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TED Talks, Faith Jegede: What I’ve learned from my autistic brothers

Faith Jegede: What I've learned from my autistic brothers

Today I have just one request. Please don't tell me I'm normal. Now I'd like to introduce you to my brothers. Remi is 22, tall and very handsome. He's speechless, but he communicates joy in a way that some of the best orators cannot. Remi knows what love is. He shares it unconditionally and he shares it regardless. He's not greedy. He doesn't see skin color. He doesn't care about religious differences, and get this: He has never told a lie. When he sings songs from our childhood, attempting words that not even I could remember, he reminds me of one thing: how little we know about the mind, and how wonderful the unknown must be.

Samuel is 16. He's tall. He's very handsome. He has the most impeccable memory. He has a selective one, though. He doesn't remember if he stole my chocolate bar, but he remembers the year of release for every song on my iPod, conversations we had when he was four, weeing on my arm on the first ever episode of Teletubbies, and Lady Gaga's birthday. Don't they sound incredible? But most people don't agree. And in fact, because their minds don't fit into society's version of normal, they're often bypassed and misunderstood. But what lifted my heart and strengthened my soul was that even though this was the case, although they were not seen as ordinary, this could only mean one thing: that they were extraordinary -- autistic and extraordinary.

Now, for you who may be less familiar with the term "autism," it's a complex brain disorder that affects social communication, learning and sometimes physical skills. It manifests in each individual differently, hence why Remi is so different from Sam. And across the world, every 20 minutes, one new person is diagnosed with autism, and although it's one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the world, there is no known cause or cure. And I cannot remember the first moment I encountered autism, but I cannot recall a day without it. I was just three years old when my brother came along, and I was so excited that I had a new being in my life. And after a few months went by, I realized that he was different. He screamed a lot. He didn't want to play like the other babies did, and in fact, he didn't seem very interested in me whatsoever. Remi lived and reigned in his own world, with his own rules, and he found pleasure in the smallest things, like lining up cars around the room and staring at the washing machine and eating anything that came in between. And as he grew older, he grew more different, and the differences became more obvious. Yet beyond the tantrums and the frustration and the never-ending hyperactivity was something really unique: a pure and innocent nature, a boy who saw the world without prejudice, a human who had never lied. Extraordinary.

Now, I cannot deny that there have been some challenging moments in my family, moments where I've wished that they were just like me. But I cast my mind back to the things that they've taught me about individuality and communication and love, and I realize that these are things that I wouldn't want to change with normality. Normality overlooks the beauty that differences give us, and the fact that we are different doesn't mean that one of us is wrong. It just means that there's a different kind of right. And if I could communicate just one thing to Remi and to Sam and to you, it would be that you don't have to be normal. You can be extraordinary. Because autistic or not, the differences that we have -- We've got a gift! Everyone's got a gift inside of us, and in all honesty, the pursuit of normality is the ultimate sacrifice of potential. The chance for greatness, for progress and for change dies the moment we try to be like someone else.

Please -- don't tell me I'm normal. Thank you. (Applause) (Applause)


Faith Jegede: What I’ve learned from my autistic brothers Faith Jegede: Was ich von meinen autistischen Brüdern gelernt habe Faith Jegede: O que aprendi com os meus irmãos autistas Фейт Джегеде: Чему я научилась у своих братьев-аутистов 费丝-杰吉德我从自闭症兄弟身上学到的东西

Today I have just one request. Hoje eu tenho apenas um pedido. Please don't tell me I'm normal. Por favor, não me diga que sou normal. Now I'd like to introduce you to my brothers. Agora eu gostaria de apresentá-lo aos meus irmãos. Remi is 22, tall and very handsome. Remi tem 22 anos, é alto e muito bonito. He's speechless, but he communicates joy in a way that some of the best orators cannot. Ele está sem palavras, mas comunica alegria de uma maneira que alguns dos melhores oradores não conseguem. Remi knows what love is. Remi sabe o que é amor. He shares it unconditionally and he shares it regardless. Ele compartilha incondicionalmente e ele compartilha independentemente. He's not greedy. Ele não é ganancioso. He doesn't see skin color. Ele não vê a cor da pele. He doesn't care about religious differences, and get this: He has never told a lie. Ele não se importa com diferenças religiosas e entende o seguinte: ele nunca mentiu. When he sings songs from our childhood, attempting words that not even I could remember, he reminds me of one thing: how little we know about the mind, and how wonderful the unknown must be. Quando ele canta canções de nossa infância, tentando palavras que nem eu me lembro, ele me lembra uma coisa: quão pouco sabemos sobre a mente e quão maravilhoso o desconhecido deve ser.

