What Freedom Of Expression Really Means | Mike Boston | TEDxCambridge

[Music] [Applause] these days you hear a lot about giving voice of the voiceless well what does that really mean to my good friend Antoine it literally meant life and death Antoine was a member of two different gangs he was small in stature but highly respected even feared what people didn't know about Antoine was that he was at odds with himself he was an active citizen who improv it used music to express a tender side of himself that would be looked at as weak by rival gang members it was this craziness of the life events one that caused a lot of things to happen much of his music was centered around being unwanted by his father who didn't spend time with them at all but would spend time with his youngest son who was lighter and complexion it was this colorism and straight-up favoritism that caused his father to go to Antoine's brothers ballgames not his his father wouldn't buy him clothes or sneakers or even acknowledge his existence these were the things Antoine rapped about I know this because the health ants while working his raps five days a week along with getting his high school equivalency then one day he wanted me to help him enter a rap contest he wrote about getting out of gang life he wrote about his dying mother and of course he wrote about his father guess what he won the contest after you won he got a free photo and video shoot has his first brush with local celebrity he even got a job at UPS to change his way of making money to focus more on his music and avoid going to jail but not long after that and so on was picked up by police for gang activity this past came back too little too late antwuan situation troubled me greatly but if I got to him sooner what if I were able to show outsiders the inner wounded child I saw an Antoine Antoine story got me thinking a lot about freedom of expression which in this country is a basic human right but a city's like where I'm from Dorchester Massachusetts why do people feel like they don't have a voice just look at all the racial violence in the news can you believe it's almost 2018 despite all the technological advances resources and policy why are we almost in the same place we were 100 years ago the reason is since its founding our nation has been in a perpetual state of trauma many of you would agree that the only way out of that trauma is to give voice to the voiceless trouble is the current platforms are flawed America's Got Talent American Idol the voice x-factor they all cater to people hurting for attention but they do not feed the need for true expression in the moment and in the places where it's needed most freedom of attention is not equal to freedom of expression parents want freedom of attention is joining a gang and committing acts of violence as a way to survive and gain respect freedom of attention is flashing wads and wads of cash and guns on snapchat because that's what the highest-profile rappers do freedom of attention can even be as simple as wearing your favorite players Jersey with a big gold chain freedom of expression on the other hand is going against the grain and showing Outsiders that wounded inner child I saw an answer on the big question is would you listen or with the filters of the media and a few outlets we have to get attention feed your pre-existing perceptions of pre-existing conditions factor as many people's truth comes with filters you can't say this you can't do that it's not acceptable it's not marketable etc I came to realize some people's truth is not welcome creation is the language of truth so how do we reach all the other antwon's out there I decided to take a vehicle of true expression to them when I founded mobile Stu I was only trying to solve a problem what they're trying to get attention it was just a way of creating equal opportunity for young people that don't have the money or the access to express themselves in a studio mobile Stu meets people where they are because it's more comfortable and less dangerous than kids busting through rival neighborhoods to get to a structured program that nobody thinks is popping mobile Stu makes people feel like they matter and have worth because we come to them just like the ice cream truck so what's next for mobile stool and other platforms like it in my mind we need to create more unbridled creative opportunities and even new industries for our inner cities and beyond because if drug-dealing continues to be the primary industry of the streets not much will change maybe you saw me on The Ellen Show telling Ellen I like to say or even on NBC Nightly News for what mobile Stuart's done and a movement called black with blue where we United cops with kids to create a rap anthem together despite all the press I've received it can't be understated that this is dangerous work you need to have trust to go in these neighborhoods you've gotta be genuine or you'll be sniffed out and the commitment must be consistent we're talking about healing centuries-old trauma and you can't do that by sharing sound bites and YouTube clips on social media sorry now I'm not suggesting any of you get up and head to Dorchester with the microphone strapped to your Volvo that wouldn't be advised but the next time you see a story on the news of an alleged gang member let go of the stereotypes it's only young people to give up the Eagles in the false notions of what it means to be a strong like a man he's supposed to cry you should see me cryin on The Ellen Show it's on us to let go of the stereotypes and the filters that prevent us from seeing these people as human beings again the next time you see on the news a story of an alleged gang member let go of the stereotypes think of my friend aunt Swan a lost voice that could have made a lasting difference maybe it will now [Applause] [Music] you

Channel: TEDx Talks

Views: 18,639

Keywords: TEDxTalks, English, Life, Big problems, Community, Compassion, Creation, Crime, Discrimination, Hardship, Hope, Inequality, Personal growth, Poverty, Race, Rap, Self improvement, Truth, Urban Areas, Violence, Youth

Id: AWO5uK_5t4o

Length: 11min 40sec (700 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 24 2017