience for the speaker in terms of embracing differences?

The experience taught the speaker about the importance of embracing differences, as they met people of all ages, races, classes, and genders, and learned to meet each person where they were at.

At what age did the speaker start to feel the pressure to conform and suppress their own differences?

The speaker began to feel the pressure to conform at the age of nine, learning what it meant to be 'too much' in various ways and started suppressing parts of themselves to feel safe and belong.

What strategies did the speaker adopt to maintain what they thought was peace?

The speaker adopted strategies such as shutting down emotions, self-soothing through eating, watching TV to avoid anxiety, and playing the mediator in conflicts instead of voicing their own feelings.

How did these strategies for maintaining peace actually contribute to a war within the speaker?

These strategies contributed to an internal war by causing the speaker to turn away from their pain and emotions, which led to a buildup of unresolved issues and a lack of self-acceptance.

What does the speaker believe peace to be, and how does it differ from common definitions?

The speaker believes peace is an all-encompassing practice that involves embracing differences, rather than a state of tranquility or freedom from conflict as commonly defined.

Why is embracing one's own difference crucial according to the speaker?

Embracing one's own difference is crucial because it allows for a more authentic and transformative peace, fostering a world where differences are valued and do not need to be changed or eliminated.

What invitation does the speaker extend to the audience at the end of the speech?

The speaker invites the audience to join the conversation by considering what parts of themselves they are afraid to share and to embrace these parts with open arms.

How does the speaker describe the process of facing and embracing their own pain and discomfort?

The speaker describes it as a challenging but necessary process that leads to the creation of new and different worlds, where they can hold differences without the need for change or elimination.

What seeds of peace does the speaker sow, and how do they envision these seeds transforming the world?

The speaker sows seeds of peace that include holding differences without the need for change, valuing emotions as gifts, meeting harm with necessary support, and practicing love as a revolutionary act. They envision a world transformed by these seeds if everyone nurtures their own within themselves and their communities.