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- Stories.
2
00:00:09,384 --> 00:00:10,804
- Since the dawn of time,
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00:00:10,844 --> 00:00:13,684
we've relied on stories
to entertain and enlighten.
4
00:00:13,722 --> 00:00:16,062
- Be they talesof adventure, love, loss,
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00:00:16,099 --> 00:00:17,599
or abject stupidity,
6
00:00:17,642 --> 00:00:20,732
these sagas are passed downthrough generations...
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00:00:20,770 --> 00:00:23,570
a grand catalogof our collective experience.
8
00:00:23,606 --> 00:00:25,396
- But what about
those epic stories
9
00:00:25,442 --> 00:00:28,192
only shared among
a small circle of friends?
10
00:00:28,236 --> 00:00:30,316
How do they achieve
the legendary status
11
00:00:30,363 --> 00:00:32,823
they so richly deserve?
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00:00:32,866 --> 00:00:34,576
- By being told here.
13
00:00:34,617 --> 00:00:37,407
- Welcome to the ultimate
chronicle of humanity.
14
00:00:37,454 --> 00:00:41,084
- This is "True Story
with Ed & Randall."
15
00:00:41,124 --> 00:00:43,844
[dramatic music]
16
00:00:43,877 --> 00:00:45,957
Good evening
and welcome to "True Story,"
17
00:00:46,004 --> 00:00:47,634
the show we agreed to host
18
00:00:47,672 --> 00:00:50,302
knowing nothing about the
stories we're about to hear.
19
00:00:50,342 --> 00:00:53,012
- That's right, Ed, we have
been hermetically sealed.
20
00:00:53,053 --> 00:00:55,893
These are all true stories
from real people across America
21
00:00:55,930 --> 00:00:57,970
that we'll be hearing
for the first time.
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And you will too.
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00:00:59,934 --> 00:01:01,524
- We do know one thing though,
24
00:01:01,561 --> 00:01:04,521
and that is the name of the
person sitting across from us.
25
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Hello, Yasmin.
- Hi, thank you so much.
26
00:01:07,484 --> 00:01:10,364
- We are very excited
to hear your story.
27
00:01:10,403 --> 00:01:13,493
Is it a story
that is going to scare us?
28
00:01:13,531 --> 00:01:15,951
- You're going to be scared
of how cool I am.
29
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- Okay.
- Yeah.
30
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- What genre would you
call this story?
31
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- I would call this a--a story
of personal development.
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00:01:23,333 --> 00:01:25,593
- So maybe like
at a video store,
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this would be
in the self-help section.
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00:01:27,045 --> 00:01:28,125
- It's in
the self-help section.
35
00:01:28,171 --> 00:01:31,261
Fo' sho'.
Inspirational, motivational.
36
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- All right.
- Yes.
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- I--I need some of that.
Let's go, let's get into this.
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- So my father's Libyan.
He was in the Gaddafi regime.
39
00:01:39,224 --> 00:01:40,484
Yeah, he was
a cabinet minister.
40
00:01:40,517 --> 00:01:42,267
But he morally abstained
against him
41
00:01:42,310 --> 00:01:44,650
and joined the opposition
movement against him,
42
00:01:44,688 --> 00:01:46,308
and sought asylum in Egypt.
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He moved to Egypt,he met my mom,
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and she was hot,she was super cute.
45
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And they dated for a yeartill they got married.
46
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And then they hadmy brother and me.
47
00:02:01,579 --> 00:02:03,329
- What is your life
like in Egypt?
48
00:02:03,373 --> 00:02:05,543
Are you in--in an apartment?
49
00:02:05,583 --> 00:02:08,673
- Yes, I live in an apartment.
It's--it's a beautiful life.
50
00:02:08,712 --> 00:02:10,382
We have a two-bedroomapartment.
51
00:02:10,422 --> 00:02:11,802
We live in kind of the heart
52
00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,470
of a part of Cairocalled District 7.
53
00:02:14,509 --> 00:02:15,839
It's not like
"The Hunger Games,"
54
00:02:15,885 --> 00:02:16,885
but it sounds like it.
55
00:02:16,928 --> 00:02:18,638
- And at this point
in your life,
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00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:20,060
could you--you're a child.
57
00:02:20,098 --> 00:02:22,598
- I'm a child, yeah.
- Could you feel the tension?
58
00:02:22,642 --> 00:02:24,692
- No, there was no tension.
I thought I was Egyptian.
59
00:02:24,728 --> 00:02:26,478
- Yeah.
- I had no idea I was Libyan.
60
00:02:26,521 --> 00:02:29,611
What happened in 1989
is a pretty seismic event,
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00:02:29,649 --> 00:02:31,029
the Lockerbie bombings.
