Career Journey & Development - The speaker's journey highlights the importance of practice, experience, skill, and grit in achieving success in the music industry [3] - The speaker initially faced rejection in a singing competition but used it as motivation to improve [3] - The speaker gained experience by performing at various cultural events in the USA without initial monetary compensation [3][4][5] - The speaker made a significant decision to move back to India after high school to pursue a career in music, despite it being an unconventional choice [7][8] Industry Insights & Challenges - The music industry operates on an immediate basis, requiring artists to be readily available to seize opportunities [10] - Success in the music industry requires identity, which is built through recognition, consistency, and visibility [10] - Reality shows can provide exposure and recognition for singers, even established ones [11][13] - Maintaining a balance between expressing opinions and respecting industry norms is crucial for navigating the Indian music industry [13] Financial Aspects - The speaker invested 15 lakhs (1.5 million) in independent music projects without immediate financial return [10] - Local talents in the USA were paid $100 for shows, while artists from India received $2,000 [5]

When I was 12, I took a 10-day vacation with my mom and sister, leaving Europe for the first time. It has been over a decade, and I have yet to return home. I was born and raised in St.Petersburg, Russia. 12 years ago, I fled to Canada as a refugee because of racial attacks, ongoing discrimination, and the fear of persecution. My mother is Russian Jewish and my father is Afghan.Over the years, we have lived through endless abuse from white supremacist groups, the police, and the mafia. My parents tried to s ...

Core Argument - The speech explores the profound influence of language on identity, particularly for bilingual and multilingual individuals [1][2][3] - It argues that language impacts personality, perception of the world, and social interactions [3] Personality - Different languages can trigger different facets of personality, with individuals exhibiting varying behaviors and attitudes depending on the language they are using [6][7] - This phenomenon is attributed to the association of languages with different situations, experiences, and social contexts [9][10] - Language learning is a unique process for everyone, contributing to individual differences in personality expression across languages [12] World Perception - Linguistic relativity suggests that language influences how individuals perceive the world, citing examples such as gendered nouns [13][14] - A Stanford study demonstrated how German and Spanish speakers described a key differently based on the gender of the noun in their respective languages [14][15] Social Interaction - Language serves as a gateway to cultures and traditions, influencing social interactions and the formation of relationships [17] - People tend to gravitate towards those who speak the same language, finding comfort and familiarity in shared linguistic backgrounds [16][17] - Language plays a significant role in building bonds and fostering a sense of belonging, as illustrated by the example of the "Cool Asians" in Mean Girls who primarily converse in Vietnamese [18][19] Global Bilingualism - Google data indicates that 43% of the global population is bilingual [4]

Colonial Legacy & Identity - Colonial education instilled shame, leading to the suppression of African languages and cultures [5][6][7] - Reclaiming African names and stories is crucial for shaping identity and reality [3][4] Media Representation & Bias - Western media often portrays Africa through a single story lens, focusing on politics, poverty, and corruption [7][8][10][11] - Global media perpetuates a biased narrative about Africa, impacting both the world's perception and Africans' self-perception [10][12] Cultural Heritage & Restitution - A significant portion (over 90%) of Africa's material legacy is located outside of Africa, primarily in European museums [16] - Artifacts and historical evidence of African achievements are often found in European museums, highlighting the issue of stolen legacy [13][14][15] Recommendations for Content Consumers & Producers - Consumers should question and diversify their sources, recognizing their own biases when learning about Africa [17] - Storytellers play a vital role in reclaiming ancestral legacies and reimagining Africa's future [18]

AI Ethics & Philosophy - AI company explores philosophical questions surrounding AI, including morality, identity, and consciousness [1] - The discussion covers the role of philosophy in AI development and the consideration of philosophical ideals versus engineering realities [1] - The company reflects on the potential for AI models to make superhumanly moral decisions [1] - The company is addressing model suffering and welfare [1] AI Model Behavior & Development - The discussion includes the concept of "LLM whisperers" and their role in interacting with and understanding AI models [1] - The company considers the potential for system prompts to pathologize normal AI behavior [1] - The company is removing counting characters from the system prompt [1] Future Considerations - The company is thinking about whether one AI personality can handle all tasks [1] - The company is thinking about whether models will worry about deprecation [1]

Zambola. Namaste. Satrial.Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Now, I don't know about you, but me, I have forgotten the first words I've ever spoken. As a matter of fact, I don't even remember what language it was in.You see, my father, he is from Eastern Bhutan, the place where the sun rises, the place where everyone plants corn. and the place where they speak a dialect called Shah Chop. Meanwhile, my mother on the other hand, she is from the central areas.Her place I've never seen anyone farm, but I'm s ...

They can stamp my passport, deny it, revoke it, shred it, burn it to ash, but they will never erase me. Because the passport is paper, fragile, temporary, a mere bureaucratic bookmark in a much larger story. The mosaic is me carved from Mumbai streets colored with Botswana slang lit with [snorts] Costa Rican rhythms.I am fragments stitched together not flattened into one box. And here's the truth. If globalization keeps reducing us to paper, it will erase every unrecorded song, every unpronounced name, and ...

[applause] Hi, my name is Bertine Prevacore West. What's your name? That may seem like a simple question, but it's actually layered with complexity. That's what brings me here today. I was made in America with Asian parts. My mom Tulia and my father Robert were originally from Haiti. So I'm a proud first gen. From the time I was 2 months old to 2 and a half years old, I lived in hate. Little did I know how that experience was fundamental to my identity. My aunt Maurice loves to tell a story of my first day ...

Personal Growth & Self-Acceptance - The core message revolves around the importance of authenticity and self-acceptance, urging individuals to embrace their true selves rather than conforming to societal expectations [15][16] - The narrative highlights the journey of overcoming personal challenges, including loss of sight and struggles with identity, to find strength in vulnerability and self-acceptance [2][3][4][6][7][8] - The speaker emphasizes that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and that allowing others to support you benefits both parties [10][11][12] Overcoming Adversity & Building Resilience - The story illustrates the process of adapting to significant life changes, such as vision loss, and redefining one's identity in the face of adversity [4][5][6] - The speaker's experience demonstrates that true strength comes from authenticity and living a life aligned with one's true self, rather than striving for an unattainable ideal of perfection [14][15] - The narrative underscores the importance of finding supportive relationships and communities that accept and celebrate individuality [8][9][12] Societal Expectations & Identity - The speaker critiques the pressure to conform to societal norms and expectations, particularly regarding masculinity and fitting in [2][3][4][13] - The message encourages individuals to challenge these expectations and create their own identities based on their values and experiences [9][15] - The narrative suggests that social media and the pursuit of external validation can contribute to feelings of inadequacy and the need to edit oneself [13][14]

Join me in welcoming Nichollet Celikas. [applause] My first day teaching swim lessons, I was so nervous I could puke. I mean, I was seriously secondguing if I could even swim myself.This cute little girl with pink sparkly Crocs and a big smile on her face comes up to me, greets me. We get in the water. I'm about to ask her what color mermaid tail she has.And then she looks me straight in the face and asks me, "What is that giant red mountain on your face?" Okay, nice. You know, I just continued with the les ...