ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Michael Rain - Digital storyteller
TED Resident Michael Rain communicates ideas through written and visual stories.

Why you should listen

Michael Rain communicates ideas through written and visual stories. He is the creator of ENODI, a digital gallery that chronicles the lives of first-generation Black immigrants of African, Caribbean and Latinx descent, and the co-founder of the emerging tech startup ZNews Africa, a Google, Facebook and Microsoft accelerator member that builds mobile app, email and web products.

Rain's creative and commercial work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, NBC News, Upscale Magazine and the Harlem Arts Festival. He has moderated panels and delivered remarks on entrepreneurship and digital media at major events and conferences at the US Department of State, Harvard Business School, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and the NYU Stern School of Business.

Rain earned a BA in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations from Columbia University. He is a 2017 TED Resident and a fellow at the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is Ghanaian-American, a lifelong New Yorker and Brooklyn native.

More profile about the speaker
Michael Rain | Speaker | TED.com
TED Residency

Michael Rain: What it's like to be the child of immigrants

麥可雷恩: 身為移民的孩子是什麼滋味

Filmed:
1,161,292 views

麥可雷恩的使命是要訴說出第一代移民的故事,這些人和他們長大的國家以及他們的原生國家都有很緊密的連結。在這場個人化的演說中,他分析了對於移民的錯誤特徵描述以及有限的認識與敘述,他也分享了他們所屬之世界的故事。「我們是活生生的文化融爐,」雷恩說:「如果融爐中有什麼讓你覺得很新穎或很不同,別瞧不起,而要請我們分享。」
- Digital storyteller
TED Resident Michael Rain communicates ideas through written and visual stories. Full bio

