Okay. Sorry. So anyway, what I was trying to say is that I really love TED. Like, I love everything about this. It's amazing. Like, it's -- I can't get over this right now. And, like, people would not believe, seriously, where I'm from, that this even exists. You know, like even, I mean I love like the name, the -- TED. I mean I know it's a real person and everything, but I'm just saying that like, you know, I think it's very cool how it's also an
acronym19, you know, which is like, you know, is like very high concept and everything like that. I like that.
And actually, I can relate to the whole like acronym thing and everything. Because, actually, I'm a
sophomore20 at college right now. At my school -- actually I was part of co-founding an organization, which is like a leadership thing, you know, like you guys, you would really like it and everything. And the organization is called DA BOMB, And DA BOMB -- not like what you guys can build and everything -- It's like, DA BOMB, it means like Dominican -- it's an acronym -- Dominican American
Benevolent21 Organization for Mothers and Babies. So, I know, see, like the name is like a little bit long, but with the war on terror and everything, the Dean of Student Activities has asked us to stop saying DA BOMB and use the whole thing so nobody would get the wrong idea, whatever. So, basically like DA BOMB -- what Dominican American Benevolent Organization for Mothers and Babies does is, basically, we try to advocate for students who show a lot of academic promise and who also happen to be mothers like me. I am a working mother, and I also go to school
full-time22. And, you know, it's like -- it's so important to have like role models out there. I mean, I know sometimes our lifestyles are very different, whatever.
But like even at my job -- like, I just got promoted. Right now it's very exciting actually for me because I'm the Junior Assistant to the Associate Director under the Senior
Vice23 President for Business Development. That's my new title. So, but I think whether you own your own company or you're just starting out like me, like something like this so vital for people to just continue expanding their minds and learning. And if everybody, like all people really had access to that, it would be a very different world out there, as I know you know. So, I think all people, we need that, but especially, I look at people like me, you know like, I mean, Latinos, we're about to be the majority, in like two weeks. So, we deserve just as much to be part of the exchange of ideas as everybody else. So, I'm very happy that you're, you know, doing this kind of thing, making the talks available online. That's very good. I love that. And I just -- I love you guys. I love TED. And if you don't mind,
privately24 now, in the future, I'm going to think of TED as an acronym for Technology, Entertainment and Dominicans. Thank you very much. (Laughter) (Applause)
So, that was Noraida, and just like Loraine and everybody else you're meeting today, these are folks who are based on real people from my real life. Friends, neighbors, family members. I come from a multicultural family. In fact, the older lady you just met, very, very loosely based on a great aunt on my mother's side. It's a long story, believe me. But on top of my family background, my parents also sent me to United Nations school, where I encountered a
plethora25 of new characters including Alexandre, my French teacher, okay.
Well, you know, it was beginner French, that I am taking with her, you know. And it was Madame Bousson, you know, she was very [French]. It was like, you know, she was there in the class, you know, she was kind of typically French. You know, she was was very
chic26, but she was very filled with
ennui27, you know. And she would be there, you know, kind of talking with the class, you know, talking about the, you know, the existential
futility28 of life, you know. And we were only 11 years old, so it was not appropriate.
But [German]. Yes, I took German for three years, [German], and it was quite the experience because I was the only black girl in the class, even in the UN school. Although, you know, it was wonderful. The teacher, Herr Schtopf, he never
discriminated29. Never. He always, always treated each of us, you know, equally
unbearably30 during the class.
So, there were the teachers and then there were my friends, classmates from everywhere. Many of whom are still dear friends to this day. And they've inspired many characters as well. For example, a friend of mine.
Well, I just wanted to quickly say good evening. My name is Praveen Manvi and thank you very much for this opportunity. Of course, TED, the reputation precedes itself all over the world. But, you know, I am originally from India, and I wanted to start by telling you that once Sarah Jones told me that we will be having the opportunity to come here to TED in California, originally, I was very pleased and, frankly, relieved because, you know, I am a human rights advocate. And usually my work, it takes me to Washington D.C. And there, I must attend these meetings,
mingling31 with some
tiresome32 politicians, trying to make me feel comfortable by telling how often they are eating the
curry33 in Georgetown. So, you can just imagine -- right. So, but I'm thrilled to be joining all of you here. I wish we had more time together, but that's for another time. Okay? Great. (Applause)
And, sadly, I don't think we'll have time for you to meet everybody I brought, but -I'm trying to behave myself. It's my first time here. But I do want to introduce you to a couple of folks you may recognize, if you saw "Bridge and Tunnel."
