How many of you are tired
of seeing celebrities adopting kids from the African continent?
(Laughter)
Well, it's not all that bad.
I was adopted.
I grew up in rural Uganda,
lost both my parents when I was very, very young.
And when my parents passed,
I experienced all the negative effects of poverty,
from homelessness,
eating out of trash piles,
you name it.
But my life changed
when I got accepted into an orphanage.
Through one of those sponsor-an-orphan programs,
I was sponsored and given an opportunity to acquire an education.
I started off in Uganda.
I went through school, and the way this particular program worked,
you finished high school and after high school,
you go learn a trade -- to become a carpenter, a mechanic
or something along those lines.
My case was a little different.
The sponsor family that was sending these 25 dollars a month
to this orphanage to sponsor me,
which -- I had never met them --
said, "Well ...
we would like to send you to college instead."
Oh -- it gets better.
(Laughter)
And they said, "If you get the paperwork,
we'll send you to school in America instead."
So with their help,
I went to the embassy and applied for the visa.
I got the visa.
I remember this day like it was yesterday.
I walked out of the embassy with this piece of paper in my hand,
a hop in my step,
smile on my face,
knowing that my life is about to change.
I went home that night,
and I slept with my passport,
because I was afraid that someone might steal it.
(Laughter)
I couldn't fall asleep.
I kept feeling it.
I had a good idea for security.
I was like, "OK, I'm going to put it in a plastic bag,
and take it outside and dig a hole, and put it in there."
I did that, went back in the house.
I could not fall asleep. I was like, "Maybe someone saw me."
I went back --
(Laughter)
I pulled it out, and I put it with me the entire night --
all to say that it was an anxiety-filled night.
(Laughter)
Going to the US was, just like another speaker said,
was my first time to see a plane,
be on one, let alone sit on it to fly to another country.
December 15, 2006.
7:08pm.
I sat in seat 7A.
Fly Emirates.
One of the most gorgeous, beautiful women I've ever seen walked up,
red little hat with a white veil.
I'm looking terrified, I have no idea what I'm doing.
She hands me this warm towel --
warm, steamy, snow white.
I'm looking at this warm towel;
I don't know what to do with my life, let alone with this damn towel --
(Laughter)
(Applause)
I did one of the --
you know, anything anyone could do in that situation:
look around, see what everyone else is doing.
I did the same.
Mind you, I drove about seven hours from my village to the airport that day.
So I grab this warm towel,
wipe my face just like everyone else is doing,
I look at it --
damn.
(Laughter)
It was all dirt brown.
(Laughter)
I remember being so embarrassed that when she came by to pick it up,
I didn't give mine.
(Laughter)
I still have it.
(Laughter)
(Applause)
Going to America opened doors for me
to live up to my full God-given potential.
I remember when I arrived,
the sponsor family embraced me,
and they literally had to teach me everything from scratch:
this is a microwave, that's a refrigerator --
things I'd never seen before.
And it was also the first time
I got immersed into a new and different culture.
These strangers showed me
true love.
These strangers showed me that I mattered,
that my dreams mattered.
(Applause)
Thank you.
These individuals had two of their own biological children.
And when I came in, I had needs.
They had to teach me English,
teach me literally everything,
which resulted in them spending a lot of time with me.
And that created a little bit of jealousy with their children.
So, if you're a parent in this room,
and you have those teenager children
who don't want anything to do with your love and affection --
in fact, they find it repulsive --
I got a solution:
adopt a child.
(Laughter)
It will solve the problem.
(Applause)
I went on to acquire two engineering degrees
from one of the best institutions in the world.
I've got to tell you:
talent is universal,
but opportunities are not.
And I credit this
to the individuals who embrace multiculturalism,
love, empathy
and compassion for others.
We live in a world filled with hate:
building walls,
Brexit,
xenophobia here on the African continent.
Multiculturalism can be an answer
to many of these worst human qualities.
Today, I challenge you
to help a young child experience multiculturalism.
I guarantee you that will enrich their life,
and in turn,
it will enrich yours.
And as a bonus,
one of them may even give a TED Talk.
(Laughter)
(Applause)
We may not be able to solve the bigotry and the racism of this world today,
but certainly we can raise children
to create a positive, inclusive, connected world
full of empathy,
love
and compassion.
Love wins.
Thank you.
(Applause)