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

00:12
I remember記得 one morning早上
when I was in the third第三 grade年級,
0
769
3446
我記得當我三年級的時候,有一天早上,
00:16
my mom媽媽 sent發送 me to school學校
with a Ghanaian加納的 staple釘書針 dish called "fufu福福."
1
4239
4631
我媽媽讓我帶著一種迦納的
主食叫做「富富」去上學。
00:20
(Laughter笑聲)
2
8894
1557
(笑聲)
00:22
Fufu福福 is this white白色 ball of starch澱粉
made製作 of cassava木薯,
3
10475
4215
富富是一種白色澱粉球,
由樹薯粉做成,
00:26
and it's served提供服務 with light soup,
which哪一個 is a dark黑暗 orange橙子 color顏色,
4
14714
4365
通常會搭配輕淡的湯,
這種湯是暗橘色的,
00:31
and contains包含 chicken and/or beef牛肉.
5
19103
2234
內有雞肉和/或牛肉。
00:33
It's a savory香香, flavorful美味 dish
6
21859
2049
它是種美味可口的菜餚,
00:35
that my mom媽媽 thought
would keep me warm on a cold day.
7
23932
3223
那天很寒冷,我媽媽認為
富富能讓我保持溫暖。
00:39
When I got to lunch午餐
and I opened打開 my thermos熱水瓶,
8
27509
2710
要吃午餐時,我打開了保溫盒,
00:42
releasing釋放 these new smells氣味 into the air空氣,
9
30243
3077
釋放出了一種新的氣味到空氣中,
00:45
my friends朋友 did not react應對 favorably有利.
10
33344
2419
我朋友們的反應並不很友善。
00:47
(Laughter笑聲)
11
35787
1449
(笑聲)
00:49
"What's that?" one of them asked.
12
37260
2325
其中一個人問:「那是什麼?」
00:52
"It's fufu福福," I responded回應.
13
40122
2270
我回答:「那是富富。」
00:54
(Laughter笑聲)
14
42416
1015
(笑聲)
00:55
"EwEW, that smells氣味 funny滑稽.
What's a fufu福福?" they asked.
15
43455
3336
他們問:「噁,它聞起來
好怪。富富是什麼?」
00:59
Their reaction反應 made製作 me lose失去 my appetite食慾.
16
47642
2311
他們的反應讓我也失去了胃口。
01:02
I begged my mother母親 to never
send發送 me to school學校 with fufu福福 again.
17
50489
4067
我求我媽媽再也不要
讓我帶富富去上學。
01:06
I asked her to make me sandwiches三明治
or chicken noodle麵條 soup
18
54580
3506
我請她為我做三明治或雞肉湯麵,
01:10
or any of the other foods食品
that my friends朋友 were eating.
19
58110
2758
或我的朋友會吃的任何其他食物。
01:12
And this is one of the first times
20
60892
1714
這是我最早開始注意到
01:14
I began開始 to notice注意 the distinction分別
between之間 what was unique獨特 to my family家庭
21
62630
5443
我家跟別人家有顯著的不同,
01:20
and what was common共同 for everyone大家 else其他,
22
68097
1863
甚麼對別人來說才是「正常的」,
01:22
what was Ghanaian加納的 and what was African非洲人
23
70730
3830
也開始會注意什麼是迦納的,
什麼是非洲的,
01:26
and what was American美國.
24
74584
1295
什麼是美國的。
01:28
I'm a first-generation第一代 American美國.
25
76645
2115
我是第一代美國人。
01:30
Both of my parents父母 are immigrants移民.
26
78784
1736
我的父母都是移民。
01:32
In fact事實, my father父親, Gabriel加布里埃爾,
came來了 to the US almost幾乎 50 years年份 ago.
27
80933
3865
事實上,我爸爸,加百列,
在近五十年前來到美國。
01:37
He arrived到達 in New York紐約
28
85761
1224
他抵達紐約,
01:39
from a city called Kumasi庫馬西
in a northern北方 region地區 of Ghana加納,
29
87009
3570
來自西非迦納北部的一個城市,
01:42
in West西 Africa非洲.
30
90603
1184
叫庫馬西。
01:44
He came來了 for school學校, earning盈利
his bachelor's本科 degree in accounting會計
31
92328
3385
他來讀書,取得會計學士學位,
01:47
and eventually終於 became成為 an accountant會計.
32
95737
1904
最終成為會計師。
01:50
My mother母親, Georgina喬治娜,
joined加盟 him years年份 later後來.
33
98246
3492
我媽媽,喬吉娜,
幾年後也加入他的行列。
01:53
She had a love of fashion時尚
34
101762
2059
她熱愛時尚,
01:55
and worked工作 in a sewing針線活 factory
in lower降低 Manhattan曼哈頓,
35
103845
3027
在曼哈頓下城的一間縫製工廠,
01:58
until直到 she saved保存 up enough足夠 to open打開
her own擁有 women's女士的 clothing服裝 store商店.
36
106896
3704
直到她存夠了錢,
開了她自己的女性服飾店。
02:03
I consider考慮 myself an American美國
37
111527
1930
我把我自己視為是美國人,
02:06
and an African非洲人
38
114300
1546
以及非洲人,
02:07
and a Ghanaian加納的.
39
115870
1154
以及迦納人。
02:09
And there's millions百萬 of people
around the world世界
40
117548
2398
全世界有數百萬人
02:11
who are juggling戲法
these different不同 classifications分類.
41
119970
2834
都屬於這些不同的分類。
02:15
They might威力 be Jamaican-Canadians牙買加-加拿大人
or Korean-Americans韓裔美國人 or Nigerian-Brits奈及利亞-英國.
42
123416
6706
可能有牙買加裔加拿大人、韓裔
美國人,或奈及利亞裔英國人。
