Changing the World, One Word at a Time! | The Queen Latifah Show

Summary

The Get Lit program in Los Angeles empowers young women through poetry to address societal issues. Their performance exposes the disparities in education, censorship, and the erasure of marginalized histories from textbooks. It also sheds light on the struggles of underprivileged students, the objectification of women, and the systemic injustices they face. The piece is a poignant critique of the American educational system and a call for change.

Takeaways

• 📚 The nonprofit organization 'Get Lit' uses poetry to teach literacy to teens, emphasizing the power of words to change the world.
• 🤔 The script questions the relevance of standardized lessons, suggesting that the most impactful lessons are often untaught and unwritten.
• 🚫 It highlights the censorship and banning of books in schools, which can limit students' access to diverse perspectives and important historical contexts.
• 🏛 The poem points out the irony of banning literature that addresses serious issues while allowing access to harmful content like hate group websites.
• 🏫 The script criticizes the omission of significant historical events and marginalized groups from educational curricula, leading to an incomplete understanding of history.
• 👗 It addresses the socioeconomic disparities between students, noting the different priorities and struggles they face, such as finding appropriate clothing versus affording basic needs.
• 🏅 The poem讽刺了学校在推广自信的同时，却通过体重百分比公开羞辱学生，加剧了身体形象问题和自我价值的质疑。
• 🛍️ It contrasts the experiences of privileged students who can afford to shop for fun with those who must rely on thrift stores out of necessity.
• 🚌 The script includes advice for personal safety, reflecting the harsh realities and dangers some students face in their daily lives.
• 🏢 The poem touches on the issues of sexual harassment and assault, highlighting the lack of protection and support for victims within educational settings.
• 📈 Lastly, it emphasizes that the greatest lessons in America are often the ones that are not formally taught, but learned through lived experiences and observations of societal issues.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the nonprofit organization 'Get Lit'?

Get Lit is a nonprofit organization focused on teaching teens literacy through poetry.

What significant event did the Get Lit participants recently perform at?

The Get Lit participants recently opened for John Legend at the Hollywood Bowl.

What is the underlying message about education standards mentioned in the script?

The script implies that the greatest lessons are not those prescribed by state education standards but rather those learned through personal experiences and unspoken truths.

Why does the script mention 'Catcher in the Rye' and a gun?

The script contrasts the banning of 'Catcher in the Rye' with the availability of guns, highlighting the irony that a book is banned for its content while guns, which can cause harm, are not.

What does the script suggest about the censorship of literature in schools?

The script suggests that literature is often censored in schools for addressing sensitive topics, such as racism and sexual assault, which are deemed inappropriate for discussion.

What historical omissions does the script point out in American education?

The script points out that American education omits discussions of the contributions and sufferings of Hispanics, slaves, Native Americans, and those involved in the construction of the continental railroad and Japanese internment camps.

How does the script describe the disparity between private school students and those from less privileged backgrounds?

The script describes a disparity where private school students shop for fashion while less privileged students search for basic necessities, highlighting the socioeconomic divide.

What is the script's commentary on the treatment of female students in schools?

The script comments on the objectification and sexualization of female students, noting that they are often judged by their appearance and subjected to harassment and assault.

What is the script's stance on the portrayal of certain lifestyles in the media?

The script criticizes the media for promoting certain lifestyles as 'ghetto' while romanticizing dangerous behaviors, suggesting a double standard in how different life experiences are portrayed.

How does the script address the issue of body image and self-esteem among students?

The script addresses the issue by pointing out how schools can inadvertently harm self-esteem by promoting body shaming and unrealistic beauty standards.

What advice does the script give to students on navigating their school environment?

The script advises students to remain quiet, keep to themselves, and take precautions for personal safety, reflecting a culture of fear and self-preservation in schools.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Empowering Youth Through Poetry

The paragraph introduces three young women from a nonprofit organization called 'Get Lit' in Los Angeles. This organization uses poetry to teach literacy to teenagers. The young women have performed at prestigious venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, opening for John Legend, and their mission is to change the world through the power of words. They discuss the limitations of traditional education and the importance of teaching life lessons that are not found in textbooks. They touch on issues like censorship, racial disparities, and the suppression of uncomfortable truths in history and literature.

