Your Creative Superpowers Can Help Protect Democracy | Sofia Ongele | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Shelley Tsang 曾雯海

Four years ago yesterday,

四年前的昨天，

there was a shooting at my younger sister Jenny's high school,

我妹妹珍妮就讀的高中 發生槍擊事件，

Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California.

加州聖塔克拉利塔市的索古斯高中。

Jenny was lucky enough to see kids running

珍妮很幸運，她正要從共乘汽車 下車的時候就看到有孩子在逃跑，

when she was about to be dropped off by her carpool, so she stayed safe,

所以她安然無恙，

but all of her friends were placed on lockdown.

但她所有的朋友都被封鎖在大樓裡，

Kids I've watched grow up and have known for as long as I can remember.

這些都是我看著長大的孩子， 且認識他們非常久了。

In the hours that followed, parents waited at my city's Central Park

在隨後的幾個小時，家長 在該城市的中央公園等著

to reunite with their kids

和他們的孩子團圓，

as students were released building by building,

那時各大樓中的學生依續被釋放，

escorted by police and SWAT teams to the park.

在警方及特警隊的陪同下前往公園。

Three days later, there was a vigil at that same Central Park

三天後，有一場守夜活動 在那個中央公園舉行，

to honor Gracie Muehlberger and Dominic Blackwell,

紀念格蕾西‧米爾柏格 及多明尼克‧布萊克威爾，

whose parents laid them to rest at the tender ages of 15 and 14.

他們才十五歲及十四歲，他們的 父母就得白髮人送黑髮人。

It was the largest gathering in my city's history.

那是這個城市史上最大的聚會活動。

Despite the divisions in my hometown,

儘管我的家鄉有分歧存在，

we stood at peace with one another that night,

那晚，我們和平地站在一起，

yearning for a better future.

渴望有更美好的未來。

This very American tragedy

這種非常美國式的悲劇，

that we have had to witness time and time again

一直不斷重複上演，

speaks to a larger issue about democracy.

這帶出了一個更大的民主議題。

Like many people in the face of tragedy,

和許多遭逢悲劇的人一樣，

I wanted to do something.

我也想做點什麼

And to do something, to truly participate in democracy,

若要做點什麼，若要真正參與民主，

we have to acknowledge that injustice is cyclical

我們必須要承認， 不公正是會不斷循環的，

且鄰居必須要打的仗， 就是我們自己要打的仗。

and that any fight of a neighbor is the fight of our own.

But how do we, wherever we may be,

但，不論我們身在何處、 有什麼樣的工具，我們要如何

with whatever tools we have, fight that fight?

打那場仗？

I've realized over the course of growing up

我在成長的過程中了解到

that what we largely consider to be participating in democracy

大部分人認定的參與民主

is honestly kind of narrow and unimaginative.

坦白說很狹隘且缺乏想像力。

We're taught that we can vote and run for office,

我們被教導的是我們可以投票 和競選，這些也都很重要，

which are both important,

but what about those of us who can't because of our age,

但不能的人該怎麼辦？ 比如年齡不符、

our immigration status, our class,

或受到移民身分或階級的限制？

not to mention the countless others facing disenfranchisement

更不用說無數受到選民壓制 而面臨公民權被剝奪的人。

through voter suppression.

事實是，我們任何人，

The truth is, any of us, of any age,

不論年齡，只要生活在某種程度的 民主中或正在努力朝它邁進，

living in some semblance of a democracy or striving towards it,

possess the tools to have a voice in our governments and communities.

那其實就擁有工具，可以 在我們的政府和社區中發聲。

It's just a matter of learning how to have agency with those tools.

只是要學習如何主動運用那些工具。

For me, that's been coding and social media.

對我來說，那些工具 是寫程式和社群媒體。

It's unconventional, but I found the most success

不是傳統工具，但我發現 最能成功發揮影響的做法

in having an influence

by using whatever's in front of me,

就是眼前有什麼就用什麼，

really tuning in to my networks and communities,

真正投入在我的人際網絡和社群上，

meeting people where they're at

去大家所在的地方找他們，

and centering joy and fun wherever I can.