02:22
But what makes品牌 our stories故事
and experiences經驗 different不同
43
130146
3042
但我們的故事和經驗
之所以和別人不同,
02:25
is that we were born天生 and raised上調
in a country國家 different不同 than our parents父母,
44
133212
5273
是因為我們和我們的父母
是在不同的國家出生和長大的,
02:30
and this can cause原因 us to be misunderstood誤解
45
138509
3149
當別人用比較偏頗的眼光在看
02:33
when being存在 viewed觀看 through通過 a narrow狹窄 lens鏡片.
46
141682
3049
這個狀況時,可能會產生誤解。
02:37
I grew成長 up in New York紐約, which哪一個 is home
to the largest最大 number of immigrants移民
47
145672
3876
我在紐約長大,這是美國最多移民
02:41
anywhere隨地 in the United聯合的 States狀態.
48
149572
1489
居住的地方。
02:43
And you would think growing生長 up
in a place地點 like New York紐約,
49
151681
2943
你們可能會認為,
在像紐約這樣的地方長大,
02:46
it would be easy簡單 for a first-generation第一代
person to find their place地點.
50
154648
3585
對於第一代美國人來說,
可以很容易找到自己的定位。
02:50
But all throughout始終 my childhood童年,
51
158947
2182
但在我的整個童年,
02:53
there were these moments瞬間
that formed形成 my understanding理解
52
161153
3430
有許多時刻,漸漸讓我了解到
02:56
of the different不同 worlds世界 I belonged屬於 to.
53
164607
1971
我屬於不同的世界。
02:59
When I was in the fifth第五 grade年級,
a student學生 asked me
54
167522
2819
當我五年級時,有一個學生問我,
03:02
if my family家庭 was refugees難民.
55
170365
2354
我的家人是不是難民。
03:05
I didn't know what that word meant意味著.
56
173386
1794
我不知道「難民」是什麼意思。
03:07
He explained解釋 to me
that his parents父母 told him
57
175680
2262
他向我解釋,他的父母告訴他,
03:09
that refugees難民 are people from Africa非洲
who come to the US
58
177966
4020
難民就是為了脫離
死亡、飢餓,以及疾病,
03:14
to escape逃逸 death死亡, starvation飢餓 and disease疾病.
59
182010
2646
而從非洲逃到美國來的人。
03:17
So I asked my parents父母,
and they laughed笑了 a bit,
60
185452
3416
所以,我去問我父母,
他們笑了一下,
03:20
not because it was funny滑稽
but because it was a generalization概括.
61
188892
3466
不是因為這件事好笑,
而是因為這就是種一般化。
03:24
And they assured保證 me that they had
enough足夠 to eat in Ghana加納
62
192382
2917
他們向我保證,他們
在迦納時食物很充足,
03:27
and came來了 to the US willingly甘心.
63
195323
2440
且是出於自願來美國的。
03:29
(Laughter笑聲)
64
197787
1529
(笑聲)
03:31
These questions問題 became成為
more complex複雜 as I got older舊的.
65
199340
3355
隨著我長大,
這些問題變得更複雜。
03:34
Junior初級 high school學校 was the first time
66
202719
1827
國中是我第一次
03:36
I went to school學校 with a large number
of black黑色 American美國 students學生們,
67
204570
3373
到一所有大量黑人學生的學校,
03:40
and many許多 of them couldn't不能 understand理解
why I sounded滿面 differently不同 than they did
68
208845
3704
許多黑人學生不了解為什麼
我聽起來和他們不一樣,
03:44
or why my parents父母 seemed似乎
different不同 than theirs他們的.
69
212573
3033
或是為什麼我的父母
和他們的父母似乎不同。
03:48
"Are you even black黑色?" a student學生 asked.
70
216336
2452
一個學生問:
「你真的是黑人嗎?」
03:51
I mean, I thought I was black黑色.
71
219788
1486
我以為我是黑人。
03:53
(Laughter笑聲)
72
221298
1650
(笑聲)
03:54
I thought my skin皮膚 complexion膚色 settled安定 that.
73
222972
2502
我以為我的皮膚顏色
就能澄清這一點。
03:57
(Laughter笑聲)
74
225498
1207
(笑聲)
03:58
I asked my father父親 about it,
and he shared共享 his own擁有 confusion混亂
75
226729
3116
我拿這件事去問我爸爸,
他分享他的困惑經驗,
04:01
over the significance意義 of that
when he first came來了 to the US.
76
229869
3604
他說初到美國時
也對這意義感到困惑。
04:06
He explained解釋 to me that,
when he was in Ghana加納, everyone大家 was black黑色,
77
234806
3197
他向我解釋,當他在迦納時,
人人都是黑人,
04:10
so he never thought about it.
78
238027
1813
所以他從來不會想這件事。
04:12
But in the US, it's a thing.
79
240768
1684
但到美國,就有差了。
04:14
(Laughter笑聲)
80
242476
2142
(笑聲)
04:16
But he would say, "But you're African非洲人.
81
244642
3063
但他會說:「但是你是非洲人。
04:19
Remember記得 that."
82
247729
1333
記住這點。」
04:21
And he would emphasize注重 this,
83
249086
1512
他會強調這點,
04:22
even though雖然 many許多 Africans非洲人 in the continent大陸
would only consider考慮 me to be
84
250622
4595
即使在非洲大陸上的
