Hello, everyone. Good evening. Thank you for joining us today. You are up here with mikva challenge, we are committed to developing young people to be informed and active citizens to create a just and equitable world. Named after two great civic leaders, we believe in the power of the voices that are here with us today and we believe in helping young people to create civic action to improve the world. I am going to turn it over to a colleague and friend from Facebook Education. [applause] hi, everyone. My name is nicole and i work on the Education Team focused on use leadership. Our mission is to provide young people with support and resources they need to drive positive changes in their communities and schools. We are thrilled to be getting this partnership, to be supporting mikva in their work. Hear the youtho speeches today. For you all, young people raising your voice is to help shape your communities. Thank you so much. [applause] i mentioned the amazing young people that are here today. My name is stephanie cruz, i am on the board of mikva challenge. It is exceptionally exciting to hear the stories we are going to hear. These young people represent 25,000 young people who have participated in the soap box challenge. We are very lucky to hear these amazing stories. To geting to turn over it kicked off. [applause] thank you both so much. Myself and my colleague will be emceeing today, and we are thrilled to hear these speeches of brave young people who will speak out on the issues that matter to them that they want to see change that are affecting young people around the country and the world. I wont be speaking so much because we want to center their voices and their wisdom and their perspective. Without further ado, im going to call our first speaker, mohammed. Come on up. [applause] 35,000, that is the number of innocent souls put to rest in 2012 by gun violence. Did they deserve it . Absolutely not, and yet here we are talking about them in past tense red my name is mohammed and i come before you to talk about the tragic gun violence epidemic in the United States. Since the horrifying School Shooting in connecticut, sandy hook elementary school, there has not been more than there massbeen more than 1,600 shootings. While the families of those killed in these incidents drowned in grief, the government watches with glassy eyes. Many attempts to protect and serve the interest of the public continue to be undermined. The unprecedented gun violence continues to be subverted as if it is not a real issue. Gun violence is a cruel, inhumane and catastrophic problem and and only in america dilemma. In 2018, a shooting at a bar in california marked to the 307th mass shooting and 2018. When that occurred, it was 312 days into the year, meaning that the u. S. Has nearly as many Mass Shootings as days. Every dayointing that a possibility of a mass shooting happening is active and real . 2,824 children who were clueless of this dangerous and evil world, where they are not even safe in the place they spend most of their lives in, anticipating their birthday, their kindergarten graduation and awaiting to hug their parents once they get out of school died by gun shots. 13,723 wereional injured. If we are capable of building walls, blocking immigrants from coming in, then we are able to burn those walls that surround politicians who do nothing about gun violence as they are blindsided to those who have suffered. My call for action is to demand background checks, make sure guns are out of the hands of those with criminal records, demand more complex systems for buying guns, and finally, and i cant believe that i have to say this, but an 18yearold should never have access to an Assault Rifle. Are you kidding me . 18yearold who has barely grasped responsibility and adulthood is all of the sudden granted the right to an Assault Rifle . What planet are we living in . I will tell you. The planet where he learned from parkland, where we learn from san bernardino, where he learned from the synagogue in pittsburgh. Where he learned from parkland. Where he learned from columbine. Where he learned from the mosques in new zealand. Where we learn from new york. But we did not learn to do something. Anything for those 2824 children. Places of worship are under assault every time a bullet is more important than a life. Do what is needed until this place can be safe for the future generations. Enough is enough. Thank you. [applause] thank you. Up next, we have ivy. Can i tell you where they are from . Mohammed was some new york, queens. [applause] , do you want to a book is a wonderful piece of magic. It can transport you to another world. It can give you a glimpse into the life of another person. It teaches you empathy. For children, reading is vital. And children from low income families need books the most. They need that escape, that hope for a better future. It seems that these children are our lowest priority when it comes to reading. Over 8. 7 million low income students are not proficient in reading. These are the kids who are going to make up the future of our nation. It is imperative that we give them the resources they need and deserve. And how can we do that if libraries are not getting the funding that they need . In 2013, the delaware state budget appropriated only 0. 