TED Residency
Marlon Peterson: Am I not human? A call for criminal justice reform
Marlon Peterson: Jo no sóc un ésser humà? Una crida per a la reforma de la justícia penal
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Per un crim que va cometre quan tenia poc més de vint anys, la justícia va condemnar en Marlon Peterson a 10 anys de presó i, com ell mateix diu, a tota una vida d'irrellevància. Mentre estava entre reixes, Peterson va trobar la redempció a través d'un programa de mentoria per correspondència amb estudiants de Brooklyn. En aquesta xerrada tan valenta, ens recorda per què hauríem d'invertir en la humanitat d'aquelles persones que la societat preferiria ignorar i refusar.
Marlon Peterson - Human justice advocate
Marlon Peterson is a writer, youth development expert and human justice advocate. Full bio
Marlon Peterson is a writer, youth development expert and human justice advocate. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
Ella va escriure:
00:13
She wrote:
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«Quan sigui famosa, diré a tothom
00:14
"When I become famous,
I will tell everyone
I will tell everyone
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que conec un heroi que
es diu Marlon Peterson».
es diu Marlon Peterson».
00:17
that I know a hero named Marlon Peterson."
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00:20
Heroes rarely look like me.
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Els herois no tenen aquesta pinta.
00:22
In fact,
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De fet,
00:24
I'm what garbage looks like.
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semblo més aviat escombraries.
00:26
No, not the most appealing
way to open a talk
way to open a talk
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No, potser no és la millor manera
de començar una xerrada
de començar una xerrada
00:29
or start a conversation,
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o d'iniciar una conversa,
00:30
and perhaps you have some questions
going through your head about that.
going through your head about that.
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i potser teniu al cap
preguntes al respecte.
preguntes al respecte.
«Per què aquest home
diu això d'ell mateix?».
diu això d'ell mateix?».
00:34
Why would this man say
such a thing about himself?
such a thing about himself?
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«Què vol dir amb això?».
00:36
What does he mean?
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00:38
How can someone view him as a hero
when he sees himself as garbage?
when he sees himself as garbage?
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«Com pot ser que algú el vegi
com a heroi si ell es veu com brossa?».
com a heroi si ell es veu com brossa?».
Jo crec que aprenem més de les
preguntes que de les respostes.
preguntes que de les respostes.
00:43
I believe we learn more from questions
than we do from answers.
than we do from answers.
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00:46
Because when we're questioning something,
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Perquè, quan fem preguntes,
mirem de copsar informació nova
00:48
we're invested in taking in
some sort of new information,
some sort of new information,
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00:52
or grappling with some sort of ignorance
that makes us feel uncomfortable.
that makes us feel uncomfortable.
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o intentem lluitar contra una ignorància
que ens fa sentir incòmodes.
que ens fa sentir incòmodes.
I per això sóc aquí:
00:56
And that's why I'm here:
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00:58
to push us to question,
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per empènyer-nos a preguntar
00:59
even when it makes us uncomfortable.
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fins i tot quan ens fa sentir incòmodes.
Els meus pares són de Trinitat i Tobago,
01:02
My parents are from Trinidad and Tobago,
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l'illa que es troba més al sud del Carib.
01:05
the southernmost island in the Caribbean.
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A Trinitat també va nèixer
l'únic instrument acústic
l'únic instrument acústic
01:07
Trinidad is also home
to the only acoustic instrument
to the only acoustic instrument
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que es va inventar durant el segle XX:
01:10
invented in the 20th century:
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01:12
the steel pan.
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el timbal d'acer.
Deriva dels timbals africans
01:14
Deriving from the African drums
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01:16
and evolving from the genius
of one of the ghettos in Trinidad,
of one of the ghettos in Trinidad,
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i va evol·lucionar gràcies al geni
d'un dels guetos de Trinitat,
d'un dels guetos de Trinitat,
01:20
a city called Laventille,
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una ciutat anomenada Laventille,
01:21
and the disregard
of the American military ...
of the American military ...
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i a la indiferència dels
militars dels Estats Units...
militars dels Estats Units...