Keywords

💡Literacy

Literacy refers to the ability to read and write, but in the context of the video, it is expanded to include the ability to understand and express oneself through language, particularly poetry. The video emphasizes the power of literacy as a tool for empowerment and social change, as seen in the nonprofit organization 'Get Lit' which uses poetry to teach teens. The script mentions how the greatest lessons are not from a syllabus but are learned through the ability to express oneself, which is a form of literacy.

💡Poetry

Poetry is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language to evoke emotions and ideas. In the video, poetry is used as a medium for self-expression and a means to address social issues. The script highlights the power of poetry in conveying complex emotions and experiences, as seen when the performers share their 'powerful performance' and use poetry to critique societal norms and injustices.

💡Censorship

Censorship is the suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news, etc. that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security. The video discusses how certain books are banned by state governments, not for their violent content, but for the ideas and words they contain, such as 'Catcher in the Rye' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. This keyword is central to the theme of the video, which challenges the idea of controlling what people can read and say.

💡Silence

Silence in the video is used metaphorically to represent the suppression of voices and ideas. It is mentioned in the context of being taught to hold one's tongue and not to speak out against injustices or uncomfortable truths. The script implies that silence is often imposed as a means of control, contrasting with the video's message of using one's voice to bring about change.

💡History

History, as used in the video, refers to the past events, particularly those that have been documented or learned. The script points out that certain aspects of history are omitted from textbooks, such as the contributions and sufferings of various groups like Hispanics, slaves, and Native Americans. This keyword is crucial as it ties into the video's message about the importance of acknowledging and learning from the full spectrum of historical events.

💡Inequality

Inequality is the state of being unequal, especially in terms of social, economic, or political status. The video addresses inequality by drawing contrasts between the experiences of privileged and underprivileged youth. It mentions how some children are searching for fashion items while others are searching for basic necessities like jackets. This keyword is integral to the video's theme, which seeks to highlight and challenge societal disparities.

💡Self-confidence

Self-confidence refers to a person's belief in their own abilities and worth. In the video, self-confidence is discussed in the context of how it is promoted in schools, yet contrasted with the harsh realities that some students face, such as body shaming and societal pressures. The script uses this keyword to critique the discrepancy between the ideal of self-confidence and the real-world challenges that can undermine it.

💡Ghetto

The term 'ghetto' has historically been used to describe a part of a city where people live in poor conditions, often due to racial segregation. In the video, it is used to criticize the labeling and stigmatization of certain music and lifestyles. The script mentions how music is labeled as 'ghetto', implying a negative connotation, while also pointing out the double standards in how different groups are perceived.

💡Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. The video addresses the serious issue of sexual assault, particularly in the context of schools and sports. The script mentions how coaches cover up incidents involving star players, highlighting the video's theme of exposing and confronting societal ills.

💡Prom

Prom is a formal dance event typically held upon graduation from high school. In the video, 'prom' is used as a symbol of teenage social life and the pressures that come with it. The script references the negative aspects of prom culture, such as the objectification of women and the normalization of harmful behaviors, using this keyword to critique societal norms and expectations.

💡Education

Education in the video is not just about academic learning but also about the life lessons and values imparted by the educational system. The script criticizes the education system for sometimes teaching students to be silent and conform, rather than encouraging them to speak up and think critically. This keyword is central to the video's message, which advocates for a more holistic and empowering approach to education.

Highlights

Three young women from the nonprofit organization 'Get Lit' are determined to change the world through poetry.

Get Lit focuses on teaching teens literacy through poetry in Los Angeles.

Get Lit recently opened for John Legend at the Hollywood Bowl.

The performance highlights the contrast between mandated curriculum and the real-life lessons students learn.