盡可能著重喜悅和樂趣。

And it works. Let me explain.

這招有用。讓我解釋一下。

In the case of this school shooting,

在這個校園槍擊的例子中，

the parents of Gracie Muehlberger and Dominic Blackwell

格蕾西‧米爾柏格及多明尼克‧ 布萊克威爾的父母開始推動

began a push to have the two of them memorialized

在中央公園的入口處 為他們兩人立紀念碑。

at the entrance of our Central Park.

To me and much of my community, this memorial was a no-brainer.

我對以及我社區中大部分的人 而言，立這紀念碑是理所當然。

To others, it was "grandiose and highly inappropriate."

對其他人而言，它很 「浮誇且非常不妥當」。

That's a direct quote, by the way.

對了，那句話是原文直接引述。 而不少當地的官員認同他們。

And a number of local officials agreed with them.

But that cannot and should not nullify the needs and the wants

但那不能也不應該否認 更大的社區的需求和願望。

of the greater community.

So Gracie and Dominic's parents,

所以格蕾西及多明尼克的父母下定 決心要妥善地紀念他們的孩子，

determined to properly memorialize their children,

created a petition and organized efforts

發起了請願活動並組織了各種行動，

to push our city council to approve the memorial.

來推促我們的市議會核准紀念碑。

The petition got over 10,000 signatures and people emailed the city in masses.

請願書有上萬人簽署，還有 很多人寫電子郵件給市政府。

Eventually, they approved, and we all thought we were done.

最終，他們核准了，

我們都以為告一段落了。

But, as it turns out,

但，結果發現，

the land that Central Park is on is owned by the Santa Clarita Water Board.

中央公園所在的土地是屬於 聖塔克拉利塔水務董事會所有。

So they have the final say.

他們擁有最後決定權。

And a committee created to advise on that decision

而為了提供建議來做此決策 而成立的委員會

penned a seven-page paper

寫了一份長達七頁的報告

on why they should actually reject the memorial.

說明為什麼該拒絕 建造紀念碑的理由。

And we didn't even know about this or know this was still up for debate

我們完全不知道這件事， 也不知道結果還有待討論，

until the day they were supposed to vote on it.

直到該為紀念碑投票的 那一天才得知。

I was so unbelievably angry.

我真的是火冒三丈。

How is it that the community can come together, organize

為什麼會這樣？社區 明明能團結組織起來，

and finally get a win

且終於獲得勝利，

just for it to be rendered fruitless by a vocal minority with fancy titles?

卻就這樣被少數有華麗 頭銜的人化為徒勞？

I wasn't having it, but I still felt powerless.

我不接受這種狀況， 但我仍然感到無能為力。

I wasn't on the committee.

我不是委員會成員。

I wasn't an elected official.

我不是民選官員。

I couldn't even tell you what a water board did.

我甚至不知道水務 委員會會做些什麼。

但，我剛說過，我有兩種力量來源：

But, like I said, I had these two sources of power:

coding and social media.

寫程式和社群媒體。

You may be thinking, "Girl, like, OK."

各位可能會想：「女孩，嗯，好。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But follow me here, follow me here.

但先聽我說完，聽我說完。

I learned to code when I was 15 at a Kode With Klossy summer program,

我十五歲時去參加 Kode With Klossy 的暑期計畫，學會寫程式，

where I learned that I could apply that skill

在那裡我學到，我可以把 這項技能運用到任何地方。

to anything and everything.

And on the content side of things,

至於內容方面，

I got bored during the pandemic and loved giving my unsolicited opinion

我在疫情期間感到無聊， 喜歡自己主動給意見，

and yelling on the internet,

在網路上大吼大叫。

so I got a pretty sizable following on TikTok

所以在抖音上有很多人追蹤我，

and joined the organization Gen-Z for Change,

並加入「改變的 Z 世代」組織，

and posting content to mobilize my generation

發佈內容來動員我的世代

to vote in the 2020 election.

