3 questions to ask yourself about everything you do | Stacey Abrams

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yanyan Hong

When I was in high school at the age of 17 --

當我還是個十七歲的高中生時——

I graduated from high school in Decatur, Georgia,

我從喬治亞州迪凱特的高中畢業，

as valedictorian of my high school --

我是致告別辭的學生代表——

I was very proud of myself.

我對自己挺驕傲的。

I was from a low-income community, I had grown up in Mississippi,

我來自低收入社區， 我在密西西比長大，

we'd moved from Mississippi to Georgia

我們從密西西比搬到喬治亞，

so my parents could pursue their degrees as United Methodist ministers.

是因為我父母想要取得 聯合循道宗牧師的身分。

We were poor, but they didn't think we were poor enough,

我們很窮，但他們覺得我們還不夠窮，

所以他們要去爭取永久的貧窮。

so they were going for permanent poverty.

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

And so, while they studied at Emory,

所以，他們在埃默里大學讀書，

I studied at Avondale, and I became valedictorian.

我在雅芳戴爾高中讀書， 且成了致告別辭的學生代表。

Well, one of the joys of being valedictorian in the state of Georgia

身為喬治亞州致告別辭的 學生代表，其中一項樂趣就是

is that you get invited to meet the governor of Georgia.

你會受邀請去見喬治亞州的州長。

I was mildly interested in meeting him.

對於能見到他，我是略感興趣。

It was kind of cool.

那還蠻酷的。

I was more intrigued by the fact that he lived in a mansion,

比較吸引我的是，他住在官邸中，

because I watched a lot of "General Hospital" and "Dynasty"

我小時候常常在看 《杏林春暖》和《朝代》。

as a child.

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

And so I got up that morning, ready to go to visit the governor.

所以，我那天早上起床， 準備好要去拜訪州長。

My mom and my dad, who were also invited, got up,

我爸媽也受到邀請，

他們起床了，我們出了門。

and we went outside.

But we didn't get in our car.

但我們沒有上我們的車。

And in the South, a car is a necessary thing.

在南方，一定要有車。

We don't have a lot of public transit, there aren't a lot of options.

我們沒有太多的 大眾交通工具可以選擇。

But if you're lucky enough to live in a community

但如果你夠幸運， 住在一個社區中，

where you don't have a car,

在那裡若你沒有車， 唯一的選擇就是大眾交通工具。

the only option is public transit.

And that's what we had to take.

那就是我們得要搭乘的。

And so we got on the bus.

所以我們上了巴士。

And we took the bus from Decatur all the way to Buckhead,

我們從迪凱特 一路搭巴士到巴克海特，

where the Governor's Mansion sat on this really beautiful acreage of land,

在那裡，州長的官邸坐落在 一片非常漂亮的土地上，

with these long black gates that ran the length of the property.

有很長的黑色大門， 從地產的這一頭到那一頭。

We get to the Governor's Mansion,

我們到了州長的官邸，

we pull the little lever that lets them know this is our stop,

我們按了下車鈴 讓他們知道我們要下車，

we get off the bus,

我們下了巴士，

my mom, my dad and I, we walk across the street.

我爸媽和我，我們穿過街道，

We walk up the driveway, because there are cars coming up,

我們走上車道， 因為有一些車抵達，

cars bringing in students from all across the state of Georgia.

那些車載來了 喬治亞州各地的學生。

So we're walking along the side.

我們延著邊邊行走。

And as we walk single file along the side,

我們成一路縱隊延著邊邊行走，

my mom and dad sandwiching me to make sure I don't get hit by one of the cars

我爸媽把我夾在中間，以免我被

其他學生代表載來的車給撞到，

bringing in the other valedictorians,

we approach the guard gate.

我們接近了警衛門。

When we get to the guard gate, the guard comes out.

當我們到達警衛門時， 警衛走出來。

He looks at me, and he looks at my parents,

他看著我，他看著我爸媽，

and he says, "You don't belong here, this is a private event."