62
00:02:31,067 --> 00:02:33,027
So there's actually
a book that's written
63
00:02:33,069 --> 00:02:36,029
about the disappearance
of certain Libyans
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00:02:36,072 --> 00:02:38,032
that--from Egypt.
65
00:02:38,074 --> 00:02:41,624
It's that event that actually
led to my father saying, "Okay,
66
00:02:41,661 --> 00:02:44,371
my friend got disappeared.
We have to leave right now."
67
00:02:44,414 --> 00:02:45,714
- Libyans in Egypt--
- Yes.
68
00:02:45,749 --> 00:02:46,999
- At this time
are just disappearing.
69
00:02:47,042 --> 00:02:48,292
- They're disappearing.
70
00:02:48,335 --> 00:02:49,495
- And a friend of
your father's disappeared.
71
00:02:49,544 --> 00:02:50,504
- Correct.
- Wow.
72
00:02:50,545 --> 00:02:51,625
- So--
- Yes.
73
00:02:51,671 --> 00:02:53,881
- So what was 'right now'?
74
00:02:53,923 --> 00:02:55,093
- Right then and there,
my parents told me
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00:02:55,133 --> 00:02:56,263
we're going on "vacation."
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Vacation, here we come.
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00:02:58,845 --> 00:03:01,305
- First, I'm going
to do the Waterslide.
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00:03:01,348 --> 00:03:03,928
Then I'm going to drink
a Shirley Temple.
79
00:03:03,975 --> 00:03:06,435
- My brother,
who is like my best friend,
80
00:03:06,478 --> 00:03:08,188
he's, you know,five years older than me,
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00:03:08,229 --> 00:03:11,359
so, you know,
he was--he was nine.
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So he kind of knewa little bit more
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about what's going on.
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00:03:14,444 --> 00:03:16,244
- I don't think we're going
85
00:03:16,279 --> 00:03:21,029
to Sandals Jamaican
all-inclusive resort after all.
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00:03:21,076 --> 00:03:22,696
- He was helping--
- Yes.
87
00:03:22,744 --> 00:03:24,584
- With this thought that
this is gonna be fun.
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This is a vacation.
- This'll be fun.
89
00:03:25,872 --> 00:03:28,002
We'll be back.
We're not gonna go to school.
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00:03:28,041 --> 00:03:29,631
'Cause we were both
in the same, like, school.
91
00:03:29,668 --> 00:03:30,998
I was in preschool at the time.
92
00:03:31,044 --> 00:03:33,304
And he was--he was like
in elementary school.
93
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We--we went to the same school.
94
00:03:34,589 --> 00:03:35,759
- And there was no question
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00:03:35,799 --> 00:03:38,009
as to why there was
just one briefcase?
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00:03:38,051 --> 00:03:41,221
Why he's probably carrying you,
rushing you out the door?
97
00:03:41,262 --> 00:03:42,432
- Literally.
Literally.
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And we had like two bags,
and we left.
99
00:03:45,225 --> 00:03:46,385
- Wow.
- But the whole time--
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From--from Egypt
to the United States...
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- Yes.
102
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- You're just like looking out
the window of the car,
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like what a fun vacation.
104
00:03:53,483 --> 00:03:54,943
- Yes, like we went to Jordan.
105
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We went to Morocco, andhe would take us to carnivals.
106
00:03:56,486 --> 00:03:57,776
He would take us to fairs.
107
00:03:57,821 --> 00:03:59,911
We went to Saudi Arabia.We went to the U.K.
108
00:03:59,948 --> 00:04:01,488
We were all tryingto seek asylum.
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- This is such a heroic
parental effort, I mean--
110
00:04:05,161 --> 00:04:06,291
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
111
00:04:06,329 --> 00:04:08,959
- For a parent to be
that rattled
112
00:04:08,998 --> 00:04:12,418
and trying to keep security
and safety for their children.
113
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That's...
- Beautiful.
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- That's amazing.
115
00:04:15,380 --> 00:04:17,090
- My parents are both
like my heroes,
116
00:04:17,132 --> 00:04:20,302
and especially, like, my--my
mom, she gave up her family.
117
00:04:20,343 --> 00:04:21,643
She gave up everything.
118
00:04:21,678 --> 00:04:23,428
She gave up the life
that she knew
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00:04:23,471 --> 00:04:25,521
so that she could support
my father.
120
00:04:25,557 --> 00:04:28,477
And my father gave up
the riches, the wealth,
121
00:04:28,518 --> 00:04:31,438
the security, everything,
to do what was right.
122
00:04:31,479 --> 00:04:34,399
And that has been
all the difference in my life.
123
00:04:34,441 --> 00:04:35,651
- Describe your dad.