Uh, well, thank you. Good evening. My name is Pauline Ning, and first I want to tell you that I'm -- of course I am a member of the Chinese community in New York. But when Sarah Jones asked me to please come to TED, I said, well, you know, first, I don't know that, you know -- before two years ago, you would not find me in front of an audience of people, much less like this because I did not like to give speeches because I feel that, as an immigrant, I do not have good English skills for speaking. But then, I
decided34, just like Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger, I try anyway. (Laughter) My daughter -- my daughter wrote that, she told me, "Always start your speech with humor."
But my background -- I want to tell you story only
briefly35. My husband and I, we brought our son and daughter here in 1980s to have the freedom we cannot have in China at that time. And we tried to teach our kids to be proud of their tradition, but it's very hard. You know, as immigrant, I would speak Chinese to them, and they would always answer me back in English. They love rock music, pop culture, American culture. But when they got older, when the time comes for them to start think about getting married, that's when we expect them to realize, a little bit more, their own culture. But that's where we had some problems. My son, he says he is not ready to get married. And he has a sweetheart, but she is American woman, not Chinese. It's not that it's bad, but I told him, "What's wrong with a Chinese woman?" But I think he will change his mind soon.
So, then I decide instead, I will concentrate on my daughter. The daughter's marriage is very special to the mom. But first, she said she's not interested. She only wants to spend time with her friends. And then at college, it's like she never came home. And she doesn't want me to come and visit. So I said, "What's wrong in this picture?" So, I accused my daughter to have like a secret boyfriend. But she told me, "Mom, you don't have to worry about boys because I don't like them." (Laughter) And I said, "Yes, men can be difficult, but all women have to get used to that." She said, "No Mom. I mean, I don't like boys. I like girls. I am lesbian." So, I always teach my kids to respect American ideas, but I told my daughter that this is one exception -- (Laughter) that she is not gay, she is just confused by this American problem. But she told me, "Mom, it's not American." She said she is in love, in love with a nice Chinese girl. (Laughter) So, these are the words I am waiting to hear, but from my son, not my daughter. (Laughter) But at first I did not know what to do. But then, over time, I have come to understand that this is who she is.
So, even though sometimes it's still hard, I will share with you that it helps me to realize society is more tolerant, usually because of places like this, because of ideas like this and people like you, with an open mind. So I think maybe TED, you impact people's lives in the ways that maybe even you don't realize. So, for my daughter's sake, I thank you for your ideas worth spreading. Thank you. Shin shen. (Applause)
Good evening. My name is Habbi Belahal. And I would like to first of all thank Sarah Jones for putting all of the pressure on the only Arab who she brought with her to be last today. I am originally from Jordan. And I teach comparative literature at Queens College. It is not Harvard. But I feel a bit like a fish out of water. But I am very proud of my students. And I see that a few of them did make it here to the conference. So you will get the extra credit I promised you. But, while I know that I may not look like the typical
denizen36, as you would say, I do like to make the point that we in global society we are never as different as the appearances may suggest.
So, if you will indulge me, I will share quickly with you a bit of verse, which I memorized as a young girl at 16 years of age. So, back in the ancient times. [Arabic] And this roughly translates: "Please, let me hold your hand. I want to hold your hand. I want to hold your hand. And when I touch you, I feel happy inside. It's such a feeling that my love, I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide." Well, so okay, but please, please, but please. If it is sounding familiar, it is because I was at the same time in my life listening to The Beatles. On the radio [unclear], they were very popular.
So, all of that is to say that I like to believe, that for every word intended to render us deaf to one another, there is always a
lyric37 connecting ears and hearts across the continents in rhyme. And I pray that this is the way that we will self invent, in time. That's all [unclear]. Thank you very much for the opportunity. Okay? Great. (Applause) Thank you all very much. It was lovely. Thank you for having me. (Applause)
Thank you very, very much. I love you. (Applause) Well, you have to let me say this. I just -- thank you. I want to thank Chris and Jaqueline, and just everyone for having me here. It's been a long time coming, and I feel like I'm home, and I know I've performed for some of your companies or some of you have seen me elsewhere, but this is honestly one of the best audiences I've ever experienced. The whole thing is amazing, and so don't you all go reinventing yourselves any time soon.
收听单词发音 
