How I went from child refugee to international model | Halima Aden

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

This is me at age seven.

這是我七歲的時候。

And this is also me.

這也是我。

(Applause and cheering)

（掌聲與歡呼）

To be standing here in Kakuma refugee camp feels so surreal,

站在卡庫馬難民營這裡， 感覺好不真實，

and I'm overcome with so much emotion.

我現在有著滿滿的情緒。

These very grounds are where I was born

這就是我出生的地方，

and spent the first seven years of my life.

我人生的前七年也都待在這裡。

I think many people are surprised to hear

我想，很多人會覺得無法相信

that I had a great upbringing here at Kakuma.

我在卡庫馬有受到很好的養育。

But I was happy,

但我那時很開心，

I was smart, I had friends

我很聰明，我有朋友，

and above all, I had hope for a brighter future.

最重要的是， 我嚮往著更明亮的未來。

That's not to say that we didn't have our obstacles.

並不是說我們沒有遇到阻礙。

I mean, boy were there struggles.

我的意思是，真的有過掙扎。

I would sometimes get sick with malaria

我有時候會得到瘧疾，

and didn't always know where our next meal would come from.

且不見得都知道下一餐會從哪裡來。

But the sense of community that is here in Kakuma

但在卡庫馬這裡，共同體的感覺

and the pride that everyone here possesses

以及這裡每個人所擁有的驕傲

is simply unparalleled.

實在是空前未有的。

When I was younger, I remember conflicts breaking out.

我比較小的時候，我記得衝突爆發。

That tends to happen when people come from different backgrounds

當有來自不同背景的人 說著不相同的語言時，

and don't speak the same language.

本來就很容易發生衝突。

Eventually, Swahili --

最終，斯華西里語——

the main language here --

這裡的主要語言——

became our common ground.

變成了我們的共同點。

I made friends with the kids at the camp

我和難民營的孩子交朋友，

and even started embracing some of their cultures,

甚至開始接受一些他們的文化，

celebrating holidays like Christmas even though I was raised Muslim.

雖然我成長過程都信回教， 我也慶祝像是聖誕節等節日。

The other kids would embrace my culture as well,

其他的孩子也會接受我的文化，

sometimes even praying right alongside me.

有時甚至就在我旁邊一起禱告。

It was easy, as children, to come together,

身為孩子，很容易就能團結，

blend all of our beliefs

融合我們的信仰，

to form our own unique, multicultural environment.

形成我們自己 獨一無二的多文化環境。

My name is Halima Aden

我的名字叫哈利馬阿登，

and I'm a black, Muslim, Somali-American from Kenya.

我是個索瑪利裔美國黑人， 來自肯亞，信奉回教。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Some have called me a trailblazer --

有些人把我稱為先驅——

I was the first Muslim homecoming queen at my high school,

在我的高中，我是第一個 信奉回教的返校日皇后，

the first Somali student senator at my college

在我的大學，我是第一個 索瑪利裔的學生會委員，

and the first hijab-wearing woman in many places,

在許多地方，我是 第一個戴頭巾的女性，

like the Miss Minnesota USA beauty pageant,

比如明尼蘇達州小姐選美比賽、

the runways of Milan and New York Fashion Weeks

米蘭及紐約時裝週的伸展台，

and even on the historic cover of British "Vogue."

甚至上了具有里程碑意義的 英國《時尚》雜誌封面。

As you can see,

如你們所見，

I'm not afraid to be the first, to step out on my own,

我並不害怕自己站出來當第一個，

to take risks and seek change,

我敢承擔風險和尋求改變，

because that's what being a minority is about.

因為那就是身為少數族群應該做的。

It's about using yourself as a vessel to create change

重點是要把自己當作 創造改變的媒介，

and being a human representation for the power of diversity.

把多樣性的力量 在人的身上展現出來。

And now I use my platform to spread an important message of acceptance.