06 of their money toward libraries. Improve ifgrow and we are taking something as magical as libraries for granted . Now, some people may not believe that this is a problem. Books are disappearing to make way for a new era, the era of technology. And yes, technology is a wonderful thing, but studies show that children growing up in homes with books average three years more schooling than those who grew up in homes without books. That is regardless of parents class, occupation and education. Study by thea Reading Agency shows that reading can reduce anxiety and stress, increase selfesteem, and reduce symptoms of depression. It is magic. So, now that you note the problem, heres what i need you to do. Support organizations that work to solve this problem, such as reading is fundamental or room to read, but most importantly, read. By reading to the children in your life and encouraging them to read, we can move toward a stronger, better tomorrow. Thank you. [applause] thank you. Ivy. You, [applause] this is my soapbox speech. Before i begin, i would like to ask if everyone can see me. Now . Ou great, because in the eyes of society, people of color are seen as invisible. Abolish, noat we matter what we established, it would still be there. I am talking about racism. Racism is something that has been a part of our world. My generation, generation z, has been to her in a place where there is so. People find other ways to be racist. That is disappointing because in the words of Martin Luther king junior, i had a dream for all black boys and black girls to play with all little white boys and black girls and not die. Happy and forget about why we have to work that day. Die withainly did not the school students, including their faces black for 10 years. Passing, 3050 days that this is not ok. Officers say it is ok to shoot. The person of color is a problem and appear ignorant as people adding to the problem. In the words of dr. Martin luther king jr. , nothing is more dangerous than sincere ignorance. According to npr, africanamericans have extensive amounts of discrimination. When applying for a job, it is 56 . 57 . Tion, skin color, that produces that. King, racism is not ok. It has never been ok. The people are just as bad. Behaving and people behaving to the fact that they can deliver. Dr. King had a dream and so do i. Every color feels included and lookpeople to attractive and the dream will theater dream. We see racist acts all the time and dont announce them. It is ok to be like this. And a 13yearold should not be asking adopt to do their job. Andould be going to a party worrying about which drama happened at the beach. I am not done. [applause] [laughter] you want to know why some people have nightmares . The starter stream. Bloodshot. [applause] thank you. Ms. Jackson. [applause] have you ever had her then person . All over the country all over the world. This means demand. The United States government and employees are turning a blind eye to u. S. Citizens. 998 people have been emerged and that is two people away from 1000. People have been murdered by u. S. Police officers and we are in the month of july. This is not how they should be treated because we are all human beings. If what is even worse is when we have proof, proof by the government officials. 2017 that twon Police Officers have been charged with the protest. The officers hit, kicked and threw them to the ground protester, really an officer. What is the government do . Nothing. It is like to please a government or could teaming up to make them scared. It is not right. All races are being abused. It is like family or like me, your red son or your son. I believe Police Officers are punished. Better training or dealing with the public. There might be Mental Illnesses. During training, police with the investigation, traffic control, defensive aid. Ng, selfdefense, self then a learned how to deal with mental on this is. They dont know how to handle anger. Will a great a daily issue. She was a victim whose only crime was being a girl living in the wrong place and time. Bitderstand this topic is a taboo to discuss and may be difficult to hear but its also a subject that receives little to no recognition. I ask for the audiences full attention. If everyone is too afraid to discuss this, progress will never be made. According to the world health organization, 44 million women under the age of 15 are victims fgm, female genital mutilation. The whole purpose of the horrible procedure is to control a womans sexuality. It is thought to ensure virginity before marriage and increase male pleasure. It is usually done by people with no medical knowledge. Lead to ptsd,es depression, anxiety, childbirth complications, and death. It is a disgusting, horrible, barbaric procedure that must be put to an end. Can sign a petition by 2030. Population growth will outpace progress. The number of women subjected the harm will rise exponentially. How many more young women have to be subjected to harm and have their childhoods to private of them . Only six out of 195 countries have equal rights for men and women. The lives of women and girls in third world third world countries are just as important. Please, sign that the change. Org petition and lets put an end to the barbaric custom known as female genital mutilation. Thank you. [applause] thank you. Next, jaelyn. [applause] School Shootings have no place in our country, they have no place anywhere. You have a son, he is beautiful, tinywith big eyes and fingers, he is yours. You come home from work one day and decide to watch some tv, the news. You are surprised by what you see. It is just another School Shooting. When will we learn these things just happen . Isnt a school far off and in another state. It is your sons school. You call your mother. You call everyone you know. Beg god, you pray, you for the return of your child. Your child who was yours since he took his first breath. Is this the day he takes his last . In 1998, the parents of 13 High School Students have the same fear when a boy murdered two of his classmates. In 2012, the parents at sandy hook lost their babies because a grown man murdered 21st graders with a gun. In 2015 at a community college, a man murdered eight of his classmates because he felt he didnt fit in. Boy killed 17 people at a high school with a gun. 17 people. Since 2012, School Shootings in america has become terrifyingly consistent. Just in the two year time span 2015, 142 School Shootings have been reported. 