124
00:04:35,692 --> 00:04:39,492
- Loving, warm.
Extremely spontaneous.
125
00:04:39,529 --> 00:04:40,659
- Extremely spontaneous.
- Sounds like it.
126
00:04:40,697 --> 00:04:44,367
- Okay, so we are moving to--
127
00:04:44,409 --> 00:04:47,249
vacationing in America.
128
00:04:47,287 --> 00:04:49,327
- Major ADHD.
[mouths] Like me.
129
00:04:49,372 --> 00:04:51,372
- Yeah.
- Loyal.
130
00:04:51,416 --> 00:04:53,166
Loyal, loyal, loyal,
loyal to the tee.
131
00:04:53,209 --> 00:04:54,499
- So he's a good guy.
132
00:04:54,544 --> 00:04:56,844
- Super good guy.
Moral, adaptable.
133
00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:58,880
You put him in any situation,
he'll figure it out.
134
00:04:58,923 --> 00:05:00,763
- We need to find
the best place
135
00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:02,970
for an immigrant family to go.
136
00:05:03,011 --> 00:05:05,431
USA, here we come.
137
00:05:06,389 --> 00:05:07,849
- And by this time,
138
00:05:07,891 --> 00:05:09,101
we had beenon the move for five years.
139
00:05:10,935 --> 00:05:12,185
Are we there yet?
140
00:05:12,228 --> 00:05:14,268
- Just a couple more hours.
141
00:05:14,314 --> 00:05:15,864
- [sighs]
- I hope.
142
00:05:15,899 --> 00:05:18,319
- And the whole time still,
what a crazy vacation.
143
00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,570
- Yeah, and I'm like,
"This is a crazy vacation."
144
00:05:20,612 --> 00:05:22,242
- It will be worth it
when we get there.
145
00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:24,370
I've got the perfect spot.
146
00:05:24,407 --> 00:05:27,117
Best place for immigrants
in the U.S.
147
00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:28,370
Huntsville, Alabama.
148
00:05:28,411 --> 00:05:30,501
[light music]
149
00:05:30,538 --> 00:05:31,868
- So you make the move.
150
00:05:31,915 --> 00:05:33,785
- So we make
to Huntsville, Alabama.
151
00:05:33,833 --> 00:05:37,173
Is it like New York?
- Or is it more like Hollywood?
152
00:05:37,212 --> 00:05:40,552
- Yes, like
a very New York-ish Hollywood.
153
00:05:40,590 --> 00:05:42,130
- It's a culture shock.
154
00:05:42,175 --> 00:05:44,925
People looked at me
like I was an alien.
155
00:05:44,969 --> 00:05:47,219
There was no one that was,
like, visibly Muslim.
156
00:05:47,263 --> 00:05:49,893
So I wore a headscarf
when I was eight years old
157
00:05:49,933 --> 00:05:52,063
because I felt like
it was beautiful.
158
00:05:52,102 --> 00:05:54,062
Like, I felt like it was
159
00:05:54,104 --> 00:05:57,024
the way that I wanted
to present myself as a woman.
160
00:05:57,065 --> 00:06:00,025
It was me and then Asmah.
161
00:06:00,068 --> 00:06:02,988
But they called her Asthmain school, yeah.
162
00:06:03,029 --> 00:06:05,069
And then my nameis Yasmin.
163
00:06:05,115 --> 00:06:09,655
Yeah, but they call me Yasma.For like a whole year.
164
00:06:09,703 --> 00:06:11,623
- Just because it sounded
like asthma?
165
00:06:11,663 --> 00:06:13,673
- Yeah, it was, like,
there's Asthma,
166
00:06:13,707 --> 00:06:14,997
and there's her sister Yasma.
167
00:06:15,041 --> 00:06:16,751
We were the only two
in middle school
168
00:06:16,793 --> 00:06:18,713
that wore a headscarf,
or were Muslim for that matter.
169
00:06:18,753 --> 00:06:21,923
- It clearly felt like
you were being bullied.
170
00:06:21,965 --> 00:06:23,545
- And I had, like,
literally two other friends
171
00:06:23,591 --> 00:06:25,471
I talked to
kind of on regular basis.
172
00:06:25,510 --> 00:06:27,100
- Where's your brother
at this point?
173
00:06:27,137 --> 00:06:29,137
- So my brother is just going
into high school at this point.
174
00:06:29,180 --> 00:06:30,770
- Okay.
175
00:06:30,807 --> 00:06:32,177
- And he's having kind of
a brutal time of it.
176
00:06:32,225 --> 00:06:35,345
His name is Hussein,
so he was bullied pretty badly.