他說：「你們不屬於這裡， 這是私人的活動。」

My dad says, "No, this is my daughter, Stacey. She's one of the valedictorians."

我爸爸說：「不，這是我女兒， 史黛西。她是學生代表之一。」

But the guard doesn't look at the checklist that's in his hands.

但警衛並沒有看他手上的名單。

He doesn't ask my mom for the invitation

他沒有向我媽媽要邀請函，

that's at the bottom of her very voluminous purse.

我媽媽把邀請函放在 她那寬鬆的皮包底部。

Instead, he looks over our shoulder at the bus,

反之，他看向我們後面的巴士，

because in his mind, the bus is telling him a story about who should be there.

因為在他的想法中， 巴士就能告訴他誰該在這裡。

And the fact that we were too poor to have our own car --

我們太貧窮了，沒有自己的車——

that was a story he told himself.

這是他告訴他自己的故事。

And he may have seen something in my skin color,

他可能在我的膚色中 看到了些資訊，

he may have seen something in my attire;

他可能在我的穿著中 看到了些資訊，

I don't know what went through his mind.

我不知道他在想什麼。

但他的結論是，再看我一次，

But his conclusion was to look at me again,

and with a look of disdain, say,

他臉上是輕蔑的表情， 說：「我說過了，

"I told you, this is a private event. You don't belong here."

這是私人活動。 你們不屬於這裡。」

Now, my parents were studying to become United Methodist ministers,

我爸媽在讀書，想要成為 聯合循道宗的牧師，

but they were not pastors yet.

但他們還不是牧師。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And so they proceeded to engage this gentleman

所以他們開始跟這位男士

in a very robust discussion of his decision-making skills.

進行非常穩健的討論， 談他的決策技巧。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

My father may have mentioned

我爸爸可能有提及

that he was going to spend eternity in a very fiery place

若他不在名單上找到 我的名字，他就會永久

if he didn't find my name on that checklist.

待在一個非常熾熱的地方（下地獄）。

And indeed, the man checks the checklist eventually,

那名男子終於看了他的名單，

and he found my name, and he let us inside.

他找到了我的名字，讓我們進入。

But I don't remember meeting the governor of Georgia.

但我不記得和喬治亞州 州長的會面。

I don't recall meeting my fellow valedictorians

我想不起來我有見到 來自 180 個學區的

from 180 school districts.

其他學生代表。

The only clear memory I have of that day

我對那天唯一清楚的記憶，

was a man standing in front of the most powerful place in Georgia,

就是有名男子站在喬治亞州 最有權勢的場所前面，

looking at me and telling me I don't belong.

看著我，告訴我我不屬於這裡。

And so I decided, 20-some-odd years later,

所以，二十多年後，我決定

to be the person who got to open the gates.

要成為打開那些大門的人。

(Cheers)

（歡呼）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Unfortunately, you may have read the rest of the story.

不幸的是，你們可能已經 讀過故事剩下的部分了。

It didn't quite work out that way.

發展並不如我預期。

And now I'm tasked with figuring out: How do I move forward?

我現在的任務，就是要想出： 我要如何向前邁進？

Because, you see, I didn't just want to open the gates for young black women

因為，我不只是想要 為那些被低估、被告知

who had been underestimated and told they don't belong.

不屬於這裡的年輕 黑人女性打開那些大門，

I wanted to open those gates for Latinas and for Asian Americans.

我想要為拉丁美洲裔 和亞裔美國人打開那些大門。

I wanted to open those gates for the undocumented and the documented.

我想要為沒有證明文件 和有證明文件的人打開那些大門。

I wanted to open those gates as an ally of the LGBTQ community.

我想要為 LGBTQ 族群 打開那些大門。

I wanted to open those gates

我想要為成為槍枝暴力下

for the families that have to call themselves the victims of gun violence.