01:25
Well, I should tell you,
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Bé, els Estats Units,
durant la Segona Guerra Mundial,
tenien bases militars a Trinitat,
tenien bases militars a Trinitat,
01:26
America, during WWII, had
military bases set up in Trinidad,
military bases set up in Trinidad,
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01:30
and when the war ended,
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i, quan va acabar la guerra,
01:31
they left the island littered
with empty oil drums --
with empty oil drums --
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van deixar per tota l'illa
bidons de petroli buits.
bidons de petroli buits.
01:35
their trash.
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Les seves deixalles.
01:36
So people from Laventille
repurposed the old drums left behind
repurposed the old drums left behind
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Bé, doncs la gent de Laventille va
transformar aquells bidons vells
transformar aquells bidons vells
01:41
into the full chromatic scale:
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en l'escala cromàtica sencera.
01:43
the steel pan.
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El timbal d'acer.
01:45
Playing music now from Beethoven
to Bob Marley to 50 Cent,
to Bob Marley to 50 Cent,
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Ara s'hi pot tocar música de
Beethoven, Bob Marley o 50 Cent.
Beethoven, Bob Marley o 50 Cent.
01:49
those people literally made
music out of garbage.
music out of garbage.
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Aquella gent, literalment, feia
música de les escombraries.
música de les escombraries.
01:54
Twelve days before my 20th birthday,
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Dotze dies abans del meu vintè aniversari,
01:57
I was arrested for my role
in a violent robbery attempt
in a violent robbery attempt
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em van detenir per la meva participació
en un intent de robatori amb violència
en un intent de robatori amb violència
02:01
in lower Manhattan.
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al sud de Manhattan.
Hi havia gent que seia en una cafeteria
02:03
While people were sitting
in a coffee shop,
in a coffee shop,
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i van disparar a quatre persones.
02:06
four people were shot.
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02:09
Two were killed.
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Dues van morir.
Cinc de nosaltres vam ser detinguts.
02:11
Five of us were arrested.
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Érem tots productes
de Trinitat i Tobago.
de Trinitat i Tobago.
02:14
We were all the products
of Trinidad and Tobago.
of Trinidad and Tobago.
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Erem els «immigrants dolents»
02:16
We were the "bad immigrants,"
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02:18
or the "anchor babies" that Trump
and millions of Americans easily malign.
and millions of Americans easily malign.
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o els «nadons àncora», difamats
per en Trump i millions d'americans.
per en Trump i millions d'americans.
Em van rebutjar com si fos un residu,
02:23
I was discarded, like waste material --
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molts pensen que justificadament.
02:26
and justifiably so to many.
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02:29
I eventually served 10 years, two months
and seven days of a prison sentence.
and seven days of a prison sentence.
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Vaig complir una condemna de
deu anys, dos mesos i set dies.
deu anys, dos mesos i set dies.
02:34
I was sentenced to a decade of punishment
in a correctional institution.
in a correctional institution.
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Em van condemnar a una dècada
en una institució correccional.
en una institució correccional.
02:39
I was sentenced to irrelevance --
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Em van condemnar a la irrellevància...
02:42
the opposite of humanity.
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el contrari de la humanitat.
02:45
Interestingly,
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Curiosament,
02:46
it was during those years in prison
that a series of letters redeemed me,
that a series of letters redeemed me,
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va ser durant aquells anys a la presó
quan unes cartes van redimir-me,
quan unes cartes van redimir-me,
em van ajudar a vèncer
la foscor i la culpa
la foscor i la culpa
02:51
helped me move beyond
the darkness and the guilt
the darkness and the guilt
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vinculades al pitjor moment
de la meva jove vida.
de la meva jove vida.
02:54
associated with the worst
moment of my young life.
moment of my young life.
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02:58
It gave me a sense that I was useful.
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Em van fer sentir que jo era útil.
03:00
She was 13 years old.
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Ella tenia tretze anys.
03:03
She had wrote that she saw me as a hero.
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Va escriure que em veia com un heroi.
03:06
I remember reading that,
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Recordo llegir-ho,
03:07
and I remember crying
when I read those words.
when I read those words.
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i recordo que aquelles
paraules em van fer plorar.
paraules em van fer plorar.
