Page 14 - ChildArt_2021.Q1_Global Creative Leaders

14 CHILDART GLOBAL CREATIVE LEADERS JAN-MAR 2021 15

COMMUNICATING

UNITY COMMUNICATION CAN
“ONLY THROUGH

HUMAN LIFE HOLD
MEANING.”

PAULO FREIRE, BRAZILIAN
EDUCATOR AND

PHILOSOPHER, VISITING
CLAUDIA ROMO EDELMAN HARVARD PROFESSOR

FOUNDER + CEO (1969), WHO DEDICATED

WE ARE ALL HUMAN HIS LIFE TO IMPROVING

NEW YORK CITY THE LIVES OF THE POOR.

A Mexican-Swiss diplomat, a seasoned Her mother, Cecilia Romo, had been a member She has worked for global organizations such as I remember seeing this kid take his chewing gum,
communicator, and a social entrepreneur who of Mexico’s national basketball team in the 1960s. UNICEF, the World Economic Forum, and the United open up a hanger, put the chewing gum on the top
speaks six languages, Claudia Romo Edelman has Claudia observed how her mother transformed Nations Refugee Agency. She is the founder of We of the hanger, and put it where the people put money
many accomplishments but has only just begun to herself into an economist and took a job with the Are All Human, a foundation with the mission to for the church. He started reaching it down and trying
change the world. government before becoming a talent manager for “advocate for every human to be respected and to get one of the bills to stick onto the chewing gum.
the entertainment industry. Just on impulse, her empowered by focusing on our common humanity.” I saw him Sunday after Sunday, trying that while the
Claudia was born in Baja California Sur, Mexico and mother took up a small role in David Lynch’s epic She is attentive to the common struggles, big and priest was preaching. And I was totally fascinated
spent her childhood days in both a small town in science fiction film Dune, which was filmed in Mexico small, that people all over the globe live with. “I to see how many bills he was able to fish from the
Baja California Sur and bustling Mexico City. She in 1983. This launched her mother’s career as a created the We Are All Human Foundation to Priest’s bowl. I realized that resourcefulness
attended a very traditional all-girls school in Mexico theatrical and television actress, making her famous remind us all that we belong to one large human and need cause the mind to try to find a way to
City until the age of eight, when she went to live with throughout Latin America. Watching her mother find family. Be curious about each other. Read figure something out. I think that everyone that
her grandmother in the small coastal village in Baja. the strength to make these transitions provided the things that you normally wouldn’t agree with, is confronted with some sort of challenge ends up
She loved living in this small fishing village, riding her mantra for Claudia, “I’m scared, nevertheless, I talk to people that you normally wouldn’t have being creative, one way or the other. Hopefully, we
bike to school, swimming, playing basketball, and will go.” conversations with, and try to understand points will use the positive side of creativity and not the
gathering lemons and papayas in her grandmother’s of view that are different than yours so that you negative side!”
garden. Here, she fell in love with nature, had her That is exactly what Claudia did upon completing exercise the muscle of empathy.”
first experience attending school with boys, and had her master’s degree in philosophy. “The day of my With energy and hope, Claudia says, “I think that
her creative spirit fed by her grandmother’s singing diploma I left on a plane to Europe and I never went Claudia was exposed to the creative arts of theater, kids today are very lucky because there is a big plan
and dancing. back to Mexico.” She began her journey to elevate singing, and dancing through her mother and for the future of the people on the planet, called The
the voices of people, to connect people, and to grandmother. She believes that having a challenge Global Goals. I 100% would say, if you want to take
Recognizing strength, both in herself and others, open doors for marginal society. She has spent or a need brings creativity to life. action, there are 1,000 ways in which you can
was an integral part her growth and development. the last twenty-five years winning the hearts and take action in your day-to-day life. Be conscious;
Two of Claudia’s siblings died as toddlers from minds of people, to effect real transformation. She “I would say that every kid that is in need, that is be human; your actions matter! Talk to your parents,
genetic disorders. “I was under a microscope wants to help people pay attention to things they not granted everything, grows up to be creative. I talk to your teachers, talk to your friends about having
with everyone watching if I was going to make probably don’t see. She is convinced that when remember when I was about seven years old, being a future in a world that can be empowering and
it. Every year people greeted me, telling me how we put ourselves in someone else’s place, real in church with my grandmother. She took me to share reaching for everybody. Dream big! Dream good!
strong I was.” time in the orphanage that was part of the church.
communication can occur and greater kindness It’s possible. Let’s do it!”
towards others will develop.

CLAUDIA ROMO EDELMAN COMMUNICATING UNITY https://icaf.org