Community & Government

Speaking Up

Lesson time 09:23 min

Malala is inspired by the voices of the past that have made change happen. Hear how speeches play an important role in her work and why you should always consider the audience receiving your message.

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Topics include: Think About Your Audience · Tone-of-Voice Exercise

Malala Yousafzai

Teaches Creating Change

Nobel Prize–winning activist Malala teaches you how to be an activist in your own community, from research and strategy to action and impact.

Preview

[MUSIC PLAYING] - With our voices, we can actually raise awareness. A lot of our institutions and a lot of our systems are sexist or they're racist. - For there was always light, if only we're brave enough to see it, if only we're brave enough to be it. - Consciously or unconsciously, they are showing biases against people based on their identity, their gender, their skin color, their background, their income level. - No justice, no peace. No justice, no peace. - Starting your activism and bringing your voice into the conversation is already contributing to the change. - We are going to be the kids that you read about in textbooks, not because we are going to be another statistic about mass shootings in America, but because we are going to be the last mass shooting. - That is when society, all of a sudden, starts questioning itself. When we look at the activism and advocacy of historical figures, it wasn't that they changed the world in one day. These are people who had difficult journeys, who did not give up against those atrocities that they were seeing in their life, who raised their voice, who took action, who had decades long struggles in their life. And they made change possible. We need to carry the struggle ahead, that it is not completed yet. They have done their bit. Now, it's our turn to do our bit to ensure that we create a world where everybody is treated fairly and equally. When we talk about Martin Luther King Jr., we always hear about "I Have a Dream." And some of us feel like it was just that one day that changed everything, but that's not the case. He used to give speeches and sermons and he used to do these protests and peace walks, each and every day. - We will continue to protest in the same spirit of love and nonviolence and passive resistance. - He had years and years of activism for equality in the United States and activism became part of his life. - We are tired of working full-time jobs for part-time income. MALALA YOUSAFZAI (VOICEOVER): He had created support for himself. He had created followers for himself. And he had raised awareness about the mission. So the first step of your advocacy is crucial. It could be a very small step, but that's the start that sets your mission, your vision. And then, look ahead. Don't look back and keep on going. What I always do before my speeches is remind myself that these speeches are not just heard by the people in front of me, but by hundreds and thousands of other people as well who might be watching them later on some video online or who might be watching it live as well. When I was delivering my UN speech, I knew that that speech was live on so many televisions. And so many people were listening to it around the world. I knew that so many girls were listening to my voice in that moment. So many parents were listening to my voice in that moment. So I remind myself, before all of...

About the Instructor

When she first took a stand, Malala simply acted on her belief that all Pakistani girls like her had a right to education. Now the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate in history teaches you how to fight injustice in the world and in your everyday life, starting with your own community. Learn Malala’s framework for influencing change: Research issues, build a strategy, take action, and create an impact right where you are.

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Malala Yousafzai

Nobel Prize–winning activist Malala teaches you how to be an activist in your own community, from research and strategy to action and impact.

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