That was the driving force for Shane Feldman, a 16 year old student of Westmount Collegiate Institute who founded and organized the first World Youth Conference in Ontario. What Shane made me believe that day was that, age is just a number and when you find the passion to do something, you need to pursue it with all your heart.
I was feeling very anxious about my presentation because I had been invited to speak to a crowd of 400 students. Even more anxious because it was a World Youth Conference but there was something about meeting Shane that made me very calm. Shane brought me back to a point in my life where I felt the need to turn my challenges into motivations to make a difference because that is exactly what he plans to do. He started this conference to combat teen apathy because he felt his peers were oblivious to their privilege.
It was a great day sharing the stage with Andy Thibodeau, Lynda Watson, Brooke Harrison, Lynda Fishman, Peter Kent, Popy Dimoulas-Graham, Dan Trommater, Neil Orlowsky and Spencer West. Even greater were the passionate students who were filled with so much energy and so much optimism to make the world a better place. The energy in the room made me reflect on my direction in life and inspired me to follow my passion with all I have because that was the central message being conveyed by every single speaker at the conference.
I am once again reassured that the youth have a significant role to play in the future. Shane made a statement in his closing remarks, "the youth are not only the future but they are the present." I will agree with him because he is right. He is a living example and so is Brooke Harrison who raised $60,000 from 2 cookbooks she published for leukemia research. Did I mention she is also 16 years old?
The stories of these youth leaders is not only a source of inspiration but it is a reaffirmation that age is just a number and we can all make a difference if we find our passion and pursue it with due diligence.
It was a great day and I am glad I could share it with Popy from Charity Republic a good friend who recommended me to speak at the event. I am very grateful for the opportunity Popy. (You all need to check out the great work Charity Republic is doing)
This is our world, and the very issues we are apathetic about could find their way to our doorsteps. Our personal connection to the problems we see or hear about should not be the only driving force to ACT for Change. Our common humanity should be enough to drive us to make a difference.
We all have the spark inside us but do we ACT on it?
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