受害者的家庭打開那些大門。

I wanted to open those gates wide for everyone in Georgia,

我想要為喬治亞州的每個人， 把那些大門開到底，

because that is our state, and this is our nation,

因為那是我們的州， 這是我們的國家，

and we all belong here.

我們都屬於這裡。

(Cheers)

（歡呼）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

But what I recognized is that the first try wasn't enough.

但我發現，第一次嘗試並不足夠。

And my question became: How do I move forward?

我的問題變成了： 我要如何向前邁進？

How do I get beyond the bitterness and the sadness and the lethargy

我要如何超越痛苦、

悲傷、沒精打采，

and watching an inordinate amount of television as I eat ice cream?

以及一邊吃冰淇淋 一邊無節制地看電視？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

What do I do next?

我接下來要怎麼做？

And I'm going to do what I've always done.

我要做的，是我一直在做的。

I'm going to move forward, because going backwards isn't an option

我要向前邁進， 因為沒有「後退」這個選項，

and standing still is not enough.

且「站著不動」並不足夠。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

You see, I began my race for governor

我競選州長的第一件事，

by analyzing who I was and what I wanted to be.

就是分析我以前是什麼人、 我想要成為什麼人。

And there are three questions I ask myself about everything I do,

對於我做的每一件事， 我都會問自己三個問題，

whether it's running for office or starting a business;

不論是競選或是創業；

when I decided to start the New Georgia Project

包括當我發動「新喬治亞計畫」， 讓大家登記去投票；

to register people to vote;

or when I started the latest action, Fair Fight Georgia.

或是當我成立最新的行動 「喬治亞公平之爭」時。

No matter what I do, I ask myself three questions:

不論我做什麼， 我都會問自己三個問題：

What do I want?

我想要什麼？

Why do I want it?

我為什麼想要它？

And how do I get it?

我要如何得到它？

And in this case, I know what I want.

我這個案例中，我知道我要什麼。

I want change.

我要改變。

That is what I want.

那就是我想要的。

But the question is:

但，問題是：

What change do I want to see?

我想要看到什麼樣的改變？

And I know that the questions I have to ask myself are:

我知道我得要問我自己的問題是：

One, am I honest about the scope of my ambition?

一，我對於我野心的範圍 是否有誠實？

Because it's easy to figure out that once you didn't get what you wanted,

因為，很容易就能想通， 如果你得不到你想要的，

也許你應該把目標設低一點，

then maybe you should have set your sights a little lower,

但我來這裡是要告訴各位， 對你們的野心要很積極。

but I'm here to tell you to be aggressive about your ambition.

Do not allow setbacks to set you back.

不要讓挫折使你受挫。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Number two, let yourself understand your mistakes.

二，讓你自己了解你的錯誤。

But also understand their mistakes,

但也要了解他們的錯誤，

because, as women in particular,

因為，特別是女性，我們被教導，

we're taught that if something doesn't work out,

若事情沒成功，很可能是我們的錯。

it's probably our fault.

And usually, there is something we could do better,

通常，會有我們能做更好的地方，

但我們被告知的是，不要追究 另一方本來還可以怎麼做。

but we've been told not to investigate too much

what the other side could have done.

這不是支持黨派——這是人。

And this isn't partisan -- it's people.

We're too often told that our mistakes are ours alone,

我們太常被告知， 我們的錯誤完全是我們的錯誤，

but victory is a shared benefit.

但勝利則是要共享的利益。

And so what I tell you to do is understand your mistakes,

我要各位做的是，了解你的錯誤，

but understand the mistakes of others.

但也要了解他人的錯誤。

And be clearheaded about it.

且要能清楚明辨。

And be honest with yourself and honest with those who support you.

對自己誠實，對支持你的人誠實。

But once you know what you want,

但一旦你知道你想要什麼，

understand why you want it.

就要去了解你為什麼想要它。

And even though it feels good, revenge is not a good reason.

且雖然報仇很爽， 但它並不是個好理由。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Instead, make sure you want it

應該做的，是要確保你想要它

because there's something not that you should do,

是因為有你非做不可的事， 而不是應該做的事。

but something you must do.

