In June, 1992, 12-year-old Severn Suzuki stopped the Rio de Janeiro United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in its tracks with her six minute speech. It has been called The World’s Greatest Speech to Humanity. “If you don’t know how to fix it, please stop breaking it.”
Watch the delegates faces. I dare you not to break into tears.
Nineteen years later, she is still asking us to do what is necessary. She now realizes that international conferences aren’t the answer. We are. At home. In our local communities. And in our families. “People who walk their talk — these people are noticed by children.”
Today, one hour from now, people in my community are being asked to volunteer to help clean up the debris from the tornado that hit the southwest side of town a few days ago. Will I go? Is this what is meant for me to walk my talk? Or should I stay here, at home, and work to get the Green Acres Neighborhood Garden going again after weeks of no sun and way too much rain.