177
00:06:35,395 --> 00:06:36,645
"Saddam Hussein"
was still like,
178
00:06:36,688 --> 00:06:39,568
you know, a character
that people made fun of.
179
00:06:39,607 --> 00:06:40,897
- Yeah.
180
00:06:40,942 --> 00:06:44,112
- So my parents,
they would--they made us
181
00:06:44,154 --> 00:06:45,704
watch the USA Network
182
00:06:45,739 --> 00:06:48,659
because they thought it would
get us to be American faster.
183
00:06:49,659 --> 00:06:51,289
- Yasmin, Hussein.
184
00:06:51,327 --> 00:06:52,907
Remember, you have to be you,
185
00:06:52,954 --> 00:06:55,794
but you also have
to learn to be American.
186
00:06:55,832 --> 00:06:59,462
And what better way than USA?
187
00:06:59,502 --> 00:07:03,802
[dramatic music from TV]
188
00:07:03,840 --> 00:07:06,010
- I don't know if you guyswatched it at that time,
189
00:07:06,051 --> 00:07:07,841
but at 7:00 in the morning,every morning,
190
00:07:07,886 --> 00:07:09,426
was WWF wrestling.
191
00:07:09,471 --> 00:07:13,561
announcer: Here comesHulk Hogan and the Macho Man.
192
00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,890
- So those were like my heroes.
193
00:07:15,935 --> 00:07:18,055
You know what I mean,
Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage,
194
00:07:18,104 --> 00:07:19,984
"Hitman" Hart,
even The Undertaker.
195
00:07:20,023 --> 00:07:21,233
He's a little goth,
but you know.
196
00:07:21,274 --> 00:07:22,824
- I mean, this is--
197
00:07:22,859 --> 00:07:25,819
This is a really accurate
introduction to America.
198
00:07:25,862 --> 00:07:27,282
For sure, for sure.
- Yes, I think so.
199
00:07:27,322 --> 00:07:29,322
Well, I really thought
that, like, Americans--
200
00:07:29,366 --> 00:07:31,406
it was, like, perfect.
I'll just connect this way.
201
00:07:31,451 --> 00:07:33,201
Like, I'll just hit someone
with a two-by-four.
202
00:07:33,244 --> 00:07:35,504
Like this is
how friends are made.
203
00:07:35,538 --> 00:07:36,748
- Yeah, are made.
204
00:07:36,790 --> 00:07:38,080
- And then I--I, like,
got to school
205
00:07:38,124 --> 00:07:39,674
and I--there was a girl,
her name was Theresa.
206
00:07:39,709 --> 00:07:41,629
This really happened.
I got on top of the desk.
207
00:07:41,670 --> 00:07:43,710
Friendship!
208
00:07:43,755 --> 00:07:45,965
[distorted
slow motion screaming]
209
00:07:46,007 --> 00:07:47,217
'Cause I thoughtwe could be friends,
210
00:07:47,258 --> 00:07:48,758
I body-slammed Theresato the floor.
211
00:07:48,802 --> 00:07:50,012
- No.- Yes.
212
00:07:50,053 --> 00:07:51,473
- What?- And she was like,
213
00:07:51,513 --> 00:07:53,013
"Why?
Why, Yasmin? Why?"
214
00:07:53,056 --> 00:07:55,426
And I was like, "I don't know.
I can't hear you.
215
00:07:55,475 --> 00:07:57,885
Oh, yeah!"
- "Oh, yeah."
216
00:07:57,936 --> 00:07:58,896
- And I got sent
to the principal's office.
217
00:07:58,937 --> 00:08:00,357
- Sure.
- Yeah.
218
00:08:00,397 --> 00:08:02,727
- Now, I don't know
how they do things over there
219
00:08:02,774 --> 00:08:04,534
where you're from.
220
00:08:04,567 --> 00:08:07,987
But here
in Huntsville, Alabama,
221
00:08:08,029 --> 00:08:10,369
when we wish to make friends
with someone,
222
00:08:10,407 --> 00:08:13,697
we do so by shaking their hand.
223
00:08:13,743 --> 00:08:15,663
- So we don't wrestle as--
224
00:08:15,704 --> 00:08:18,584
- I'm like, "Is that not
how we become friends?"
225
00:08:18,623 --> 00:08:21,043
- We do not wrap our legs
around them.
226
00:08:21,084 --> 00:08:23,504
We do not put them
in a half nelson.
227
00:08:23,545 --> 00:08:25,295
- But on the USA Network,
they--
228
00:08:25,338 --> 00:08:27,798
- I love wrestling
as much as the next person.
229
00:08:27,841 --> 00:08:29,721
It is a known fact,
I would leave my husband
230
00:08:29,759 --> 00:08:31,889
in an instant
for Macho Man Randy Savage.
