Many
people remember Monique Coleman for the remarkable role she played in the
movie- High School Musicals (she was the brainy girl called Taylor McKenzie).
Today, the 31 year- old American actress and philanthropist is serving as the
United Nations Youth Champion, with the mission of projecting “dialogue and
mutual understanding,” the themes of the International Year of Youth (August
2010-August 2011). She
recently launched a project called “Letters of Hope,” with the aim of giving
young people the opportunity in changing the world.
Read the excerpts below:
Tell us a
bit more about Letters of Hope
Basically…we
want young people to write letters- what is it they want to see in the world,
what their aspirations are, what their dreams are for the world and also to
share what it is they are doing about that or what it is they want to do. I
really want to see something that is heart centered. I’m not giving too much
guardian on how to go about it…My hope for the letters of hope is that it
becomes this viral movement where people are sharing their hope for the world
and our leaders take these letters and apply action to them.
From the
forum themes (Citizens in action: youth in political and public life;
Countering youth exclusion, vulnerability and violence; and Breaking through
employment barriers.), which are you most passionate about?
I think
they all work hand-in-hand. Unemployment is something that is on the forefront
of everyone’s state of mind. But it is not the one I’m most passionate about,
to be honest, because I feel young people have so much potential. If we could
pave the path instead of following the system they way they’ve been created and
recognise our potential of not only having jobs but to create jobs. There are
so many jobs that can be created, jobs that can solve social problems. So I’m
excited about some of the things that are happening in the job market because I
think it is an opportunity to shift our perspective completely and say, “Now
that there are so many people in the same situation, we can all relate to one
another in a way that we couldn’t relate before.” There isn’t the same
disparity between those who have and those who don’t. There are more and more
people that are losing their jobs. There are more and more people that are
having to say to themselves, “Am I doing what I’m passionate about in the world…if
I’m not, now that I don’t have a job maybe I can take this an opportunity to
follow my real passion.” And that real passion could open up a world of
opportunity to more people.
Taking
about following one’s passion and following one’s dream, as a celebrity did you
have to give up a part of your life to become a change maker?
Oh no! Not
at all. I had to use my life. A lot of people feel like you have to choose and
I felt I had to choose... I was so scared of the path because I thought I’d
have to give up my career in order to do it. But the truth is, I had to
continue to pursue my dream in order to encourage other people to pursue
theirs. But my dreams are just changed. I don’t care about the same things
anymore. Being out in the world and seeing everything that I’ve seen and
experienced, at the end of the day it is like I love being an artist but I’m
able to put that in perspective. I’m able to see the opportunity that I
have as an artist. I desire to play more roles and I will. But I don’t look at
it and feel like it defines me anymore. I think it is a very positive place to
be.
There are
a lot of complaints from young people that policy makers don’t listen to them.
From your experience, how do you think young people can get policy makers to
listen to them?
That is a
great question because it is an opinion that is shared by a lot of people.
My response to that may not be the one you want to hear. But my response is, do
not worry about it. Because I think through experience and through doing more
work you start to realize what the process is when it comes to making a
decision. And the reality is the more time we spend wondering and worrying
about what someone else is thinking or doing, the less time we are spending
actually in the doing. What I experienced traveling around the world is that
often I will meet with students and hear all their concern about everything
they wanted, what is wrong with their education etc. And they were great
concerns. And then I would go and meet with the government officials and they
are talking about the same thing the young people are talking about. So unless
you have a solution that is so powerful, I think we have to be a little less
judgmental of the policy makers and realise they are actually in the position
because they want to do good. Most of the time they are there because they want
to make a difference as well. They are trying to do the right thing and maybe
they are inexperienced in working with young people.
So instead
of being judgmental and complaining about it, show them why they should look
into youth. Show them how youth can be an asset by doing the work and then
presenting it to them instead of waiting for them to give you the opportunity
to do the work.
Economists
say Africa is the next frontier for global economy. In your recent world tour,
you visited many countries, including some African countries; from your
interaction with the youth in there did you perceive this?
Wow! That
is a great question. You know, I think we like to coin these ideas about Africa
and India as well, on who the emerging economies are. For me I’ll say yes,
there is so much opportunities everywhere.
But I also
think it is important to look at whether or not this opportunities is also
causing disadvantages for other people that are living in the same place. And
so to me it is really about having a holistic perspective as to what growth
actually is. Is growth in development for a few or does it benefit all? And so
I can’t really speak on behalf of whether or not on the perception I have about
Africa just by being there for a month… but I would say the entire world is a
vast opportunity for so much development if we are able to see past the
self-serving attitude of how can I be in that company or the cover of Vogue but
actually how can we help the poorest of poor to be included inside that
economy. The continent or country that is able to achieve that, no matter how
small or great, they are is doing an incredible job towards what I consider
true development.
In some
developing countries like Nepal, the corruption rate is very high, how do you
think youth can contribute to the fight against corruption?