2018, that number has risen to 239. After 2012, more than 400 people have died as result of open gunfire on a school campus. In 2016. Cides rose 20 firearms contributed 87 . This calamity has Many Americans calling for the absolute ban of guns. Is like of banning guns the muslim ban donald trump put in place and i find it disgusting President Trump for bidding human beings. Desk should, my never have to defend me. I should not have to worry imy teachers are willing to sacrifice their lives in order to save mine. That is my right as a citizen and a compatriot of the earth. I am not at war and neither are my fellow peers. There is a desperate need for change. As someone who is not yet legally allowed to vote, i implore all of you when our time comes, please vote for efficient gun laws. Vote to protect the future of america. Babies,protect us, your your children, sons and daughters. E deserve better thank you. [applause] thank you. She is a pretty girl, but she will never believe it. She could find a million imperfections within an inch of her body. That mask of makeup she wears, she is a pretty girl. She wont ever believe it. Se minds on her stomach she wishes she was not so skinny. She is a skinny girl, but she will never believe it. The things on tv tells her she is not good enough. She needs to be thin, tall, white, successful. Have a small appetite. Thick. Shes pretty girl but you will not believe it. When she wakes up in the morning , she says she cannot go to school because she is sick. When she looks in the mirror, she cant stand herself. Shes a pretty girl but she will not ever believe it. She stays away from boys because they could not love someone that looks like her. She was told she had to look a certain way to attract men, attract men like it is her job to attract men. Not how she this is looked. She is a pretty girl. She wont ever believe it. How could she believe it when society tells her every way she looks she is wrong . Put on some weight. Guys dont like skinny girls. You should not wear a bikini. You are ugly. Shes a pretty girl but she will not ever believe it. Expectations eat women alive until they are nothing. There will always be someone more beautiful. Shes a pretty girl. She wont ever believe it. Young girls are told to be quiet, look pretty, be obedient. Be perfect. When will we stop tearing each other apart over what the media tells us we must look like . Excepting ourselves is hard. I hope one day we will find the courage to let the beauty shine through. She is a pretty girl. She knows it. [applause] thank you. Ext know 91 of plastic is not recycled . Recycling is metal, paper, soss, in the recycling bin it can be used for new material. Billion metric tons, six point three become plastic waste. Been recycled. 79 , aremajority, later. At some point it goes into the ocean. Could you imagine that much plastic in the ocean . Over 100,000 marine animals die every year from plastic entanglement. One Million People die from plastic. That is awful. Bethe end of 2015, they will billions of plastic in our landfill. Heavy as5,000 times as the empire state building. Also about 8 million tons and have in the ocean. In the ocean. Some restaurants have been getting rid of plastic cups to reduce the plastic in her ocean. We have labels on recycling material and we have been using reusable water bottles. Be lazy ande to not throw their recyclables away. I think they should find a better way. Throughout the world, any plastic in our oceans, every place you go. Lets make this a reality, starting today. [applause] awesome. Thank you, luke. Im sorry, black men. The only place where your work will be of assistance is the streets of the ghetto. Im sorry, muslim woman. I am to afraid of hiring you because your father might be a terrorist. Since you are a mexican, i am going to pay you under the table. Discrimination has to stop. People are being punished every day for being themselves. As in africanamerican women, i sometimes feel like it is impossible for me to escape the fate given to me before i was born. I sometimes feel like im going to dial down my close because my skin color is enough to be labeled as an unsophisticated black girl. Black men feel like they should not try because they will be turned down because of the color of their skin. They end up in prison or killed. 82 of africanamericans feel racial Crucial Group is discriminated upon. I never understood how so much hatred and inequality could stem from religion. As ifents never treated someone was more superior as the other. People are being killed because donepersons religion has something bad. Have we had a reason to hate jews . Police officers are so carelessly arresting people who look latino. Citizens areo many of latino dissent. Statistics show 50 of hispanic americans feel like they are discriminated upon on a daily basis. When are we going to change . When are we going to look at each other as people . The first step starts with us. We must reflect on ourselves before we can make change. We must look at the discrimination before our eyes. Toward make a step change. What im asking you to do, put yourself in their shoes. Do for them what you would want done. Everybody is equal. Thank you. [applause] thank you. Next, lillian. Come on down. This is all our fault. The countless lives that have been lost due to the arrogance of our lawmakers. The 13 lives of columbine. 27 lives of sandy hook. Pulse nightclub and the countless others we choose to ignore. Their blood has sustained our reach the has yet to colorblind leaders in our government. Every day we say we live in the land of the free. How can we be free if we know the hate outside our doors . We should be scared because in 393 millionre are civilian held firearms. Worlds46 of the civilian held firearms. More to outnumber each person in this country. We should be scared because we are not safe here. Expected to we are get up every morning and go to school hoping that it will be safe. Hoping that we will come home even though nothing has changed since columbine. Nothing has changed since sandy hook. How are we supposed to trust something that has failed us so many times before . Going out to have fun can end in disaster like it has for the victims of the las vegas mass shooting. Chaoscing religion can be like it has been for the victims of the pittsburgh synagogue shooting. Even going to the Grocery Store can be scary because we know theres a chance we may never come home. Over 300 masswere shootings. Over 300 times a gun was fired killing or injuring four people. We watched and let it happen. Our laws it happen. They let people come into our schools, houses, places of worship. We are a nation divided by greed and hatred and guns. We have been f