San Juan de Puerto Rico did not have a star that shone brighter than Shakira at the 20th edition of the Premios Juventud. The Colombian singer won no less than eight awards, as well as a distinction as Agent of Change; that she received from the hands of Kany García and that caused the one from Barranquilla to offer a speech that moved all those gathered there.
The reason, to see his children, Milan and Sasha, excited to see their mother from the front row. Especially to her eldest son, to whom Shakira dedicated a few words of her applauded speech, assuring that part of the strength that she possesses at the moment is inspired by “the value” of Milan and Sasha.
A speech in which there was no shortage of references to the two children, whom he discovered as his true teachers for showing him how, unfortunately, within his environment it is still possible to see how great injustices exist.
“We live in an ambiguous world with filtered selfies, but there are realities that cannot be filtered or made up. There are places where people who are born poor die poor, because they don’t have many the opportunity to receive a quality education,” the singer claimed, adding that they were places where, incredible as it may seem, “people are still discriminated against because of their sexual preferences, skin color, and social class.”
The one from Barranquilla regrets that this is an “imperfect world”, but partly celebrates that it is “constantly changing”, so she encourages others not to waste this great opportunity. That was also where she used an anecdote with Milan as the protagonist to illustrate how her value can drive precisely that change.
“When my 10-year-old son sadly tells me that a friend of his wants to change the color of his skin because he doesn’t feel part of it or that someone else is being pushed aside because of his preferences, it only remains for me as a mother to show him that he doesn’t have to be silent, that he can raise his hand and that he can use his voice and that he can complain about that and everything he doesn’t agree with, that’s the way Milan is.”
“I am very relieved to see that these youth know how to do it more and more. Your social networks amplify the news that worries us and make known stories that if it weren’t for you, these stories would not be known,” explained the singer, on stage, adding that thanks to all these young nonconformists “question things, point out injustices and seek the truth.”
The artist put her two children as references, but she also wanted to explain that if they were there with her it was precisely so that they understood what being a “change agent” consisted of: “I want my children to understand that to be a change agent you don’t have to be a female pop star, you don’t have to have a foundation, you don’t have to be a politician or occupy a position of power or be famous or rich; to be a change agent you just have to differentiate what is right from what is wrong.”
“You have to believe that it is possible to change things and not let anyone tell you otherwise, that is power. And you, the youth, have that power. And if you are angry and if exclusion makes you uncomfortable and if you do not let yourself be anesthetized by the pain of others and if you raise your voice and do not lower your arms then, I can rest assured that my children and you are and will be the hope of many and are also and will be the true agents of change,” he concluded, to loud applause.
The singer wanted to send special thanks to her followers: “My greatest luck is to have the fans I have. Every day you inspire me to improve myself and not give up. The truth is that when I had doubts about myself, you made me believe in myself again. When I felt fragile, you filled me with strength. When I felt alone, you accompanied me, protected me, showed me your loyalty and understood me,” she said, very excited.
