HomeUnited StatesSecretary Antony J. Blinken At a Conversation with YLAI Alumni

Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Conversation with YLAI Alumni

MS ROA:  Yes.
But what I was particularly looking forward to today is talking to the four of you because entrepreneurs, which each of you is, are truly engines of growth in both of our countries.  And you’re focused on trying to solve problems (inaudible), but you’re also social entrepreneurs, which means that you’re also trying to make a difference in your communities, and that’s a very powerful thing.  If we can marry these two things together, it creates opportunity, it creates growth, and it creates positive change, and I know that each of you is doing that in different ways.  So, I was particularly anxious to hear, and as the ambassador said, we’re – so much of this is about learning from you, learning from your experience, learning what’s worked, what hasn’t – and also, going forward, how our governments can help or maybe get out of the way and not help, as the case may be.  (Laughter.)
AMBASSADOR MEEHAN:  Mr. Secretary, bienvenido a Confiteria Torres.  I am thrilled to introduce you to four, really inspiring and amazing alumni, Chilean alumni of the YLAI program, the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative.  I have had the opportunity to spend a couple of minutes with them, learning from them about their projects, their communities, the impact that the program has had on them, and I really cannot wait for you to hear all of the great work that they are doing and the ideas that they have.  So, I’d like to invite you to say a few words to kick us off, and then we’ll get started with the conversation.
SECRETARY BLINKEN:  That’s wonderful.
AMBASSADOR MEEHAN:  And I’d like to thank the Chilean and U.S. press for sharing these stories and look forward to seeing you at any future events.  Thank you so much.
MS ROA:  Well, we started in a local school.  My husband is a composer, and he composes contemporary music, which is a little bit – it’s non-traditional so it can be difficult to have access to it, because you have to live in a main city where you can have a like, a concert hall, you can – you need the money to pay for the tickets.  So, we realize that it’s something that you can only find here or at universities where they have music programs.  So, it’s (inaudible), you see.  So, we don’t want that – I mean, for some people, music is just something they can, like, buy – like a product.  But for us, music and art is something that children have the right to have access to.
SECRETARY BLINKEN:  That’s wonderful.  It’s interesting too, because English is about connectivity.  We have digital connectivity, but we also have personal connectivity.  For this moment in our collective history, English is one way we connect, do it’s very powerful that you’re doing that at the same time.
AMBASSADOR MEEHAN:  (Off-mike.)
So, I’m much more interested in listening than talking.  (Laughter.)  It’s great to have all of you here.  Thank you.
So, I’m much more interested in listening than talking.  (Laughter.)  It’s great to have all of you here.  Thank you.
SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Oh, that’s wonderful.
But I think it was striking to me as well because I had a chance to spend some time with President Boric today and other colleagues in the government.  And so many of the things that we’re trying to do, both the United States and Chile, when it comes to building more equitable societies, inclusive growth, this is very much also what you’re doing (inaudible).
AMBASSADOR MEEHAN:  So, thank you, Camila.
MS ROA:  So, it’s such an honor for all of us to be here with you today and share the meaningful experiences we have with YLAI.  My name is Camila Roa.  I’m a teacher of English.  And I participated in YLAI in 2017, together with Paulina.  And I participated with a project that is called Desde Fuera del Centro, which is an educational and cultural project that aims to decentralize contemporary music through workshops and concerts in (inaudible) school for children.
AMBASSADOR MEEHAN:  Great.  So, Mr. Secretary, I’d like to invite each of the fellows to briefly introduce themselves, share a little bit about the impact that YLAI has had on them and their work.  And we will start with Camila Roa.  Por favor.

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