231
00:08:31,928 --> 00:08:33,928
But I'm worried
the other students
232
00:08:33,972 --> 00:08:38,352
are starting to find it
a little, um...
233
00:08:38,393 --> 00:08:41,443
horrifying.
Okay?
234
00:08:41,479 --> 00:08:44,769
"Is that understood, brother?"
Like Macho Man.
235
00:08:45,608 --> 00:08:47,238
- Yes, Mrs. Principal.
236
00:08:47,277 --> 00:08:51,237
There was this one guy
at school who was a bully.
237
00:08:51,281 --> 00:08:52,821
His name was Ryan.
238
00:08:52,866 --> 00:08:56,116
One day I find out that he said
that I--I was a "rag-head."
239
00:08:56,161 --> 00:08:58,541
He called me a "rag-head."
I didn't even know him.
240
00:08:58,580 --> 00:09:00,210
Like, I didn't understand it,
but there was these two girls
241
00:09:00,248 --> 00:09:02,828
that were kind of
walking towards the lunch room,
242
00:09:02,876 --> 00:09:04,376
and they turned back
and they were like,
243
00:09:04,419 --> 00:09:06,089
"Well, it's just like Ryan
called you a rag-head.
244
00:09:06,129 --> 00:09:08,089
And like, we agree."
I was like,
245
00:09:08,131 --> 00:09:09,921
"Why would Ryan
say that?"
246
00:09:09,966 --> 00:09:13,426
- Because you have a--
- Nope! Nope. No.
247
00:09:13,470 --> 00:09:14,800
I know what he's saying.
248
00:09:14,846 --> 00:09:17,386
I just don't know
why he would say it about me.
249
00:09:17,432 --> 00:09:19,682
I don't even know that dude.
250
00:09:19,726 --> 00:09:21,806
- Beats me,
but don't feel so bad.
251
00:09:21,853 --> 00:09:25,193
'Cause guess what.
He made fun of Carol too.
252
00:09:25,231 --> 00:09:28,321
[punchy music]
253
00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:30,780
- He made fun of Carol?
254
00:09:30,820 --> 00:09:32,910
So Carol was
the only Jewish girl
255
00:09:32,947 --> 00:09:34,317
in our entire middle school,
256
00:09:34,366 --> 00:09:36,156
and she always wore
a Star of David
257
00:09:36,201 --> 00:09:37,871
to represent
that she was Jewish
258
00:09:37,911 --> 00:09:40,121
and in--in pride
of her Jewish heritage.
259
00:09:40,163 --> 00:09:42,043
And he had called her
a racial epithet.
260
00:09:42,082 --> 00:09:44,292
And he'd said,
"Oh, her stupid Star of David."
261
00:09:44,334 --> 00:09:46,964
It was in that moment
that I felt like I actually
262
00:09:47,003 --> 00:09:51,133
could have a voice for myself
because I was so incensed
263
00:09:51,174 --> 00:09:53,724
by the fact that he would go
after this girl.
264
00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:55,050
- After Carol.
- After Carol.
265
00:09:55,095 --> 00:09:57,135
- But he went after you,
but your--your--
266
00:09:57,180 --> 00:09:59,850
what really triggered your rage
was that he went after this--
267
00:09:59,891 --> 00:10:01,391
- Yes.
- This other person.
268
00:10:01,434 --> 00:10:04,484
- Yeah, literally.
I was like, "Not Carol!"
269
00:10:04,521 --> 00:10:06,901
Like I got angry.
- Nobody messes with Carol.
270
00:10:06,940 --> 00:10:08,320
- Nobody messes with Carol.
271
00:10:08,358 --> 00:10:10,568
I was like,
she's so freaking nice.
272
00:10:10,610 --> 00:10:13,320
Like, these people won't stop
until we stop them.
273
00:10:13,363 --> 00:10:15,663
announcer:Ladies and gentlemen,
274
00:10:15,699 --> 00:10:17,829
that was the last straw.
275
00:10:17,867 --> 00:10:21,247
- Nobody...messes with...Carol!
276
00:10:21,287 --> 00:10:24,747
announcer: In this corner,weighing-in at 93 pounds,
277
00:10:24,791 --> 00:10:27,671
the Dixieland Libyan,it's Yasmin.
278
00:10:27,711 --> 00:10:29,631
Bully Ryan is going down.
279
00:10:29,671 --> 00:10:33,761
[dramatic music]
280
00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:35,140
- And no one's seen
this side of you before?
281
00:10:35,176 --> 00:10:36,546
- No one's seen
this side of me.
282
00:10:36,594 --> 00:10:37,724
- Have you seen
this side of you?
283
00:10:37,762 --> 00:10:38,892
- I haven't even seen
this side of me.
