ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Malcolm London - Poet, performer, activist
Young spoken-word poet Malcolm London has been called the "Gil Scott-Heron of this generation" (by Cornel West). His feisty, passionate performances take on the issues of the day, including the Chicago education system in which he grew up.

Why you should listen

This poet wields a dynamic spirit for speaking engagements utilizing his feisty and passionate performances as words of encourage for next generations to tell their stories. In 2011, Malcolm London won the Louder than a Bomb youth poetry slam in his native Chicago, scooping the top award as both individual performer and with a team. The poet, performer and activist has performed on stages throughout his home city as well as across the United States. A member of the Young Adult Council of the prestigious Steppenwolf Theater, London brings vim and vigor to his energetic performances tackling tough contemporary issues head-on. He wrote & directed a spoken word0infused play responding to the Zimmerman verdict called Two Years Later, and 

London attends University of Illinois at Chicago & is a member & co-chair of BYP100 Chicago Chapter, a national organization of black activists & organizers. Deeply interested in working on ways to improve the national education system, London regularly visits high schools, youth jails, colleges and communities to work with students on writing workshops and performances. London is currently devoted to being a youth advocate & coordinator of The Know Your Rights Project out of Northwestern Law School, a project dedicated to educating young people on their rights within the juvenile justice system, & continuing his work as teaching artist on staff at Young Chicago Authors, a program working to transform the lives of young people by cultivating their voices through writing, publication and performance education. His work has been featured on national outlets including CBS, NPR, The Huffington Post, The Root, and the Chicago Tribune.

More profile about the speaker
Malcolm London | Speaker | TED.com
TED Talks Education

Malcolm London: "High School Training Ground"

Malcolm London: "Campo de treinamento escolar"

Filmed:
1,409,864 views

O jovem poeta, educador e ativista Malcom London apresenta um fabuloso poema sobre a vida nos colégios Norte Americanos. Ele faz comentários sobre os "oceanos da adolescência" quem frequenta as escolas "mas não aprende a nadar", sobre "a masculinidade disfarçada por homens que cresceram sem pais". Lindo, lírico, incrível.
- Poet, performer, activist
Young spoken-word poet Malcolm London has been called the "Gil Scott-Heron of this generation" (by Cornel West). His feisty, passionate performances take on the issues of the day, including the Chicago education system in which he grew up. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