許多人只會把我視為
04:27
just an American美國.
85
255241
1270
一個美國人。
04:29
These misconceptions誤解
and complex複雜 cultural文化 issues問題
86
257584
3361
這些錯誤觀念以及複雜的文化議題
04:32
are not just the inquiries查詢 of children孩子.
87
260969
2148
並不只是孩子的好奇詢問。
04:35
Adults成人 don't know who immigrants移民 are.
88
263141
2002
成人不知道移民是什麼人。
04:38
If we look at current當前 trends趨勢,
89
266016
2104
如果我們看看目前的趨勢,
04:40
if I asked you: What's the fastest-growing增長最快
90
268144
2643
如果我問你們:美國成長
04:42
immigrant移民 demographic人口
in the United聯合的 States狀態,
91
270811
2580
最快速的移民是哪一種?
04:45
who would you think it was?
92
273415
1388
你們認為呢?
04:47
Nine out of 10 people
tell me it's Latinos拉丁裔,
93
275249
2388
十個人當中有九個人
會說是拉丁裔,
04:49
but it's actually其實 African非洲人 immigrants移民.
94
277661
2079
但其實是非裔移民。
04:52
How about in academics學者?
95
280341
1550
那麼學歷呢?
04:54
What's the most educated博學
immigrant移民 demographic人口?
96
282329
2885
教育程度最高的移民是哪一種?
04:57
A lot of people presume假設 it to be Asians亞洲人,
but it's actually其實 African非洲人 immigrants移民.
97
285754
4239
許多人會假設是亞裔,
但其實是非裔移民。
05:02
Even in matters事項 of policy政策,
98
290017
1656
甚至在政策方面,
05:04
did you know that three
out of the eight countries國家
99
292176
2420
你們是否知道,
有所謂「旅行禁令」的國家中,
05:06
in the so-called所謂 "travel旅行 ban禁止"
100
294620
1399
八個有三個是非洲國家?
05:08
are African非洲人 countries國家?
101
296043
1253
05:09
A lot of people assume承擔 those targeted針對
Muslims穆斯林 only live生活 in the Middle中間 East,
102
297859
4191
許多人假設旅行禁令只是
針對住在中東的穆斯林,
05:14
but a lot of those
banned取締 people are Africans非洲人.
103
302074
2595
但許多被禁的人都是非洲人。
05:17
So on these issues問題 of education教育
and policy政策 and religion宗教,
104
305334
4782
所以,在這些教育、政策,
以及宗教的議題方面,
05:22
a lot of things we presume假設
about immigrants移民 are incorrect不正確.
105
310140
3455
我們有許多關於移民的假設不正確。
05:26
Even if we look at something
like workplace職場 diversity多樣 and inclusion包容,
106
314634
5130
即使我們看看像是工作場所
多樣性和包容這類事情,
05:31
if I asked you what
gender-ethnicity性別族裔 combination組合
107
319788
3034
如果我問你們,哪種
「性別—人種」的組合
05:34
is least最小 likely容易 to be promoted提拔
to senior前輩 managerial管理的 positions位置,
108
322846
4008
最不可能被提拔升職到
資深經理職位,
05:38
who would you think it was?
109
326878
1430
你們覺得是哪一樣呢?
05:40
The answer回答 is not Africans非洲人 this time.
110
328831
1795
這次答案並不是非洲人。
05:42
(Laughter笑聲)
111
330650
1126
(笑聲)
05:43
And it's not black黑色 women婦女 or men男人,
112
331800
2276
不是黑人女性或男性,
05:46
and it's not Latin拉丁 women婦女 or men男人.
113
334100
2416
不是拉丁裔女性或男性。
05:48
It's Asian亞洲 women婦女 who are
least最小 likely容易 to be promoted提拔.
114
336540
3179
是亞洲女性最不可能升職。
05:53
Capturing捕獲 these stories故事 and issues問題
is part部分 of my work
115
341068
3180
捕捉這些故事和議題,
是我工作的一部分,
05:56
as a digital數字 storyteller說故事的人
116
344272
1833
我是個數位小說作家,
05:58
that uses使用 tech高科技 to make it easier更輕鬆
for people to find these stories故事.
117
346129
3270
我用科技讓大家
更容易找到這些故事。
06:02
This year, I launched推出 an online線上 gallery畫廊
of portraits畫像 and firsthand第一手 accounts賬戶
118
350079
5757
今年,我推出了一個線上畫廊,
裡面有畫像以及第一手資料,
06:07
for a project項目 called EnodiEnodi.
119
355860
1857
這個專案計畫叫做「Enodi」。
06:10
The goal目標 of EnodiEnodi is to highlight突出
first-generation第一代 immigrants移民 just like me
120
358534
5719
Enodi 的目標是要強調出
像我一樣的第一代移民,
06:16
who carry攜帶 this kinship親屬關係
for the countries國家 we grew成長 up in,
121
364277
3963
我們這類移民和我們
長大的國家以及原生國家
06:21
for the countries國家 of origin起源
122
369081
2349
都有著親密的關係存在,
06:24
and for this concept概念 called "blackness."
123
372136
2238
我們也帶著這個所謂「黑」的概念。
06:27
I created創建 this space空間 to be a cyberhomecyberhome
for many許多 of us who are misunderstood誤解
124
375581
4880
我創造的這個空間是個網路之家,
提供給許多像我們這種
06:32
in our different不同 home countries國家.
125
380485