It has to be something that doesn't allow you to sleep at night

它必須要是那種，晚上你如果 不夢到它就無法入睡的事；

unless you're dreaming about it;

something that wakes you up in the morning and gets you excited about it;

它必須要是那種讓你 早上起來就很興奮的事；

或是讓你非常憤怒的事， 你知道你得要做點什麼來處理它。

or something that makes you so angry,

you know you have to do something about it.

But know why you're doing it.

但要知道你為什麼要做它。

And know why it must be done.

知道為什麼它必須要被完成。

You've listened to women from across this world

你們已經聽過了 來自世界各地的女性

talk about why things have to happen.

談論事情為什麼必須要發生。

But figure out what the "why" is for you,

但找出「為什麼」是你個人的事，

because jumping from the "what" to the "do"

因為如果你不知道為什麼，

is meaningless if you don't know why.

從「什麼」跳到「做」 就是無意義的。

Because when it gets hard, when it gets tough,

因為當情況變艱難時，

when your friends walk away from you,

當你的朋友都離開你時，

when your supporters forget you,

當你的支持者都忘了你時，

when you don't win your first race --

當你無法贏得你的 第一場比賽時——

if you don't know why, you can't try again.

若你不知道為什麼要做， 你就無法再試一次。

So, first know what you want.

所以，先知道你想要什麼。

Second, know why you want it,

再來，知道你為什麼想要它，

but third, know how you're going to get it done.

但，第三，知道要如何做到它。

I faced a few obstacles in this race.

在這場競賽中，我面對了幾個障礙。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Just a few.

只有幾個。

But in the pursuit,

但在這場追尋當中，我成了

I became the first black woman to ever become the nominee for governor

美國史上第一個被大黨

in the history of the United States of America for a major party.

提名為州長的黑人女性。

(Cheers)

（歡呼）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

But more importantly, in this process,

但，更重要的是，在這個過程中，

we turned out 1.2 million African American voters in Georgia.

我們讓喬治亞州的 120 萬名 非裔美國投票人站出來。

That is more voters

這比 2014 年投票給

than voted on the Democratic side of the ticket in 2014.

民主黨的投票者還多。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Our campaign tripled the number of Latinos

我們的競選活動讓相信自己的聲音

who believed their voices mattered in the state of Georgia.

在喬治亞洲會被重視的 拉丁美洲裔人數變為三倍。

We tripled the number of Asian Americans

我們讓站出來說 「這也是我們的州」的

who stood up and said, "This is our state, too."

亞裔美國人人數變為三倍。

Those are successes that tell me how I can get it done.

那些成功，讓我知道 我如何能做到它。

But they also let me understand the obstacles aren't insurmountable.

但它們也讓我了解到， 障礙並非不能克服。

They're just a little high.

這些障礙只是高了點。

But I also understand

但我也了解到，

that there are three things that always hold us hostage.

有三樣東西總是挾持著我們。

The first is finances.

第一樣是財務。

Now, you may have heard, I'm in a little bit of debt.

你們可能聽說過，我其實有欠點債。

If you didn't hear about it, you did not go outside.

如果你們沒聽過，你們大概沒出門。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And finances are something that holds us back so often,

我們常常被財務給拖住，

our dreams are bounded by how much we have in resources.

我們的夢想會受限於 我們有多少資源。

But we hear again and again

但我們一再聽到

the stories of those who overcome those resource challenges.

人們能夠克服資源困難的故事。

But you can't overcome something you don't talk about.

但你不拿出來談論， 就不可能克服。

And that's why I didn't allow them to debt-shame me in my campaign.

那就是為什麼我在兢選時， 不會讓他們用債務來羞辱我。

I didn't allow anyone to tell me that my lack of opportunity

我不會讓任何人來告訴我，

我沒資格競選的理由 是因為我缺乏機會。

was a reason to disqualify me from running.