Samuel is 16. Samuel tem 16 anos. He's tall. Ele é alto. He's very handsome. Ele é muito bonito. He has the most impeccable memory. Ele tem a memória mais impecável. He has a selective one, though. Ele tem um seletivo, no entanto. He doesn't remember if he stole my chocolate bar, but he remembers the year of release for every song on my iPod, conversations we had when he was four, weeing on my arm on the first ever episode of Teletubbies, and Lady Gaga's birthday. Ele não se lembra se roubou minha barra de chocolate, mas lembra o ano de lançamento de todas as músicas no meu iPod, as conversas que tivemos quando ele tinha quatro anos, mijando no meu braço no primeiro episódio de Teletubbies e o aniversário de Lady Gaga . Don't they sound incredible? But most people don't agree. And in fact, because their minds don't fit into society's version of normal, they're often bypassed and misunderstood. E, de fato, porque suas mentes não se encaixam na versão normal da sociedade, muitas vezes são ignoradas e mal compreendidas. But what lifted my heart and strengthened my soul was that even though this was the case, although they were not seen as ordinary, this could only mean one thing: that they were extraordinary -- autistic and extraordinary. Mas o que levantou meu coração e fortaleceu minha alma foi que, embora esse fosse o caso, embora eles não fossem vistos como comuns, isso só poderia significar uma coisa: eles eram extraordinários - autistas e extraordinários.

Now, for you who may be less familiar with the term "autism," it's a complex brain disorder that affects social communication, learning and sometimes physical skills. Agora, para você que pode estar menos familiarizado com o termo "autismo", é um distúrbio cerebral complexo que afeta a comunicação social, o aprendizado e, às vezes, as habilidades físicas. It manifests in each individual differently, hence why Remi is so different from Sam. Manifesta-se em cada indivíduo de maneira diferente, daí o motivo pelo qual Remi é tão diferente de Sam. And across the world, every 20 minutes, one new person is diagnosed with autism, and although it's one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the world, there is no known cause or cure. E em todo o mundo, a cada 20 minutos, uma nova pessoa é diagnosticada com autismo e, embora seja um dos distúrbios do desenvolvimento que mais cresce no mundo, não há causa ou cura conhecida. And I cannot remember the first moment I encountered autism, but I cannot recall a day without it. E não me lembro do primeiro momento em que encontrei o autismo, mas não me lembro de um dia sem ele. I was just three years old when my brother came along, and I was so excited that I had a new being in my life. Eu tinha apenas três anos quando meu irmão apareceu, e fiquei tão empolgado que tive um novo ser na minha vida. And after a few months went by, I realized that he was different. He screamed a lot. Ele gritou muito. He didn't want to play like the other babies did, and in fact, he didn't seem very interested in me whatsoever. Ele não queria brincar como os outros bebês e, de fato, ele não parecia muito interessado em mim. Remi lived and reigned in his own world, with his own rules, and he found pleasure in the smallest things, like lining up cars around the room and staring at the washing machine and eating anything that came in between. Remi viveu e reinou em seu próprio mundo, com suas próprias regras, e encontrou prazer nas menores coisas, como alinhar carros ao redor da sala e olhar para a máquina de lavar e comer qualquer coisa que estivesse no meio. And as he grew older, he grew more different, and the differences became more obvious. E à medida que envelhecia, ele se tornou mais diferente e as diferenças se tornaram mais óbvias. Yet beyond the tantrums and the frustration and the never-ending hyperactivity was something really unique: a pure and innocent nature, a boy who saw the world without prejudice, a human who had never lied. Além das birras, da frustração e da hiperatividade interminável, havia algo realmente único: uma natureza pura e inocente, um garoto que via o mundo sem preconceitos, um humano que nunca mentira. Extraordinary.

Now, I cannot deny that there have been some challenging moments in my family, moments where I've wished that they were just like me. Agora, não posso negar que houve alguns momentos desafiadores em minha família, momentos em que desejei que eles fossem como eu. But I cast my mind back to the things that they've taught me about individuality and communication and love, and I realize that these are things that I wouldn't want to change with normality. Mas volto a pensar nas coisas que eles me ensinaram sobre individualidade, comunicação e amor, e percebo que são coisas que eu não gostaria de mudar com a normalidade. Normality overlooks the beauty that differences give us, and the fact that we are different doesn't mean that one of us is wrong. A normalidade negligencia a beleza que as diferenças nos dão, e o fato de sermos diferentes não significa que um de nós esteja errado. It just means that there's a different kind of right. Significa apenas que há um tipo diferente de direito. And if I could communicate just one thing to Remi and to Sam and to you, it would be that you don't have to be normal. E se eu pudesse comunicar apenas uma coisa a Remi, Sam e você, seria que você não precisa ser normal. You can be extraordinary. Você pode ser extraordinário. Because autistic or not, the differences that we have -- We've got a gift! Por autistas ou não, as diferenças que temos - Temos um presente! Everyone's got a gift inside of us, and in all honesty, the pursuit of normality is the ultimate sacrifice of potential. Todo mundo tem um presente dentro de nós e, com toda a honestidade, a busca da normalidade é o sacrifício final do potencial. The chance for greatness, for progress and for change dies the moment we try to be like someone else. A chance de grandeza, de progresso e de mudança morre no momento em que tentamos ser como outra pessoa.

Please -- don't tell me I'm normal. Por favor - não me diga que sou normal. Thank you. Obrigado. (Applause) (Applause)