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At 7:45 a.m., I open the doors to a building
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Às 7:45 da manhã eu abro as portas para um prédio
00:19
dedicated to building, yet only breaks me down.
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dedicado à construção, isso me deixa destruído.
00:24
I march down hallways cleaned up after me every day
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Eu caminho pelos corredores que são limpos todos os dias
00:28
by regular janitors,
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por faxineiros regularmente,
00:31
but I never have the decency to honor their names.
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que eu nunca dei importância em saber seus nomes.
00:36
Lockers left open like teenage boys' mouths
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Armários deixados abertos como ficam as bocas dos meninos
00:39
when teenage girls wear clothes that covers
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quando as garotas usam roupas que cobrem
00:41
their insecurities but exposes everything else.
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suas inseguranças mas exibem todo o resto.
00:46
Masculinity mimicked by men who grew up with no fathers,
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Masculinidade imitada por homens que foram criados sem pais,
00:50
camouflage worn by bullies who are dangerously armed
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camuflagem usada por valentões perigosamente armados
00:54
but need hugs.
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mas que precisam de abraços.
00:55
Teachers paid less than what it costs them to be here.
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Professores que recebem menos do que gastam para estarem aqui.
00:58
Oceans of adolescents come here to receive lessons
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Oceanos de adolescentes que vêm até aqui para ter aulas
01:02
but never learn to swim,
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mas nunca aprendem a nadar,
01:04
part like the Red Sea when the bell rings.
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parecidos com o Mar Vermelho quando o sinal toca.
01:07
This is a training ground.
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Esse é um campo de treinamento.
01:09
My high school is Chicago,
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Minha escola se chama Chicago,
01:12
diverse and segregated on purpose.
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ela é diversa e segregada de propósito.
01:15
Social lines are barbed wire.
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As linhas sociais são como arame farpado.
01:18
Labels like "Regulars" and "Honors" resonate.
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Rótulos de "regular" e "honrados" ressoam.
01:24
I am an Honors but go home with Regular students
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Eu sou um dos "honrados", mas vou para casa com estudantes "regulares"
01:28
who are soldiers in territory that owns them.
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que são soldados do território que os possui.
01:31
This is a training ground to sort out the Regulars
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Esse é um campo de treino para separar os "Regulares"
01:35
from the Honors, a reoccurring cycle
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dos "Honrados", é um ciclo contínuo
01:37
built to recycle the trash of this system.
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criado para reciclar o lixo do sistema.
01:41
Trained at a young age to capitalize,
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Treinados desde cedo para capitalizarem,
01:44
letters taught now that capitalism raises you
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letras ensinadas agora que o capitalismo te cria
01:47
but you have to step on someone else to get there.
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mas que é preciso passar por cima de alguém para chegar onde quer.
01:50
This is a training ground where one group
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Esse é um campo de treinamento onde um grupo
01:53
is taught to lead and the other is made to follow.
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é ensinado a liderar e o outro é criado para seguir.
01:56
No wonder so many of my people spit bars,
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Não é de se admirar que tantas pessoas fazem raps,
01:59
because the truth is hard to swallow.
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por que a verdade é difícil de engolir.
02:02
The need for degrees has left so many people frozen.
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A necessidade por diplomas deixou muitas pessoas congeladas.
02:06
Homework is stressful,
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As tarefas de casa são estressantes,
02:08
but when you go home every day and your home is work,
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mas quando você vai para casa todos os dias e sua casa também é trabalho
02:11
you don't want to pick up any assignments.
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você não quer ainda mais atribuições.
02:13
Reading textbooks is stressful,
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Ler é estressante,
02:14
but reading does not matter when you feel
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mas a leitura não importa quando você sente
02:17
your story is already written,
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que sua história já está escrita,
02:19
either dead or getting booked.
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você estando morto ou cheio de tarefas.
02:21
Taking tests is stressful,
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Fazer provas é estressante,
02:24
but bubbling in a Scantron does not stop
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mas preencher uma ficha de respostas não evita
02:26
bullets from bursting.
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que balas sejam disparadas.
02:28
I hear education systems are failing,
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Eu escuto que os sistemas de educação estão falhando,
02:33
but I believe they're succeeding at what they're built to do --
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mas eu acredito que eles têm sucesso naquilo que eles foram feitos para fazer.
02:36
to train you, to keep you on track,
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Para treinar pessoas, colocá-las na linha,
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to track down an American dream that has failed
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para perseguir um sonho americano que falhou
02:41
so many of us all.
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para muitos de nós.
02:45
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
Translated by Guilherme Zuchetti
Reviewed by Debora Policarpo

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Malcolm London - Poet, performer, activist
Young spoken-word poet Malcolm London has been called the "Gil Scott-Heron of this generation" (by Cornel West). His feisty, passionate performances take on the issues of the day, including the Chicago education system in which he grew up.

Why you should listen

This poet wields a dynamic spirit for speaking engagements utilizing his feisty and passionate performances as words of encourage for next generations to tell their stories. In 2011, Malcolm London won the Louder than a Bomb youth poetry slam in his native Chicago, scooping the top award as both individual performer and with a team. The poet, performer and activist has performed on stages throughout his home city as well as across the United States. A member of the Young Adult Council of the prestigious Steppenwolf Theater, London brings vim and vigor to his energetic performances tackling tough contemporary issues head-on. He wrote & directed a spoken word0infused play responding to the Zimmerman verdict called Two Years Later, and 

London attends University of Illinois at Chicago & is a member & co-chair of BYP100 Chicago Chapter, a national organization of black activists & organizers. Deeply interested in working on ways to improve the national education system, London regularly visits high schools, youth jails, colleges and communities to work with students on writing workshops and performances. London is currently devoted to being a youth advocate & coordinator of The Know Your Rights Project out of Northwestern Law School, a project dedicated to educating young people on their rights within the juvenile justice system, & continuing his work as teaching artist on staff at Young Chicago Authors, a program working to transform the lives of young people by cultivating their voices through writing, publication and performance education. His work has been featured on national outlets including CBS, NPR, The Huffington Post, The Root, and the Chicago Tribune.

More profile about the speaker
Malcolm London | Speaker | TED.com