6 billion

Fairly recently, my students wrote "activist" speeches as part of our Global Citizenship unit in English. I cannot begin to tell you how amazing they were . They were so good that I made sure we packed the rest of school into our small gymnasium to hear them. I often say that my students inspire me and yet I don't often have the opportunity to show you why . I have decided to post one of the speeches. I wish I could post them all as they were unbelievable. This speech is copied with the permission of the author, a 13 year old girl named Olivia. She is one of many bright lights that shine on my life Monday through Friday ! Yes...it is dramatic and filled with emotion. At times, she simplifies the issues. But it is pure and beautiful and let me tell you it brought tears to everyone in the room.

6 Billion

Ever since you were young you've been told that it doesn't matter what is on the outside, that it's the inside that counts.

On the outside, our world is a beautiful ball of blue and green. On the inside, however, there are more problems than meet the eye. And on the outside of our world you can't see these problems. You can't see the 880 million people that go to bed hungry every night. You can't see the animals dying because their homes have been cut down. You can't see the innocent children that are captured and forced to become cold killing machines in a war that has nothing to do with them. Whether you are looking on the outside or the inside, one thing that nobody seems to see is that WE are ALL to blame.
On October 12th 1999, it was declared that our world's population had reached 6 billion. 6 billion people have the power to do a lot of great things. Instead we are wasting our power and creating a new world of pain. Our world is increasing with global issues like war, poverty, child exploitation , murder, prostitution, and racism. And what have we really done to stop these things ?
It seems like everyday humanity is handed a shovel, and everyday we dig the hole of apathy juat a little bit deeper, until one day it is going to be too deep to fill. At 6 billion you would think we would have the drive to come together and stop these tragedies from occuring. I mean come on, it's so easy to do something. Join a charity, donate money to a good cause or volunteer. The possibilites are endless. And even though there are those who take it upon themselves to help, as a nation we are not there yet.
We've all seen the news, listened to the radio and read the newspaper articles. And each one tells a similar story. It is one of our soldiers dying in Afghanistan, an innocent house party turned into a brutal stabbing, or yet another child forced to work in unbearable conditions for less than a dollar a day. For about 5 seconds we feel bad, we really do. But then we do what we do best.... ignore the issues and think "thank God it happened to them and not us." At 6 billion, we need to start caring. We need to take a step out of our comfort zone and realize we're not the only ones living on this planet we call home. We need to take a momment and remember that all these problems we have created could have easily been avoided. But now we are left to clean up the mess . It is our job to fix things before time runs out.
But just in case we can't come together and make things right, I have one thing to say , "I'm sorry. " I'm sorry that our world can't tell right from wrong. I'm sorry that some people's tears are the only water they have had all day. I'm sorry that instead of playing soccer, some boys are playing war, only the blood and guns and killing are real. I'm sorry that some people have never been taught how to spell their own name. I'm sorry that in some countries, women and children are treated like slaves. I'm sorry that some people don't care. And most of all , I'm sorry that at 6 billion this is what our world has come to .