284
00:10:38,930 --> 00:10:40,270
- You haven't even seen
this side of you!
285
00:10:40,306 --> 00:10:41,426
- It was like,
all I could hear was
286
00:10:41,474 --> 00:10:42,734
my father's voice, like,
287
00:10:42,767 --> 00:10:44,847
"Be you.
Do what's right.
288
00:10:44,894 --> 00:10:46,774
Be you.
Do what's right."
289
00:10:46,813 --> 00:10:48,153
- "Do what's right."
Like your dad did.
290
00:10:48,189 --> 00:10:49,479
- Like my dad did.
He's always like, "Be you.
291
00:10:49,524 --> 00:10:51,154
"Be unique.Okay, you're different.
292
00:10:51,192 --> 00:10:53,192
"You're unique.Just do it.
293
00:10:53,236 --> 00:10:55,446
Be you."And I'm like...
294
00:10:59,409 --> 00:11:01,749
- So my dad wanted me to really
lean into my uniqueness
295
00:11:01,786 --> 00:11:03,036
and to just do
what was right, always.
296
00:11:03,079 --> 00:11:05,329
- Which is so hard for a kid.
297
00:11:05,373 --> 00:11:06,833
- Yeah.
- Yes.
298
00:11:06,875 --> 00:11:09,705
- Like when you're a kid,
uniqueness is like a liability.
299
00:11:09,753 --> 00:11:11,923
- It's a liability.
both: You just want to fit in.
300
00:11:11,963 --> 00:11:13,513
- You want to be like
everybody else.
301
00:11:13,548 --> 00:11:17,258
- But your dad's message
had sunk in--it was in there.
302
00:11:17,302 --> 00:11:18,892
- I didn't even know
I had this power inside of me.
303
00:11:18,928 --> 00:11:20,388
- Yeah.
- It was like I heard him.
304
00:11:20,430 --> 00:11:21,600
And he was like...
305
00:11:21,639 --> 00:11:24,559
- "You can'tspell unique without you.
306
00:11:24,601 --> 00:11:28,771
"You can't spell 'youare different' without you.
307
00:11:28,813 --> 00:11:31,573
"Be unique. Be different.
308
00:11:31,608 --> 00:11:34,278
"Just be.
309
00:11:34,319 --> 00:11:38,159
Just do it.Okay."
310
00:11:39,616 --> 00:11:40,576
Okay, Yasmin, hey.
311
00:11:40,617 --> 00:11:42,037
Psst!
Just do it.
312
00:11:42,077 --> 00:11:44,077
- And I'm like, that's kind of
a Nike ad, Dad, but okay.
313
00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:47,080
- Yeah.
- That's all right, I got it.
314
00:11:47,123 --> 00:11:49,383
- So this Ryan guy.
- Yeah.
315
00:11:49,417 --> 00:11:52,297
- Does he look like your--
your classic school bully?
316
00:11:52,337 --> 00:11:55,757
- So he's tall
and kind of wiry.
317
00:11:55,799 --> 00:11:58,049
He's imposing, he's mean.
318
00:11:58,093 --> 00:11:59,803
- Uh-huh.
- So he kind of towered
319
00:11:59,844 --> 00:12:01,554
over people,
but he's not a big guy.
320
00:12:01,596 --> 00:12:03,306
I wouldn't say like,
he's like--was so--
321
00:12:03,348 --> 00:12:04,928
- He's not an athlete, but
he hung out with the athletes.
322
00:12:04,974 --> 00:12:05,894
- He hung out
with the athletes.
323
00:12:05,934 --> 00:12:07,064
He's not really an athlete.
324
00:12:07,102 --> 00:12:08,022
He hung out--he hung
out with them.
325
00:12:08,061 --> 00:12:09,271
- Right.
- But he was mean.
326
00:12:09,312 --> 00:12:11,402
So I go up there
to the lunchroom.
327
00:12:11,439 --> 00:12:14,979
And he's sitting there,
and I take my tray, and I go--
328
00:12:15,026 --> 00:12:17,236
And the whole lunchroom
goes, "Ooh."
329
00:12:17,278 --> 00:12:18,108
- Ooh.
330
00:12:18,154 --> 00:12:21,164
[food splashes]
all: Ooh.
331
00:12:21,199 --> 00:12:25,409
- Oh, yeah, Ryan, brother--
you're not my brother-brother.
332
00:12:25,453 --> 00:12:28,293
Hussein's my brother.
But that's besides the point.
333
00:12:28,331 --> 00:12:31,671
My point is I heard that you've
been yapping your yapper.
334
00:12:31,710 --> 00:12:33,250
Well, guess what?