Books like 'Catcher in the Rye' are banned in some states, while guns are not.

Literature that challenges societal norms is often banned in schools.

Students are taught to be silent about uncomfortable topics like rape and historical injustices.

The poem discusses the erasure of marginalized histories in American education.

Privileged students shop for fashion, while others search for basic necessities.

Students face different challenges, such as poverty and lack of resources, impacting their education.

The poem criticizes the superficiality of promoting self-confidence while ignoring body shaming.

The performance addresses the hypocrisy of schools rewarding attendance but not resilience.

The poem calls out the normalization of sexual harassment and assault in schools.

The performance highlights the double standards in how schools treat different students.

Students are given advice on how to stay safe in a world that doesn't protect them.

The poem concludes by emphasizing that the most impactful lessons are often the ones not taught in class.

Transcripts

three young women who are determined to

change the world one word at a time

they're part of a nonprofit organization

called get lit a program here in Los

Angeles focused on teaching teens

literacy through poetry it recently

opened for John Legend at the Hollywood

Bowl and now they are here to share

their powerful performance with us

please welcome Melissa Zarya and

Rhiannon here in America every single

state they have a set of standards for

every subject a collection of lessons

that the teacher is required to teach by

the end of the term but the greatest

lessons you will ever teach us will not

come from your syllabus the greatest

lessons you will ever teach us you will

not even remember you never told us what

we weren't allowed to say we just

learned how to hold our tongues now

somewhere in America there's a child

holding a copy of Catcher in the Rye

there is a child holding a gun but only

one of these things have been banned by

their state government and it's not the

one that can rip through flesh it's the

one that says after you are more pages

than why because we must control what

the people say how they fake and if they

want to become the overseer of their own

selves then we'll show them a real one

and somewhere in America there's a child

sitting at his mother's computer reading

the homepage of the KKK website that's

open to the public but that child will

have never read To Kill a Mockingbird

because the school has banned it for its

use of the n-word Maya Angelou is

prohibited because we're not allowed to

talk about rape in school we were taught

that just because something happens

doesn't mean you are to talk about it

they build a spread new shopping malls

so that we'll forget we're really

standing on the bones of the Hispanics

on the bones of the slaves on the bones

of the Native Americans on the bones of

those who fought just to speak

continental railroad to Japanese

internment camps there are things

missing from our history books but we

were taught that it is better to be

silent than to make them uncomfortable

somewhere in America private school

girls search for hours through boutiques

trying to find the progress of their

dream while kids on the south side spend

hours searching through the lost and

found

because winter's coming soon and that's

the only jacket they have kids are late

to class we're working the midnight

shift they give awards for best

attendance but not for keeping their

family off the streets he says we'll

call your music ghetto they will tell

you you don't talk right then we'll get

in the back seat of a car with all their

friends sing about how their bout that

life and we can't stop somewhere in

America schools are promoting self

confidence while they whip out their

scales and shout out your body by

percentage in class where the heftier

girls are hiding away and the slim fit

beauties can't help but giggle with

pride the preppy kids go thrift shopping

because they think it sounds fun

but we go cuz that's all we got money

for the mama works for the city mama

only gets paid once a month somewhere in

America a girl's getting felt up by a

grown man on the subway still in her

school uniform and that's part of the

appeal it is hard to run in nice often

and Maryjane's and all her male teachers

know it too

coaches cover up star players raping

freshmen after the dance women are

killed for rejecting date god forbid I

bring my girlfriend to prom was blackout

drunk up the after part make a picture

before her wounds wake her how many

pixels is your sanity worth what's a 4.0

to a cold jury why don't you learn in

class today don't talk loud don't speak

loud keep your hands to yourself keep

your head down keep your eyes on your

own paper if you don't know the answer

fill and C always wear earbuds when you

ride the bus alone if you feel like

someone's following you pretend you're

on the phone a teacher never fails only

you do every state in America the

greatest lessons are the ones you don't

remember learning

[Applause]