現在，我用我的平台來散播一則 關於接受的重要訊息。

But it hasn't always been easy.

但過程並非都很容易。

When we first arrived to the United States and made St. Louis, Missouri home,

當我們初次抵達美國， 以密蘇里的聖路易斯為家時，

I remember asking my mom, "Is this really America?"

我記得我問我母親： 「這真的是美國嗎？」

There were things that were sadly familiar,

有些事物，有著悲傷的熟悉感，

like hearing gunshots at night

比如在夜間聽到槍聲，

and the streets looking impoverished.

及街道看來赤貧無創造性。

But there were things that were also very different.

但也有些非常不同的地方。

Like when I started first grade,

比如，當我上一年級時，

I noticed how the kids played in groups.

我注意到孩子們如何分群玩耍。

In America, we call them "cliques."

在美國，我們稱他們為「朋黨」。

Back here, we all played together.

以前在這裡時，我們全都玩在一起。

Gender didn't matter,

性別無所謂，

and race most certainly never mattered.

種族也肯定從來都無所謂。

I remember asking myself,

我記得我會問我自己：

"Why don't they understand Swahili?

「他們為什麼不懂斯華西里語？

Swahili is the language that brings people together."

斯華西里語是讓人 團結在一起的語言。」

To make matters worse,

更糟的是，

the school I was enrolled in didn't have an English immersion program.

我就讀的學校並沒有沉浸英語學程。

So everyday I would get up,

所以，我每天爬起床，

go to school, sit in my desk

去上學，坐在我的座位上，

and never learn a thing.

什麼都學不到。

This is when I started losing hope,

這時，我開始失去希望，

and I wanted nothing more than return to Kakuma,

我只想返回卡庫馬，

a refugee camp.

回到難民營。

Soon, my mother learned that many Somalis found refuge

很快的，我母親得知 有許多索馬利人

in a small town in Minnesota.

在明尼蘇達的一個小鎮安定下來。

So when I was eight, we moved to Minnesota.

所以，我八歲時， 我們搬到明尼蘇達。

My life changed as I met other students who spoke Somali,

我的人生改變了， 因為我遇到了其他索瑪利學生，

attended a school that had an English immersion program

我就讀的學校有沉浸英語學程，

and found teachers that would go above and beyond,

也找到一些老師，願意額外付出，

staying there after school hours and lunch breaks,

在學校放學之後 以及午餐時間留下來，

dedicated to helping me find success in the classroom.

努力協助我能在教室中有所成。

Being a child refugee has taught me that one could be stripped of everything:

身為難民小孩，我學到的是， 一個人隨時可能被奪走一切：

food, shelter, clean drinking water,

食物、庇護所、乾淨的飲用水、

even friendship,

甚至友誼，

but the one thing that no one could ever take away from you

但有一樣東西，是別人 無法從你身上奪走的，

is your education.

就是你的教育。

So I made studying my top priority

所以我把讀書放在第一優先，

and soon started flourishing within the classroom.

很快就開始在教室裡有好的表現。

As I grew older, I became more aware of others

隨著我長大， 我越來越能意識到其他人

and how they viewed my race and background.

及他們如何看待我的種族和背景。

Specifically, when I started wearing the head scarf known as a hijab.

特別是當我開始包頭巾， 也就是希賈布時。

When I first started wearing it, I was excited.

我一開始包頭巾時，我很興奮。

I remember admiring my mother's, and I wanted to emulate her beauty.

我記得我很欣賞我母親的頭巾， 想要模仿她的美麗。

But when I started middle school,

但當我讀中學時，

the students teased me about not having hair,

其他學生會嘲笑我沒有頭髮，

so to prove them wrong,

為了證明他們錯了，

I started showing them my hair --

我開始讓他們看見我的頭髮——

something that goes against my beliefs, but something I felt pressured to do.

這是違背我的信仰的， 但我感到有壓力迫使我去做。

I wanted so badly to fit in at the time.