參與 2020 年大選的投票。

So I knew that with these two powers I held,

所以我知道擁有我這兩種 力量，我就能做點什麼。

I could do something.

I could make something real in the three or so hours I had.

在我剩下這三小時左右的時間， 我可以真的做點什麼。

So I got to work.

於是我就開始行動了。

I found an email address

我發現，大家可以針對議程事項 發送公開評論到一個電子郵件地址，

where people could send public comments on agenda items

and coded a tool where people could just put in their name,

我又寫了一個工具， 讓大家可以填入他們的名字、

affiliation, anything else they wanted to send,

所屬組織機構，及任何想寫的東西，

and a randomly generated email would be created.

接著就會隨機產生一封電子郵件。

All they had to do was push "send."

他們只需要按下「送出」。

I finished it like 15 minutes before the deadline,

我在截止時間前 大約十五分鐘才完成，

it was one of the ugliest websites I had ever made.

那是我做過最醜的網站之一。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I posted it to Instagram, Twitter, TikTok --

我把這個網站發佈到 IG、推特、抖音上——

I had around 150,000 followers at the time.

那時我大約有十五萬的追蹤者。

I sent it to my family.

我還傳給我的家人。

My sister sent it to her friends who sent to their friends,

我妹妹轉傳給她的朋友， 他們又轉傳給他們的朋友，

and then I held my breath.

接著我就摒息以待。

A few hours later, the water board voted 9 to 3 to approve the memorial,

幾小時後，

水務董事會以九票對三票的 投票表決結果核准了紀念碑，

我感到很寬心。

and I felt at ease.

It wasn't until a few months later, though,

不過，要到幾個月後，

that I learned that out of the 63 comments submitted,

我才得知，那些送出去的 評論有六十三分之五十六，

56, the vast majority, were sent using the tool that I had coded.

也就是大部分，都是透過 我寫的工具送出的。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Which is so insane because there was so little time

這太瘋狂了，因為起初大家能 使用那個工具的時間就超少了。

people were able to use it in the first place.

This success was a testament to the fact that so often people want to speak out.

這個成功，證明了大家 通常都很想表達意見。

They want to do something but don't know how

他們想做點什麼，但，

不知道該怎麼做，或因為 繁文褥節而打消念頭。

or get discouraged in the face of bureaucracy.

為大家降低一點門檻應該是 我們所有人的核心價值。

Making it a little bit easier for folks needs to be a core value for all of us.

In another instance, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin

在另一個例子中， 維吉尼亞州的州長格倫‧楊金

created a tipline to report critical race theory

設立了一條舉報熱線，讓民眾回報 學校教導爭議性種族理論的情報。

being taught in schools.

I had a problem with that.

它讓我覺得困擾。

So I wanted there to be an easy, fun, community-oriented way

所以我想用一種簡單、 有趣、社群導向的方式

to get this tipline taken down as soon as possible.

盡快讓這條舉報熱線被下架。

So I coded a tool that allowed people

於是，

我寫了一個可以把《蜂電影》歌詞 和對白傳到熱線的工具給大家用。

to send song lyrics and lines from The Bee Movie to the tipline.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Essentially, it takes the name of a real school, a real city in Virginia,

基本上，給它一個真實學校的名字，

和一個維吉尼亞州的真實城市， 它就會產出一份很荒謬的報告。

and spits out a very ridiculous report.

For example, "I have reason to believe

比如：「我有理由相信， 湯瑪斯‧傑佛遜高中在教種族，

Thomas Jefferson High School is teaching race.

I overheard a teacher saying,

我偷聽到一個老師說：

'Shawty had them apple bottom jeans (jeans).'"

『肖蒂穿著蘋果底的牛仔褲。』」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Yeah, it's silly, it's goofy.