03:11
She was one of over 50 students
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Ella era una de 50 estudiants
03:13
and 150 letters that I wrote during
a mentoring correspondence program
a mentoring correspondence program
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i de 150 cartes que vaig escriure durant
un programa de mentoria per correspondècia
un programa de mentoria per correspondècia
03:17
that I co-designed with a friend
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que vaig codissenyar amb un amic
03:19
who was a teacher
at a middle school in Brooklyn,
at a middle school in Brooklyn,
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que era professor en una escola
de Brooklyn, la meva ciutat.
de Brooklyn, la meva ciutat.
03:21
my hometown.
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03:23
We called it the Young Scholars Program.
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El vam anomenar
Programa de Joves Estudiants.
Programa de Joves Estudiants.
Cada vegada que aquells joves
compartien les seves històries amb mi,
compartien les seves històries amb mi,
03:25
Every time those young people
shared their stories with me,
shared their stories with me,
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03:29
their struggles,
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les seves lluites,
cada vegada que feien un dibuix
del seu personatge de dibuixos preferit
del seu personatge de dibuixos preferit
03:31
every time they drew a picture
of their favorite cartoon character
of their favorite cartoon character
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i me l'enviaven,
03:35
and sent it to me,
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03:36
every time they said they depended
on my letters or my words of advice,
on my letters or my words of advice,
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cada vegada que deien que depenien
de les meves cartes o els meus consells,
de les meves cartes o els meus consells,
03:40
it boosted my sense of worthiness.
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augmentava el meu sentit de dignitat.
03:43
It gave me a sense of what
I could contribute to this planet.
I could contribute to this planet.
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Em feia veure què podia
aportar a aquest planeta.
aportar a aquest planeta.
03:47
It transformed my life.
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Va canviar-me la vida.
Amb aquelles cartes i amb
allò que compartien amb mi,
allò que compartien amb mi,
03:49
Because of those letters
and what they shared with me,
and what they shared with me,
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03:52
their stories of teen life,
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les seves històries de joventut,
03:54
they gave me the permission,
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em van donar permís,
03:56
they gave me the courage
to admit to myself
to admit to myself
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em van donar valor
per admetre'm a mi mateix
per admetre'm a mi mateix
03:58
that there were reasons -- not excuses --
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que hi havia raons, no excuses,
04:01
but that there were reasons
for that fateful day in October of 1999;
for that fateful day in October of 1999;
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sinó raons perquè passés allò
aquell fatídic dia d'octubre de 1999;
aquell fatídic dia d'octubre de 1999;
que el trauma tenia a veure amb
haver viscut en una comunitat
haver viscut en una comunitat
04:06
that the trauma associated
with living in a community
with living in a community
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04:09
where guns are easier
to get than sneakers;
to get than sneakers;
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on era més fàcil aconseguir
armes que sabates;
armes que sabates;
04:12
that the trauma associated with being
raped at gunpoint at the age of 14;
raped at gunpoint at the age of 14;
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que el trauma tenia a veure amb una
violació a punta de pistola als 14 anys;
violació a punta de pistola als 14 anys;
04:19
that those are reasons for me
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que a mi em semblen raons
04:22
why making that decision,
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per les quals aquella decisió,
04:24
that fatal decision,
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aquella decisió fatal,
04:25
was not an unlikely proposition.
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no costa tant d'entendre.
04:28
Because those letters
mattered so much to me,
mattered so much to me,
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Aquelles cartes van ser
tan importants per a mi,
tan importants per a mi,
04:30
because writing and receiving
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escriure-les, rebre-les
04:32
and having that communication
with those folks
with those folks
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i tenir aquella comunicació
amb aquells joves
amb aquells joves
04:34
so hugely impacted my life,
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em va impactar tant
04:36
I decided to share the opportunity
with some friends of mine
with some friends of mine
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que vaig decidir compartir-ho amb
alguns amics que eren allà dintre amb mi.
alguns amics que eren allà dintre amb mi.
04:39
who were also inside with me.
