Today, on the Winter solstice, on the second day of Chanukah, just three days from Christmas, and a week from the end of the old year and the start of a new one, we’d like to share the words of TEDxYouth@TampaBay 2011 presenter, Matthew Temmer. We think his voice and vision is a beacon of light and hope in a world that needs youthful voices and ideas, and their inclusive perspectives of world citizenship. As you celebrate your season, with its joys and sacred ritual, with its lights and timeless reflection, we hope you’ll consider the words of Matthew Temmer, and take the time to listen to the children in your life.
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I’m very happy to tell you about something that is very important to me: giving kids a 
voice. You’re probably thinking, “Don’t they talk enough, with their screaming, complaining, and crying?” Well, that is partially true, but what I’m talking about is giving kids the chance to share their opinion, their feelings about what is going on in the world today; or as I like to say, giving kids a voice.
Let me first give you some background of how I discovered my own voice. As a young child in school, I always thought that no one wanted to listen to me, that my voice wasn’t important enough. At times I was afraid to even share it. This was the reason I was often called the “quiet one” or “shy one”. I had a lot to say, but I was just too afraid to express myself. As I got older, I found out that I enjoyed singing, which I discovered was one way to share my voice. Later on, during my time in middle school, I developed mononucleosis. This illness caused me to feel tired all of the time, and as a result, I could only take the required classes at my school, which unfortunately did not include art.
I felt like I was becoming very different from the rest of my class, since I was the only one not taking all of the courses at school. I was also pretty disappointed that I couldn’t take art anymore, since I love to express myself artistically.
But, I wasn’t done with art just yet. My art teacher, Debra Campbell, wanted me to do something outside of art class so that I could get a grade and actually be able to do a project. This project is why I am standing here on this stage today. I was given a great opportunity to do something big and it made me feel more important at school, especially after feeling so different for all of those years. With this project, I am able to share with you how the kids of our age feel and think.
What I did was take the art pieces of 6th and 7th graders at my school and put it into a video presentation. The 6th and 7th grade students were allowed to pick any topic and create an art piece in any medium. Then they were asked to write an artist statement discussing their own opinion, even if it was not shared by the teacher. This gave the students the opportunity to freely express themselves. I recorded them speaking these statements and put them in the video while their pieces were being shown. Some topics they chose include bullying, racism, homelessness, teen suicide, media stereotypes, and the Holocaust: all big ideas that kids, (that’s right, KIDS!) have the ability and maturity to discuss.
Our nation as a whole is currently questioning itself in order to redefine who we are as a nation, what we believe in, and what needs to change. Dominance of one racial or religious group over another, concern over environmental issues, economic and social issues, all create divisions among us. Artists frequently bring these issues to the attention of the public.
The Social Commentary and Art Project grew out of a workshop that was organized by Bob Barancik, a St. Petersburg artist. His Art Not Hate workshop in 2010 helped to begin the dialogue with the students. The students had to ask themselves: What issues do I care about? Can one person really make a difference? and Can I actually persuade others to take positive action through my art work? Through art and creating this video, I was able to give the students and myself a voice.
Another great way kids can express their voice is through music. I enjoy singing, so I can greatly relate to the idea of sharing a voice literally through your voice! Some of the songs I have sung express my feelings and opinions about my life.
There are so many ways to find your voice and share it with the world, probably more than I can name. But art and music are ones that I feel are most powerful.
Now, let me talk to you about kids. Yes, I know, we can sometimes be very hard to handle. But there might be something you don’t know about us young people: We have voices, and important ones, too! We (the kids) are used to being talked to, but sometimes the adults should listen to us, too. We’ve got a lot to say! I believe that we can share our feelings, thoughts, and big ideas through art.
As a student, I have come to realize that sometimes the best teacher is the one being taught. You learn from your students as much as they learn from you. Children have had an important role in changing the world, even in recent history! Young people have toppled whole countries in the Middle East and Africa.
I’m sure many of you have heard of Anne Frank. She was a young girl who wrote about her experiences during the Holocaust in her diary. She was not afraid to share her voice, even though she was risking her life. Her story still touches the hearts and minds of people all around the world.
These kinds of kids are the perfect example of why we shouldn’t be afraid to share our voice. We have to remember that each one of our voices is important in helping the world become a better place.
“What can adults do?” you might ask. Give us a chance to share our feelings and thoughts so that we can grow up to be unique individuals. Provide a safe and nurturing environment for us to be creative and share our ideas.
“And what can kids do, when they’re not playing video games or texting on their cell phones?” Go outside of the box, make something creative, and share it with the world! And don’t forget, kids are just as important to society as adults are! Give us a chance to talk!
I’m Matthew Temmer. This is my voice. It’s been an honor to share it with you today.
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The recording of Matthew’s talk was lost due to a technical problem. Matthew was gracious and understanding about the loss, and happy to share his talk here as a guest blog.