那時我非常想要融入大家。

When I reflect on the issues of race, religion, identity,

當我反思關於種族、 宗教、身分的議題時，

a lot of painful memories come to mind.

許多痛苦的記憶會浮現腦海。

It would be easy for me to blame those of another culture

對我來說，把我所感受到的痛苦

for making me feel the pain I felt,

怪罪其他文化的人是比較容易的，

but when I think deeper,

但當我更深入思考，

I also recognize that the most impactful,

我也了解到，這些事是我所遇過

positive, life-changing events that have happened to me

最有影響力、最正面、 改變我人生最多的事，

are thanks to those people who are different than me.

這一切都要感謝那些和我不同的人。

It was at this moment that I decided to step outside of my comfort zone

在那一刻，我決定 要踏出我的舒適圈，

and compete in a pageant wearing a hijab and burkini.

包著頭巾，穿著蒙面罩袍 去參加選美比賽。

I saw it as an opportunity to be a voice for women

我把它視為一個機會，讓我可以

who, like myself, had felt underrepresented.

為和我一樣的弱勢女性發聲。

And although I didn't capture the crown,

雖然我沒有贏得后冠，

that experience opened so many doors for me.

那次的經驗為我打開了好多扇門。

I was receiving emails and messages from women all over the world,

我收到世界各地女性 寫給我的電子郵件和訊息，

telling me that I've inspired them by simply staying true to myself.

她們說，光是看到我能夠 忠於自己，就讓她們受到鼓舞。

The other "firsts" kept coming.

我不斷繼續當「第一個」。

I was invited to New York City by fashion icon Carine Roitfeld

我受到時尚界代表人物 卡琳洛菲德的邀請，前往紐約，

to shoot my very first editorial.

拍攝我的第一張時尚雜誌照片。

It was around this time that I became the first hijab-wearing model,

大約在這個時期，我成為了 第一個包著頭巾的模特兒，

and in my first year,

在我的頭一年，

I graced the covers of nine fashion magazines.

我上了七本時尚雜誌的封面。

It was a whirlwind, to say the least.

至少可以說，這是場旋風。

But with all the overnight success,

但在這所有的一夜成名的成功中，

there was one thing that remained constant --

有一樣東西是維持不變的——

the thought that this could be what brings me back here to Kakuma,

認為我能夠因此有機會 回到卡庫馬的想法，

the place that I call home.

回到我稱為家的地方。

And just a few months ago, something incredible happened to me.

幾個月前，很不可思議的事 發生在我身上。

I was in New York City, on a photo shoot,

我當時在紐約，正在拍照，

when I met South Sudanese model Adut Akech,

我遇見了南蘇丹的模特兒 阿度特艾凱奇，

who also happened to be born right here in Kakuma.

她剛好也出生在卡庫馬。

That experience in itself is the definition of hope.

那段經驗本身就是希望的定義。

I mean, just imagine:

我的意思是，想像一下：

two girls born in the same refugee camp,

出生在同一個難民營的兩個女孩，

reunited for the first time on the cover of British "Vogue."

在英國《時尚》雜誌的封面上 第一次團聚在一起。

(Applause and cheering)

（掌聲與歡呼）

I was given the distinct pleasure of partnering up with UNICEF,

我有非常獨特的榮幸， 能和聯合國兒童基金會合作，

knowing firsthand the work that they do for children in need.

直接了解他們為 有需要的兒童做了什麼。

And I want you to remember

我希望各位能記住，

that although the children here may be refugees,

雖然這裡的孩子可能是難民，

they are children.

他們仍然是孩子。

They deserve every opportunity to flourish, to hope, to dream --

他們應該要有機會去成長、 去希望、去夢想——

to be successful.

去成功。

My story began right here in Kakuma refugee camp,

這裡，卡庫馬難民營， 是我的故事的起點，

a place of hope.

它是個希望之地。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）