Helping Every Child Hear Life’s Music | Peyton Schwadron | TEDxMiami Country Day School
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4l7T7T0xbo Video ID: S4l7T7T0xbo ============================================================ [applause and cheering] [applause] Are you ready? [music] What if that silence wasn't just a moment? What if it was your everyday life? Think about the last time that you listened to music. Maybe it was in the car with the windows down or in your room, headphones on, shutting everything else out. Maybe music helped you calm down, focus, or feel understood. Music is everywhere in our lives. It connects us. It evokes deep emotions and it brings us joy without us even realizing it. But for millions of people in the deaf community, music is experienced very differently. But what if we can make it more accessible to everyone? That thought that stayed with me. I began researching more about how deaf individuals experience music through movement vibrations rather than just sound alone. And then I watched the movie Kota and I loved it. Kota stands for child of deaf adults and it follows a teenage girl named Ruby who is the only hearing person in her family. She grew up translating for her family in everyday conversations and at work. Watching Kota made me realize something and it showed me how unfair it can be that not everyone can experience music in the same way. Thinking this, I decided to do something. Watching Kota showed me that music shapes identity. I began volunteering at the Debbie School at the University of Miami. The Debbie School provides early intervention for deaf or heart of hearing children. But I wanted to make a bigger impact. On November 16th, I held a paddle tournament at Reserve Paddle Miami. We held kids, women's, men's, not just to play, but to raise awareness and funds. All the money raised went towards the Debbie School and the SAM fund, which is a bank of coclar implant parts and batteries for families who can't afford them. [clears throat] And then I met Michelle Benviv. Michelle shared her personal experience of raising a deaf child with coar implants and it completely shifted my perspective. A coar implant is a hearing device that sends sounds directly to the hearing nerve allowing deaf individuals hear sound voices in everyday life. But getting one isn't so simple. The device and the surgery can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000. And while Medicare and insurance usually help cover these costs, the process can be slow. It could take up to 90 days for your request to be processed or 90 days for a part to come in. When I heard that, I thought, what if that were me? What if music, [snorts] voices, and sounds were suddenly taken away? Not because of choice, but because help wasn't accessible fast enough. Through all of this, I've learned that music doesn't have to be heard to be felt. My goal is simple. I want everyone to experience what music gives me. Joy, connection, and a way to express yourself. And you don't have to start a fundraiser or organize an event to make a difference. Because purpose isn't just about what fulfills you. It's about taking what you love and turning that into an action. At the beginning of this talk, you sat in silence. Now imagine a world where we don't take music, voices, or sounds for granted. A world where we work to make music more accessible to everyone, not just those who can hear it. And if we do that, maybe, just maybe, we can create a world where music truly connects us all. Thank you. >> [applause] [applause]