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Els meus amics Bill, Cory i Arocks,
04:40
My friends Bill and Cory and Arocks,
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també empresonats per crims violents,
04:42
all in prison for violent crimes also,
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van compartir la seva saviesa
amb els joves, igual que jo,
amb els joves, igual que jo,
04:44
shared their words of wisdom
with the young people as well,
with the young people as well,
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04:47
and received the sense
of relevancy in return.
of relevancy in return.
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i, a canvi, van poder
sentir-se rellevants.
sentir-se rellevants.
Ara som autors publicats i
innovadors en programes pel jovent,
innovadors en programes pel jovent,
04:50
We are now published writers
and youth program innovators
and youth program innovators
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04:53
and trauma experts
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i experts en traumes,
04:55
and gun violence prevention advocates,
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i lluitem contra la violència amb armes,
04:57
and TED talkers and --
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i som oradors de TED i...
04:58
(Laughter)
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(Riures)
04:59
and good daddies.
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i bons pares.
05:01
That's what I call a positive
return of investment.
return of investment.
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Això és el que jo considero
un retorn d'inversió positiu.
un retorn d'inversió positiu.
Per sobre de tot,
05:04
Above all else,
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05:05
what building that program
taught me was that when we sow,
taught me was that when we sow,
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el que vaig aprendre creant aquell
programa va ser que quan sembrem,
programa va ser que quan sembrem,
05:09
when we invest in the humanity
of people no matter where they're at,
of people no matter where they're at,
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quan invertim en la humanitat
de la gent, sense importar on siguin,
de la gent, sense importar on siguin,
05:13
we can reap amazing rewards.
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podem collir recompenses meravelloses.
En aquesta època de
reforma de la justícia penal,
reforma de la justícia penal,
05:16
In this latest era
of criminal justice reform,
of criminal justice reform,
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sovint em pregunto per què...
05:19
I often question and wonder why --
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05:22
why is it that so many believe
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Per què tanta gent creu
05:24
that only those who have been convicted
of nonviolent drug offenses
of nonviolent drug offenses
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que només els condemnats per
delictes no violents de drogues
delictes no violents de drogues
05:28
merit empathy and recognized humanity?
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mereixen empatia i humanitat reconeguda.
La reforma de la justicia penal
és justicia humana.
és justicia humana.
05:33
Criminal justice reform is human justice.
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Jo no sóc un ésser humà?
05:35
Am I not human?
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05:38
When we invest in resources
that amplify the relevancy of people
that amplify the relevancy of people
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Quan invertim en recursos que
augmenten la rellevància de la gent
augmenten la rellevància de la gent
05:43
in communities like Laventille
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a comunitats com Laventille,
05:44
or parts of Brooklyn or a ghetto near you,
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o a Brooklyn, o a un gueto proper,
podem crear, literalment,
les comunitats que volem.
les comunitats que volem.
05:47
we can literally create
the communities that we want.
the communities that we want.
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05:50
We can do better.
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Podem fer-ho millor.
05:51
We can do better than investing solely
in law enforcement as a resource,
in law enforcement as a resource,
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Hi ha solucions millors que
invertir en l'enduriment de la llei
invertir en l'enduriment de la llei
05:55
because they don't give us
a sense of relevancy
a sense of relevancy
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perquè no ens fan
sentir rellevants,
sentir rellevants,
05:58
that is at the core of why so many of us
do so many harmful things
do so many harmful things
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i aquesta és la clau de per què
molts de nosaltres fem coses dolentes
molts de nosaltres fem coses dolentes
06:01
in the pursuit of mattering.
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buscant ser importants.
06:05
See, gun violence is just a visible
display of a lot of underlying traumas.
display of a lot of underlying traumas.
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La violència amb armes és la part visible
sota la qual s'amaguen els traumes.
sota la qual s'amaguen els traumes.
Quan invertim en el valor
redemptor de la rellevància,
redemptor de la rellevància,
06:10
When we invest in the redemptive
value of relevancy,
value of relevancy,
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06:13
we can render a return of both
personal responsibility and healing.
personal responsibility and healing.
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podem obtenir a canvi tant
responsabilitat personal com cura.
responsabilitat personal com cura.
És aquest el treball amb
la gent que m'importa,
la gent que m'importa,
06:18
That's the people work I care about,
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06:20
because people work.