335
00:12:33,294 --> 00:12:36,094
I've got one of those too,
and what are you going to do
336
00:12:36,131 --> 00:12:38,761
now that the Yas
is coming for you?
337
00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:42,430
And his jaw starts kind of
coming a little loose.
338
00:12:42,470 --> 00:12:43,890
He's like--
- It's that little jiggle?
339
00:12:43,930 --> 00:12:45,640
- Oh, he's--he's shook.
- He started going--like this.
340
00:12:45,682 --> 00:12:47,352
- Yeah, yeah.
And I was like, shut up, Ryan!
341
00:12:47,392 --> 00:12:49,982
Keep those lips zipped,
brochacho,
342
00:12:50,020 --> 00:12:53,150
and take a good look
into these eyes, brother,
343
00:12:53,189 --> 00:12:55,729
because if I ever,
and I mean--
344
00:12:55,775 --> 00:12:58,065
all: Ever!
Ever!
345
00:12:58,111 --> 00:13:00,491
- Hear you disrespected
me, Carol,
346
00:13:00,530 --> 00:13:03,280
or any other rootin'-tootin'
gal in this school,
347
00:13:03,324 --> 00:13:06,494
you're going to have
to answer to this face.
348
00:13:06,536 --> 00:13:09,786
The face of the Yas
coming for your ass!
349
00:13:09,831 --> 00:13:12,291
all: Ooh!
- Ooh.
350
00:13:12,334 --> 00:13:14,004
- It's like,
"We treat you with respect.
351
00:13:14,044 --> 00:13:17,174
That's exactly what we deserve,
and expect in return, got it?"
352
00:13:17,213 --> 00:13:19,133
He starts crying,
and everyone goes--
353
00:13:19,174 --> 00:13:23,684
- He starts crying?
- And everyone, "Ooh."
354
00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:25,510
And I take a napkin,
I throw it in his face
355
00:13:25,555 --> 00:13:27,675
and I was like, "Clean yourself
off--you're embarrassing."
356
00:13:27,724 --> 00:13:29,984
- Oh, that's a badass.
- Wait, what a tag.
357
00:13:30,018 --> 00:13:34,978
all: [chanting] Yas! Yas! Yas!
Yas! Yas! Yas! Yas! Yas! Yas!
358
00:13:35,023 --> 00:13:37,983
Yas! Yas! Yas! Yas!
Yas! Yas! Yas!
359
00:13:38,026 --> 00:13:39,186
[wrestling bell chimes]
360
00:13:39,235 --> 00:13:41,235
- And then they were like,
"Oh, my God,
361
00:13:41,279 --> 00:13:42,779
"have you met
this new girl, Yasmin?
362
00:13:42,822 --> 00:13:45,162
There's a new girl, Yasmin."
I'm like, it's just--it's me.
363
00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:46,740
I've been here.
364
00:13:46,785 --> 00:13:48,195
- I've been here
the entire time.
365
00:13:48,244 --> 00:13:49,874
- Same Yasmin.
I've been here the entire time.
366
00:13:49,913 --> 00:13:51,663
Yeah, so I got my respect.
367
00:13:51,706 --> 00:13:53,036
I was like, put some respect
on my name!
368
00:13:53,083 --> 00:13:54,423
- Yeah!
- It's Yasmin.
369
00:13:54,459 --> 00:13:57,419
- And then from there on,
you were--you were Yasmin?
370
00:13:57,462 --> 00:14:00,302
- So I felt strong like in my
middle school, after that time.
371
00:14:00,340 --> 00:14:02,430
But then we went
to high school, and I kind of--
372
00:14:02,467 --> 00:14:04,217
it felt like going backdown to the rung again
373
00:14:04,260 --> 00:14:06,180
because there wasover 3,300 students
374
00:14:06,221 --> 00:14:08,351
and I start getting bullied
from day one.
375
00:14:08,390 --> 00:14:09,560
- Even the middle schoolers
who had...
376
00:14:09,599 --> 00:14:11,229
- Yes.
377
00:14:11,267 --> 00:14:12,387
- You know,
learned to respect you
378
00:14:12,435 --> 00:14:13,725
were suddenly
turning on you.
379
00:14:13,770 --> 00:14:16,560
- It was like literally
starting from ground up.
380
00:14:16,606 --> 00:14:20,276
I was super smart.
So I was like, geeky and weird.
381
00:14:20,318 --> 00:14:21,568
- What was your style
at this time?
382
00:14:21,611 --> 00:14:22,781
What did--what did you--
383
00:14:22,821 --> 00:14:24,241
- Oh man, I was wearing, like,
384
00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,950
jeans and, like, an oversized
T-shirt every single day.
385
00:14:26,991 --> 00:14:28,991
I was so focused
on getting out of Alabama.
