The 4C's For Making A Difference In The World | Verity Leung | TEDxYouth@GranvilleIsland

Summary

A young girl reflects on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which isolated her from friends and activities. Amidst the lockdown, she turns to her grand piano for solace and decides to use her music to help asylum seekers in Vancouver. She records a CD and raises $25,000 for the Kinbrace charity. Her story highlights resilience, creativity, and empathy, as she encourages others to find purpose through the 'four C’s': Create, Cause, Contribute, and Connect. Her message inspires people to use their talents to make a difference in the world.

Takeaways

• 🎹 The speaker, a nine-year-old in March 2020, faces the disruption of life during the COVID-19 pandemic with canceled activities, school closures, and isolation.
• 💻 As a homeschooled child, the transition to fully online learning and losing face-to-face interactions with friends was devastating.
• 🤯 The speaker struggles with boredom and frustration but finds solace in playing a grand piano that their grandparents bought just before the lockdown.
• 🎵 Practicing piano during lockdown becomes a key activity, accelerating the speaker’s musical progress despite the challenges.
• 🌍 Observing global crises such as wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, the speaker reflects on how millions of people are displaced and wonders how they, as a child in Canada, can help.
• 💡 Inspired by their grandparents' immigrant story and a desire to make a difference, the speaker decides to use their piano skills to support asylum seekers.
• 🎶 The speaker creates a CD titled 'Childhood Memories Through the Ages,' records 21 piano pieces, and paints the CD cover to raise funds for a local charity, Kinbrace, which helps asylum seekers in Vancouver.
• 📹 After making a YouTube video to promote the CD, the speaker receives support from donors worldwide, raising $25,000 for the charity.
• 🤝 The speaker realizes the power of personal stories, as many donors share their own family’s immigrant experiences, fostering a deeper connection to the cause.
• 🌟 The speaker introduces the 'four C's' framework: Create, Cause, Contribute, Connect, encouraging others to use their talents and passions to support meaningful causes and make a positive impact on the world.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown?

The speaker found the sudden lockdown and cancellation of activities devastating, especially as a homeschooled child who valued limited time with other children and families.

How did the speaker adapt to the lack of social interaction and activities?

The speaker turned to practicing the piano, which had been a gift from their grandparents just before the pandemic began. Over time, they practiced diligently and improved their piano skills.

What global issue did the speaker connect with while practicing piano during lockdown?

The speaker became aware of global refugee crises, particularly focusing on people who were forced to flee their homes due to wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

How did the speaker decide to take action on the refugee crisis?

The speaker decided to make a CD of their piano music and sell it to raise funds for asylum seekers in Vancouver, inspired by their desire to help in a meaningful way.

What steps did the speaker take to complete their piano CD project?

The speaker selected 21 favorite piano pieces, practiced them with new passion, recorded them at home, and designed a CD cover. They then made a YouTube video to promote the project and raise funds.

What charity did the speaker support with their piano CD fundraiser?

The speaker chose to support Kinbrace, a local charity that assists asylum seekers in Vancouver.

What was the outcome of the speaker’s fundraising efforts?

The speaker successfully raised $25,000 for Kinbrace through the sales of their piano CD, with donations coming from Canada, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia.

What personal impact did the project have on the speaker?

The project gave the speaker a sense of purpose during the lockdown and allowed them to connect with others, both through the cause and through the personal stories of immigration that people shared with them.

What message does the speaker convey with the concept of the 'four C’s'?

The 'four C’s'—Create, Cause, Contribute, and Connect—represent the speaker's method of making a difference. They encourage others to create something, find a cause they’re passionate about, contribute to it with their talents, and connect with people to amplify their efforts.

What advice does the speaker give to others who feel trapped or powerless during difficult circumstances?

The speaker encourages people to remember the 'four C’s' and find ways to create connections, direction, and purpose through contributing to causes they care about, regardless of their circumstances.