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perquè la gent treballa.
06:23
Family, I'm asking you
to do the hard work,
to do the hard work,
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Família, us demano que
feu el treball dur,
feu el treball dur,
06:27
the difficult work,
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el treball difícil,
06:28
the churning work of bestowing
undeserved kindness
undeserved kindness
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el treball complicat de concedir
amabilitat no merescuda
amabilitat no merescuda
06:31
upon those who we can relegate as garbage,
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a aquells que podríem
relegar com a escombraries,
relegar com a escombraries,
06:34
who we can disregard and discard easily.
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a qui fàcilment podem ignorar i refusar.
06:37
I'm asking myself.
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M'ho demano a mi mateix.
06:39
Over the past two months,
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Durant els últims dos mesos
06:41
I've lost two friends to gun violence,
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he perdut a dos amics
per la violència armada.
per la violència armada.
06:44
both innocent bystanders.
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Només passaven per allà.
Un va ser víctima d'un tiroteig
des d'un cotxe quan anava cap a casa.
des d'un cotxe quan anava cap a casa.
06:46
One was caught in a drive-by
while walking home.
while walking home.
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06:51
The other was sitting in a café
while eating breakfast,
while eating breakfast,
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L'altre estava assegut en una cafeteria,
esmorzant,
esmorzant,
06:54
while on vacation in Miami.
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de vacances a Miami.
Em demano veure el valor
redemptor de la rellevància
redemptor de la rellevància
06:57
I'm asking myself to see
the redemptive value of relevancy
the redemptive value of relevancy
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07:01
in the people that murdered them,
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en les persones que els van matar,
07:03
because of the hard work
of seeing the value in me.
of seeing the value in me.
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pel treball tan dur que
suposa veure'l en mi mateix.
suposa veure'l en mi mateix.
Ens animo a desafiar
la capacitat que tenim
la capacitat que tenim
07:06
I'm pushing us to challenge
our own capacity
our own capacity
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07:11
to fully experience our humanity,
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d'experimentar per complet
la nostra humanitat,
la nostra humanitat,
07:13
by understanding the full biography
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entenent la biografia completa
07:15
of people who we can
easily choose not to see,
easily choose not to see,
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de persones a les que fàcilment
podriem escollir no veure.
podriem escollir no veure.
Perquè hi ha herois que
esperen ser reconeguts
esperen ser reconeguts
07:19
because heroes are waiting
to be recognized,
to be recognized,
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i hi ha música que
espera ser composta.
espera ser composta.
07:23
and music is waiting to be made.
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Gràcies.
07:25
Thank you.
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(Aplaudiments)
07:27
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Marlon Peterson - Human justice advocateMarlon Peterson is a writer, youth development expert and human justice advocate.
Why you should listen
Marlon Peterson is the host of the podcast, Decarcerated, which highlights the journeys of resilience, redemption and success of formerly incarcerated people.
Since his release from prison in 2009, after serving 10 years, Peterson has spearheaded the creation of two youth development programs in New York City, How Our Lives Link Altogether (H.O.L.L.A!) and Youth Organizing to Save Our Streets (YO SOS). With a focus on gun violence prevention and youth advocacy, both programs have provided programming for hundreds of young people.
In 2015 Peterson left his full-time work in the nonprofit sector to create The Precedential Group, a social justice consultancy that works to address the trauma revolving around the intersections of race, gender, violence, police violence and community violence. His work through the Precedential Group has allowed him to provide support for organizations throughout the United States and Trinidad & Tobago, W.I.
As a writer, advocate, program developer and public speaker Peterson has been recognized as a Soros Justice Fellow, Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar, Ebony Magazine Power 100 Honoree and TED Resident. His writings have appeared and been cited in The Nation, Gawker, The Atlantic, Huff Post, Black Press USA, Ebony and the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian. He has contributed to Kiese Laymon's aaward-winning novel, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America and Love Lives Here, Too by former New York Times columnist, Sheila Rule.
Peterson is Brooklyn born and bred with a Trinidadian heart. He is a graduate of New York University and is currently working on his first Pulitzer, a memoir.
Marlon Peterson | Speaker | TED.com