是的，很愚蠢，很可笑。

It's just as unserious as the creation of a teacher-reporting tipline itself,

這就像設立教師舉報專線一樣亂來，

which is exactly what draws people to this kind of action.

正是這個原因， 吸引大家參與這個行動。

Democracy is just more fun and inviting when you take it into your own hands.

親自參與動手時，民主 就變得更有趣更吸引人了。

After I finished the website,

我完成網站後，

I sent it to my friends at Gen-Z for Change.

我把它傳給「改變的 Z 世代」的朋友，

We all posted videos.

我們都發佈了影片。

Thousands of emails were sent from every state in the country

發出的電子郵件有數千封，

來自美國的每一州， 且真的來自每個大陸，

and virtually every continent,

and we had emails bouncing within 48 hours.

四十八小時內， 電子郵件就被退回了。

幾個月後，舉報熱線 就正式靜靜地被下架了。

Months later, the tipline was quietly officially shut down.

Didn't even last a year.

甚至撐不到一年。

Because of the skills of a few, the platforms of many

因為少數人的技能、許多人的平台，

and the will of hundreds of thousands of meddling kids

以及數萬名愛管閒事的孩子的意願，

unified in our intolerance of injustice,

我們無法容忍不公的 心情被團結起來，

we were far more powerful than a couple people

我們的力量遠大於

幾個坐在公職權位上的人。

in official positions of power.

Now, I'm not asking y'all to drop everything and learn how to code,

我並不是要大家 放下一切去學寫程式，

even though I definitely think you should.

雖然我真心認為應該要這麼做。

Coding is part of my power, right?

寫程式是我的一部分力量，對吧？

But power manifests differently to different people.

但在不同的人身上， 力量展現的方式也不同。

If you have a pen, write something.

如果你有筆，寫點什麼。 如果你有樂器，演奏點什麼。

If you have an instrument, play something.

If you have the anger of a thousand suns and disposable income,

如果你心中有熊熊怒火， 也有可支配的收入，

open your purse.

那就打開你的錢包。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And if you have social media and a smartphone --

如果你有社群媒體和手機—— 我知道你們都有，

I know that y'all do, so don't try me --

別想唬我——

tell a story, and let it spread like wildfire.

說個故事，讓它 像野火一樣擴散出去。

And while it's true that a subset of people use their skills

雖然的確有一部分人 會把他們的技能用在

for hateful, nefarious, less-than-democratic purposes,

仇恨、惡毒、完全不民主的目的上，

the sheer existence of this subset

正因為有這群人的存在，

requires that we think of more innovative and creative ways

我們得要想出更創新、 更有創意的方法

to ensure that the voices of the masses are genuinely heard and accounted for.

來確保大眾的聲音能真正 被聽見、被納入考量。

Now, every time I'm home and I walk by Central Park,

現在，每當我在家鄉，走過 中央公園並看到新招牌時，

and see the new signage,

I'm reminded of the power, our anguish,

我都會想起那力量、我們的痛苦、

我們的喜悅、我們的故事，

our joy, our stories,

and our unity holds.

及我們的團結堅定。

We were able to change my community forever and for the better,

我們當時成功將我們的社區 變得更好，且這改變是永遠的。

all by causing a ruckus on the internet.

靠的全是在網際網路上製造騷動。

要讓國際上的民主能穩定，

The stability of democracy internationally

requires that we use whatever skills and resources we have

就需要我們運用我們 擁有的各種技能和資源，

to combat hate, bring movements to life

來打擊仇恨，讓運動活躍起來，

and stand united in solidarity with one another

大家團結一心，

on every corner of the globe.

與全球每個角落的人攜手合作。

Justice can't wait, so take what's in front of you,

正義是不能等的，

眼前有什麼就拿來用，

get really creative and cause a ruckus.

盡量發揮創意，製造騷動吧。

(Applause)

（掌聲）