She said, “… When I went to school … I did compromise some of those beliefs and values, some of those traditions … it wasn’t going to serve me at the time … I didn’t want to get beat up … I didn't want to be ridiculed … In fact, many times, I just wanted to be invisible … But, it was hard to be invisible when you stuck out like a sore thumb...”
If Mali’s message speaks to you, what did you do when your values were compromised?
She said, “… The best thing that I could do to cope as a young person was to either fit in or try to do my very best to study real hard and not even give eye contact to my peers … Sitting on the bus, being picked on, you just look down and you just didn't say anything … You didn't want to cause problems, you didn't want to cause issues … So, the values that my parents taught me like, ‘Stand up for yourself,’ but at the same time they were also concerned and I saw that they were kind of compromising on their values because they didn’t understand the rules and the laws … So, they were like, ‘Stand up for yourself, but do it in a way that doesn’t get you in trouble because we don’t know what the laws are here…’”
What are the values that you choose not to compromise on, no matter what the circumstances may be?
EPISODE HIGHLIHTS:
Values: Your values will shape your thoughts, actions, and beliefs
Compromise: “I think most people compromise when they don’t feel safe”
Uniqueness: What makes you unique?
Community: Create a space for others they can call home
