Self Advocacy | Mikhaila Tumarkin | TEDxYouth@PickeringCollege

Key Concepts:

• Self-advocacy: Speaking up for oneself and one's needs.
• Stigma: A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.
• Stereotypes: A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
• Bystander effect: A social psychological phenomenon in which individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present.
• Single story: The danger of understanding a person or community based on a single narrative.

Main Topics and Key Points:

• The Importance of Self-Advocacy: The speaker, Michaela Tumarin, emphasizes the critical need for individuals to advocate for themselves, highlighting that personal belief is the foundation for others' belief. She argues that self-advocacy breaks stigmas, eradicates stereotypes, and promises a better future.
• Real-World Examples:
  • Medical Dramas: The speaker references medical dramas like Grey's Anatomy, House MD, and ER, where characters with mystery illnesses are initially dismissed but ultimately find resolution by persistently advocating for themselves.
  • The Laramie Project: A play about the murder of Matthew Shepard, highlighting the dangers of prejudice and the need to speak out against injustice.
  • TED Talk on the Danger of a Single Story: The speaker mentions a Nigerian author's TED Talk, emphasizing how a single story can negatively affect perceptions of individuals and communities.
• Personal Anecdote:
  • Childhood Health Issues: The speaker shares her personal experience of struggling with health issues as a child, where her concerns were dismissed as "puberty." She emphasizes the frustration of not being believed and the eventual turning point when she sought help from her aunt, a psychologist.
  • Being a "Poster Child": After receiving help, she became a "poster child," supporting other children facing similar challenges, demonstrating the ripple effect of self-advocacy.
  • Bullying and Discrimination: The speaker recounts being bullied and discriminated against for being Jewish, highlighting the importance of speaking up against injustice rather than relying on the "bystander effect."
• The Bystander Effect: The speaker warns against the bystander effect, where individuals assume someone else will take action, leading to inaction. She stresses that others cannot understand internal struggles unless they are voiced.
• Quote by Maya Angelou: The speaker quotes Maya Angelou: "I learned a long time ago that the wisest thing I can do is be on my own side, be an advocate for myself and others like me."

Key Arguments and Perspectives:

• Self-belief is paramount: The speaker argues that self-advocacy begins with believing in oneself. If you don't believe in yourself, others won't either.
• Speaking up breaks cycles: Self-advocacy breaks the cycle of assumptions and stereotypes, leading to a more understanding and inclusive environment.
• Individual action matters: The speaker emphasizes that individual action is crucial, as relying on others can lead to inaction due to the bystander effect.
• Voice for the voiceless: By advocating for oneself, one also advocates for others facing similar challenges.

Technical Terms and Concepts:

• Self-advocacy: The act of speaking or acting on behalf of oneself.
• Stigma: A negative association or mark of disgrace.
• Stereotype: A generalized belief about a particular category of people.
• Bystander effect: The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help a victim when others are present.
• Single story: The danger of forming opinions based on a single perspective or narrative.

Logical Connections:

The speech begins by prompting the audience to reflect on times when their voices were dismissed. It then transitions to the importance of self-advocacy, supported by examples from media and personal experience. The speaker connects her personal struggles with broader social issues like bullying and discrimination, emphasizing the need for individual action to combat these problems. The speech concludes with a call to action, urging the audience to be their own advocates and to support others.

Synthesis/Conclusion:

Michaela Tumarin's speech powerfully advocates for self-advocacy as a means to overcome personal challenges, break down societal stigmas, and create a more inclusive world. Through personal anecdotes, references to media, and a call to action, she emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself and speaking up for one's needs and the needs of others. The core message is that self-advocacy is not just a personal act but a crucial step towards creating a more just and equitable society.