And believe me, people tried to tell me I shouldn't run.

相信我，很多人試圖 告訴我說我不應該競選。

Friends told me not to run.

朋友告訴我不要競選。

Allies told me not to run.

盟友告訴我不要競選。

"USA Today" mentioned maybe I shouldn't run.

《今日美國》提到， 也許我不該競選。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But no matter who it was,

但，不論是誰，

I understood that finances are often a reason we don't let ourselves dream.

我知道財務常常會是 不讓我們作夢的一個理由。

I can't say that you will always overcome those obstacles,

我沒辦法保證你們一定 都會克服那些障礙，

but I will tell you, you will be damned if you do not try.

但我會告訴各位，如果你們 不嘗試，才應該下地獄。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

The second is fear.

第二樣是恐懼。

And fear is real.

恐懼是真實的。

It is paralyzing.

它會讓你癱瘓不動。

It is terrifying.

它很嚇人。

But it can also be energizing,

但它也能激勵人，

because once you know what you're afraid of,

因為一旦你知道你害怕的是什麼， 你就能想出方法繞過它。

you can figure out how to get around it.

And the third is fatigue.

第三樣是疲憊。

Sometimes you just get tired of trying.

有時，你會厭倦了再次嘗試。

You get tired of reading about processes and politics

你會厭倦了讀到關於流程、政治，

and the things that stop you from getting where you want to be.

以及阻擋你朝目標前進的那些事物。

Sometimes, fatigue means that we accept position instead of power.

有時，疲憊意味著 我們接受位置而非權力。

We let someone give us a title as a consolation prize,

我們讓某人給我們 一個頭銜，當作安慰獎，

rather than realizing we know what we want and we're going to get it,

而不是了解到我們 知道自己想要什麼，

且即使累了也還是要完成它。

even if we're tired.

That's why God created naps.

那就是為什麼神會創造打盹。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But we also learn in those moments

但，在那些時刻，我們也會學到

that fatigue is an opportunity to evaluate how much we want it.

疲憊是個機會，

可以評估我們到底有多想要它。

Because if you are beaten down,

因為如果你被打倒，

if you have worked as hard as you can,

如果你已經盡力而為，

if you have done everything you said you should,

如果你已經做到了 所有你說你應該做的事，

and it still doesn't work out,

結果仍然不如人意，

fatigue can sap you of your energy.

疲憊就會把你的能量吸光。

But that's why you go back to the "why" of it.

但，那就是為什麼 你要回到它的「為什麼」。

Because I know we have to have women who speak for the voiceless.

因為我知道，必須要有女性 來為無法發聲的人發聲。

I know we have to have people of good conscience

必須要有有良心的人

who stand up against oppression.

站出來對抗壓迫。

I know we have to have people

必須要有人能了解

who understand that social justice belongs to us all.

社會正義屬於所有人。

And that wakes me up every morning,

這個想法每天早上把我喚醒， 讓我更努力奮鬥。

and that makes me fight even harder.

Because I am moving forward, knowing what is in my past.

因為我在向前行， 知道什麼已經是過去的事。

I know the obstacles they have for me.

我知道他們給我的障礙。

I know what they're going to do,

我知道他們打算怎麼做，

and I'm fairly certain they're energizing and creating new obstacles now.

我十分確定他們現在正 精力充沛地在創造新的障礙。

But they've got four years to figure it out.

但他們有四年的時間可以想出來。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Maybe two.

也許兩年。

(Cheers)

（歡呼）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

But here's my point:

但，我的重點是：

I know what I want, and that is justice.

我知道我想要什麼，就是正義。

I know why I want it,

我知道我為什麼想要它，

because poverty is immoral, and it is a stain on our nation.

因為貧窮是不道德的， 它是我們國家的污點。

And I know how I'm going to get it:

我知道我要如何做到：

by moving forward every single day.

每天都持續向前進。

Thank you so much.

非常謝謝。

(Cheers)

（歡呼）

(Applause)

（掌聲）