A digital anthology of youth empowerment and collective action

SOPHIA DELACRUZ

Miami, USA

June 2020

I was seventeen years old, sitting in the front row at the MMUN Opening ceremony in Rome, Italy and about to give the biggest speech of my life up until that point.

I had written my speech on a piece of hotel stationary paper, which I slid in, slid out, and back into my oversized dress shirt sleeve.

Anxious thoughts cycled around in my head:

"Will I forget a line and get totally lost?”

“Will I remember to keep eye contact?"

“Will my passion come through?”

But I knew my passion was there.

I was a former MMUN delegate, who became a bureau member, and then launched my own online mentoring project at the Youth Impact Forum, but would a room full of my peers and mentors know my passion was there too?

As soon as I started my speech, I felt the words trying to escape my brain. I had to mentally grab them, one by one. Key words gradually became sentences in my possession, which unlocked personal truths flowing from my heart. Overall I think that I gave an okay speech, but was it too little too late? I took my seat.

The next speaker was an adult I had long admired and found a little intimidating. He was confident, beaming with charisma, and might have looked the opposite of how I had felt while onstage. It was his conviction of young people taking action that I’ll never forget.

It moved me, literally, to do something out of the ordinary.

The crowds dissipated and I walked right up to Jeremy Gilles to introduce myself and shake his hand. Before I could say how inspired I was by his speech and organization, I will never forget what he said to me first:

"I loved your speech and passion. It's really great to have young people like you step up there instead of just old people like me."

What part of the planet is yours to save?

Calling all former MMUN delegates and teachers: How did MMUN inspire you take action in your community or create lasting change within yourself? Submit your story and we'll feature a select group in the next volume of "The Once and Future Ambassadors" anthology!

Sophia is from Miami, USA and a former MMUN delegate of Zimbabwe (2016). Learn more about her online mentoring network Girls Here and There, and Jeremy Gilles' global campaign Peace One Day.