Music has always been an integral part of my life throughout the years. Growing up, I couldn't stop moving or singing, and dancing has always been a primary way of expressing my emotions to people. While I was limited to playing musical instruments like the ukulele or recorder in elementary school, in sixth grade, I had the opportunity to pursue something bigger and grander, musical theater.I remember prepping the night before in front of the mirror, stareyed and nervous as I recited lines and made sure I c ...

Boys will be boys. Time and time again, girls of all ages have had these words spoken to them. My first thought when I would hear this, why can't I just be a girl.Why when I do the same things as boys is it looked down upon. Is there a reason as to why it has become normalized in society for girls to be the rule followers. Why do I have to sit with my legs crossed making myself smaller.Why can't I freely walk in a big city without having a constant feeling pulsing through my body telling me that I'm not saf ...

When times feel uncertain, we often look for big solutions, whether that is new technologies or sweeping reforms. But growing up, I was taught something different. When I first started learning to play piano, I was immediately drawn by composers such as Badoin or Mozart.But I didn't know how to play yet. So my parents stopped me and told me to start with my scales. The lesson is simple.You don't start solving big problems by skipping the basics. So today when we talk about shaping moments of today into a be ...

Every grain that falls, ask me the same question. What are you waiting for. And then I'll pretend like I didn't hear it.I'm waiting for the right moment. I'm waiting for the right opportunity. And I'm waiting for the right version of myself when I'm braver, when I'm smarter, and when I'm finally enough.Here's the strange thing about us humans. We fear the time, but this is not our real fear. Our real fear is just the thought that one day the outer glass will empty and they will realize that we spend the who ...

What if Africa's biggest problem is that we remember too much. remember the negative things that we don't collaborate that we don't read that we don't um that we have corrupt leadership um these things have been reiterated and pushed as the representation of Africa I think we need to forget all of that I think Africa needs to forget and I know it's possible because there are so many other things that we have forgotten over time first of which is the fact that we are responsible for creating some of the scie ...

I woke up one Tuesday morning and I did not recognize the life that I had built. I was 32 lying in my childhood bed and I was just taking a moment to reflect on all aspects of my life. I was laid off from a job that I absolutely hated.And I don't even know why I stayed at that job as long as I did. I was on and off again with a boyfriend. And we were in this perpetual state of limbo, not getting anywhere close to marriage, which was what I wanted.And I was desperately trying to build a business because I to ...

roots. The beginning of my birth, the soil beneath my feet, the foundation of me, the bed where I lay my head to dream, but also the place where my dreams stay dreams. A prison unlike any other.No cages, no walls, no guards pacing the corridors. Just one thing. One thing powerful enough to make even the greatest of minds kneel.Fear. Fear dressed in the soft voice of safety. Safety that amplify doubt through tiny whispers of weight.Don't jump. You aren't ready. What if you fail.These whispers set the stage f ...

Vulnerability is often misunderstood as a sign of weakness, but in reality it is the cornerstone of meaningful connection and emotional intelligence. Good day everyone. My name is Lauren and I am here to change your perspective of vulnerability. Vulnerability is not winning or losing. It's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Being brown. As Virat Galva, the award-winning poet and author once said, "Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and ...

A flawless statue cannot breathe. It cannot fail. It cannot love badly.Fall on its face and find the courage to stand back up. The theme of our lives, the one that defines our journey from our first breath to our last is the interplay of roots and wings. Some may think of our roots as our heritage, where we are from. Some may think of our wings as who we want to be, what we desire.But I would like to suggest something deeper. Our imperfections are our roots. The failures, the things we learn when we fall do ...

I want you all to think about something. Imagine a man born in North Korea and never left his country for his entire life. Everything he understands about the world comes only from what he has seen and experienced there.Now imagine he's suddenly given the chance to travel anywhere in the world on his 60th birthday. What do you think he'll do. What do you think he would do.Would he be curious to explore other countries, other ideas, new ideas. Or would he be or would he stay in the place he's always known. T ...