A speech for Wish

I was asked to be a speaker at a philanthropic event on campus and I wanted to share what I said. 

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen, Fellow students , performers and Organizers. I thank you for the honor of having me grace your event tonight.

Many of you might be wondering who I am. I just like many of you am a student here in UCLA, majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in film. 10 years ago, I left my mothers homeland of the Philippines. While living in Manila, I was fortunate to be given many opportunities to fulfill a career as a professional actor. Like many third world countries around the world, the city of Manila has a diverse socio- economic population. However, most of my countrymen live on less than 2 dollars a day.

My philanthropic work started when I was around 18. That eventful day happened two days before  Christmas, I went to the  markets to buy sacks of rice, clothes and toys for an orphanage that I frequent around the metropolis. As I was handing out items to these children, I saw a child not more than seven years old in the corner. There he was, barefoot, with clear wet tears streaming down his face. He was crying inaudibly and was holding a thick telephone book between his scrawny legs. I approached the child and asked him what was the matter.

         He looked up at me with a puzzled expression as if not knowing how to verbalize his torment. I asked again, Why are you crying?

         He tells me that he is looking for his parents name in the phone book so that he can call them so that they can pick him up from the orphanage. That wasn’t the heartbreaking part. He then tells me he can’t read anyway and so he will never get to go home.

         A child who can’t even read his parents own name? Cases like these are not uncommon. It is my sincerest belief that Wish’s advocacy will change the lives of children like the child I encountered many years ago. To the performers tonight, I salute you for sharing your talent and time to raise funds for Wish to be able to fulfill their mission.

You may not have lots of money to give, just like the tree in  Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree”.  But we have apples and leaves to give. Being in America, sometimes people forget that we are extremely privileged.  Being at UCLA is not a right. We all worked so hard to get here. Our knowledge is our apples to share with the rest of the world.  It is only through education that the cycle of poverty can be broken. Share your gift with children to give them the chance to live life to their full potential.

         Once again-Thank you for this honor to be able to share with you my experience that has led me down not just the philanthropic but the academic path.