Standing On Your Soapbox

Chelsea Handler of Netflix’s Chelsea, the first show to premier in over 190 countries and in 22 languages, opened day one of the Social Good Summit with a signature comedic energy that has earned her massive success in her television career.

 

Seamlessly oscillating between friendly banter with moderator Saba Hamedy, and tossing out the occasional “bless you” to the audience member who dared to interrupt her by sneezing; Chelsea held the audience rapt as she described how her new show has allowed her to, “grow up a little bit more.”

 

“I wanted to do a show where I could bring scientists on, and bring politicians on…and hopefully be able to be informative while being entertaining,” she states.

 

In her show, Chelsea often travels around the world to film certain episodes. When asked what her biggest takeaway from these different cultural experiences was, Chelsea responded by saying, “…the biggest takeaway is how similar we all are, we’re all human beings. Everybody’s got a family that they love. There’s more sameness than there is difference, always.”

 

Chelsea was not afraid to speak her mind about the issues and current events taking place today. She spoke passionately about her involvement with Rock the Vote and how she wants more Americans to take an interest in the upcoming election. The following statement drew roaring applause from the Social Good Summit audience.

 

“I wont shut up about it, I won’t! I don’t care how annoying or loud I am, it’s important to be loud. That’s not an option for this country. I think that if you have a soapbox, stand on it and scream.”

 

This is sage advice. Standing on your soapbox and adding your voice to the important conversations taking place today is imperative in creating the world that many of us hope to see by 2030. Even on the smallest scale, every single action that you can take matters.

 

Here are a few closing quotes from the talk show host:

 

“You know deep down what the right thing to do is and you should do it.”

 

“You’ve got to tap into your inner voice, because what’s the point of being here?”

 

“You should feel strong about your opinion and be informed about your opinion, but also [be willing] to learn and willing to have your opinion changed.”

 

“It’s a waste of time to just be a passerby, that’s no good for anybody. You’re not making an impression and you’re not leaving an impression.”

 

Take it from Chelsea. Don’t just be a passerby; the global community needs your youthful ingenuity and it needs your voice.

 

WATCH Chelsea’s speech here. Register to vote here.

 

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