2332
在不同祖國中被誤解的人。
06:35
There are millions百萬 of EnodisEnodis
126
383521
1817
有數百萬的 Enodi 人
06:37
who use hyphens字元 to connect
their countries國家 of origin起源
127
385362
2719
用連字號把他們的原生國家
06:40
with their various各個 homes家園 in the US
128
388105
3161
和他們在美國、加拿大、英國,
06:43
or Canada加拿大 or Britain英國 or Germany德國.
129
391290
3330
或德國的各種家園連結起來。
06:47
In fact事實, many許多 people
you might威力 know are EnodiEnodi.
130
395195
2903
事實上,許多你認識的人
都是 Enodi 人。
06:50
Actors演員 Issa伊薩 Rae李博 and Idris伊德里斯 Elba厄爾巴 are EnodiEnodi.
131
398738
2848
演員易沙瑞和伊卓瑞斯艾巴
都是 Enodi 人。
06:53
Colin科林 Powell鮑威爾,
132
401995
1319
科林鮑爾(前美國國務卿和上將)、
06:55
former前任的 Attorney律師 General一般 Eric埃里克 Holder持有人,
133
403338
2579
前任司法部部長埃里克霍爾德、
06:57
former前任的 President主席 of the United聯合的
States狀態, Barack巴拉克 Obama奧巴馬,
134
405941
2496
前美國總統歐巴馬
07:00
are all the children孩子 of African非洲人
or Caribbean加勒比 immigrants移民.
135
408461
2932
都是非洲的孩子或是加勒比移民。
07:03
But how much do you know about us?
136
411842
1882
但你們對我們的了解有多少?
07:06
This complicated複雜 navigation導航
137
414694
3719
這種複雜的系統指引
07:10
is not just the experience經驗
of first-generation第一代 folks鄉親.
138
418437
4264
不僅僅是第一代族群的經驗。
07:15
We're so intertwined交織
139
423701
1998
我們和北美及歐洲人的
07:17
in the lives生活 and culture文化 of people
in North America美國 and Europe歐洲,
140
425723
4953
生活與文化密切交織,
07:22
that you might威力 be surprised詫異
how critical危急 we are
141
430700
2710
我們對於你們的歷史
與未來的關鍵程度
07:25
to your histories歷史 and future未來.
142
433434
1991
會讓你大吃一驚。
07:28
So, engage從事 us in conversation會話;
143
436153
2278
所以,讓我們參與對談;
07:31
discover發現 who immigrants移民 actually其實 are,
144
439026
2102
去發掘移民到底是什麼樣的人,
07:33
and see us apart距離 from characterizations表徵
145
441152
3146
不要用特性描述、受限的媒體敘述,
07:36
or limited有限 media媒體 narratives敘事
146
444322
1882
或甚至我們的外表,
07:38
or even who we might威力 appear出現 to be.
147
446228
2361
來判斷我們是怎樣的人。
07:41
We're walking步行 melting融化 pots of culture文化,
148
449336
3035
我們是活生生的文化融爐,
07:44
and if something in that pot
smells氣味 new or different不同 to you --
149
452395
3250
如果融爐中有什麼讓你覺得
很新穎或很不同——
07:47
(Laughter笑聲)
150
455669
2095
(笑聲)
07:49
don't turn up your nose鼻子.
151
457788
1590
別瞧不起。
07:52
Ask us to share分享.
152
460043
1224
而要請我們分享。
07:53
Thank you.
153
461865
1193
謝謝。
07:55
(Applause掌聲)
154
463082
5041
(掌聲)
Translated by Lilian Chiu
Reviewed by 致柔 鄭

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Michael Rain - Digital storyteller
TED Resident Michael Rain communicates ideas through written and visual stories.

Why you should listen

Michael Rain communicates ideas through written and visual stories. He is the creator of ENODI, a digital gallery that chronicles the lives of first-generation Black immigrants of African, Caribbean and Latinx descent, and the co-founder of the emerging tech startup ZNews Africa, a Google, Facebook and Microsoft accelerator member that builds mobile app, email and web products.

Rain's creative and commercial work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, NBC News, Upscale Magazine and the Harlem Arts Festival. He has moderated panels and delivered remarks on entrepreneurship and digital media at major events and conferences at the US Department of State, Harvard Business School, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and the NYU Stern School of Business.

Rain earned a BA in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations from Columbia University. He is a 2017 TED Resident and a fellow at the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is Ghanaian-American, a lifelong New Yorker and Brooklyn native.

More profile about the speaker
Michael Rain | Speaker | TED.com