That one
breaks my heart. Other things I can deal with but corruption is one that is
very challenging…the one thing I can say is to try to shine the light on it as
much as possible. To raise as much awareness as possible. That requires
bravery. That requires putting yourself out there. In many places that is a
huge risk…I wouldn’t do it alone. I would gather as many people as possible and
not attach a name or a face to the movement of invading corruption…because one
of the things that is attached to corruption is people disappear. So I would be
mindful of your safety…
Your voice
is the most powerful weapon you have, your voice, your mobile device, your
access to technology is so powerful. Being that silent voice that writes a
letter, that speaks up on behalf of other people is really powerful.
Some
people get really frightened by the idea of Change. They feel they are okay and
they don’t really want to change. How, in your opinion, can we make change more
approvable and attractive? Especially for the elders, they lack sense of
change.
The reason
why I’m laughing is because I had the most horrible disturbing thoughts when
you were saying people are afraid of change.
I was
trying to put it into a context and I thought, we change our cloths right? We
change our clothes pretty much every day. Imagine if you had to wear or sat in
the same clothes all of the time. That will get old and it will get crunchy and
not smell very good. Well, that is the same thing. Ultimately, we want to
change. We want to change our clothes, we want to change our ideas, we want to
change our policies and our thoughts. I think the reason why people could be
afraid of change is because they are afraid they are going to lose something.
But I
think if we could shift our whole way of thinking from focusing on what we are
going to lose because of change and focus on what we are going to gain, what
the possibilities are if we did change… I think it is a matter of taking a
fear-based way of thinking and translating that into a more positive open ways
of thinking.
What is
your advice to youth? Those people who really get exclusion in career and
workplace, and from participating in civil society?
I would
say if you are awake and breathing, then you can be participating. You may not
be participating at the level or in the context that you want to be, but you
can participate. So I feel less time should be spent worrying and complaining
about what you are not doing and more time should be spent actually doing what
you can do.
You don’t
have to wait for anybody. You don’t have to wait for the United Nations, you
don’t have to wait for your government, you don’t have to wait for someone to
tell you to do something. When you wake up in the morning, if you see a
problem, there is likely a solution somewhere inside of you. If it is not, you
can gather with other people and come up with a solution. I think sometimes we
want to skip steps, we have these mobile devices, we have access to information
all day and it feels so easy to get something done. I’m sitting in the front
row and I’m participating- someone says something that is compelling and I
tweet it and immediately it is all around the world.
But the
reality of change is not that. The reality of actually making a difference is a
process. You have to organize yourself, you have to be clear about what exactly
you want… it doesn’t have to be bureaucracy … but it does have to be something
that is spelt out because many of the issues that we are facing today are based
on hasty decisions. Hasty decisions that were made at the time when people didn’t
take their time to think things completely through and didn’t have the
foresight to see what could happen. We need to slow time and think things
through.
How do you
see yourself different from other people?
I see
myself as the same. Nothing was given to me. Everything that I have and
achieved, I have worked for. To be honest, none of my ideas are my own. I
really think the things that have happened…are divine…I think that there is a
divinity that is working in our world…when I approach people or when I go
through my life, I think: do I have fears? Absolutely. Do I have insecurity?
Absolutely. Are there things that I think I cannot do? Absolutely. Do I have to
work hard in order to be able to take steps in my life? Absolutely, every
single day. So I don’t sit back and say…I was in High School musicals. Oh no! I
had to let go of all of that stuff that make people feel important and
recognize that I’m living on the same planet where there is bullying, where
there are conflict all over the world, where people are hungry and don’t have
access to drinking water. As long as I’m living in this planet we all need to
get in the mud and make a difference.
Since we
are sitting here together, from different race and religion, what do you think
is the message of the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum?
I think
this whole year and the Forum is really about dialogue. It is about breaking
down these barriers of ideas and stereotypes and really getting into
conversation. And then taking that conversation and translating it into action.
It is not enough to sit all day and just talk about it, you have to put these
words into action. It doesn’t have to be on a huge scale. You could do
something so tiny and that small thing will continue to multiply and to grow
and make a difference for someone.
Do you
have any other comment?
I’m just
so proud of all of you, for being here and for being selected. It is a
wonderful opportunity, which you all know. But I just wanted to share that when
I was a little bit younger, I had this issue where I felt like I wasn’t doing
enough. The more problems are reported in the world, the more things I saw, the
more I felt like I’m just not doing enough. I just want you to know you may
face that. You may learn more and see more and become frustrated and feel like
you are not just doing enough. I just want you to know that you are. If
you are doing everything that you can, if you waking up and it is on your
heart. If you are being the best person that you can be every single day, if
you are helping someone to cross the street, if you are sharing a positive
message…you are doing enough. And it isn’t just about one person. It is about
us inspiring other people to do the same thing. If we all did our own share of
the job, it will all get done.
We would
like to thank you Monique, for your time.
Thank you
all!
Interview
conducted by Youth
Bloggers - Doudou (DRC), Hend (Egypt), Jennifer (Nigeria), Kounila
(Cambodia) and Rajneesh (Nepal)- during the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris
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