386
00:14:29,035 --> 00:14:31,325
- Like a XXXL T-shirt.
- XXXL T-shirt.
387
00:14:31,371 --> 00:14:32,751
But then September 11th
happened,
388
00:14:32,789 --> 00:14:35,079
and when September 11th
happened, I was 15.
389
00:14:35,125 --> 00:14:36,415
So I was a junior
in high school.
390
00:14:36,459 --> 00:14:39,049
And in that moment,
I couldn't hide anymore.
391
00:14:39,087 --> 00:14:40,707
- Yeah.
- Part of wearing that big
392
00:14:40,755 --> 00:14:42,665
oversized T-shirt
and the jeans is to just...
393
00:14:42,716 --> 00:14:45,256
- Hide.
- Hide so I could be focused.
394
00:14:45,301 --> 00:14:48,141
But I realized
that there was no hiding.
395
00:14:48,179 --> 00:14:51,559
And I had to prove that I was
396
00:14:51,599 --> 00:14:54,439
American, loyal, worthy.
397
00:14:54,477 --> 00:14:56,267
- But you shouldn't
have to prove.
398
00:14:56,312 --> 00:14:57,442
- But that's the reality.
399
00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,520
I think when
you're a minority...
400
00:14:59,566 --> 00:15:00,566
- Of course.
401
00:15:00,608 --> 00:15:02,358
- And you live
in a--in a situation
402
00:15:02,402 --> 00:15:05,362
that people that represent you
did something terrible
403
00:15:05,405 --> 00:15:06,945
and you now,
you have to pay for that.
404
00:15:06,990 --> 00:15:08,120
- Right.
405
00:15:08,158 --> 00:15:09,408
- And when I got home,
my parents,
406
00:15:09,451 --> 00:15:12,581
they were feeling
intense sadness and guilt.
407
00:15:14,831 --> 00:15:16,961
Hey, Mom.
- Hey, there.
408
00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:18,880
[somber music]
409
00:15:18,918 --> 00:15:20,798
- You look intensely sad.
410
00:15:21,504 --> 00:15:23,634
- Well, today's been
a very sad day.
411
00:15:23,673 --> 00:15:25,883
- And it must be a very,
very hard time for you
412
00:15:25,925 --> 00:15:28,675
and Hussein too.
413
00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,810
- I'm fine.
- [sighs]
414
00:15:31,848 --> 00:15:34,388
Yasmin, uh...
415
00:15:35,643 --> 00:15:40,113
God is vast.
God is merciful, okay?
416
00:15:40,148 --> 00:15:42,398
You know how
I always say just do it?
417
00:15:44,235 --> 00:15:48,025
Well, now the "it"
is your headscarf...
418
00:15:49,657 --> 00:15:52,617
And the "just do"
419
00:15:52,660 --> 00:15:54,250
is take it off.
420
00:15:55,872 --> 00:15:58,712
I'm sorry.
421
00:16:00,210 --> 00:16:01,540
- And in this moment,
I couldn't believe it.
422
00:16:01,586 --> 00:16:03,456
It was weird to see
my dad like this.
423
00:16:03,505 --> 00:16:07,505
'Cause my dad was the most like
moral, straightforward,
424
00:16:07,550 --> 00:16:10,510
caring, but also spiritually
connected person I knew.
425
00:16:10,553 --> 00:16:12,353
Like I remember I would call
him sometimes like, "Hey, Dad."
426
00:16:12,389 --> 00:16:13,849
He would just be like,
"The cosmos."
427
00:16:13,890 --> 00:16:15,230
And he would hang up the phone
in my face would be like--
428
00:16:15,266 --> 00:16:16,686
He was like spiritual.
429
00:16:16,726 --> 00:16:18,476
It'd be like,
"Hey, Dad, how's it going?"
430
00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:20,520
He'd be like, "Know your place
in the universe."
431
00:16:20,563 --> 00:16:22,983
You know, even when I got
a scholarship, I was like,
432
00:16:23,024 --> 00:16:24,824
"Hey, Dad, I got a scholarship,
like, to cover my books."
433
00:16:24,859 --> 00:16:27,149
He'd be like, "Oh, you're
so great; God is greater."
434
00:16:27,195 --> 00:16:29,485
- That's kind of
a mystical move.
435
00:16:29,531 --> 00:16:30,821
- Yes.
- Just--it gets you thinking.
436
00:16:30,865 --> 00:16:33,365
- Yes.
- You can't even ask questions.
437
00:16:33,410 --> 00:16:35,410
- They're spiritual phone byes
is what I call them.
438
00:16:35,453 --> 00:16:37,583
- They're just little pearls
of spiritualism dropped in.
439
00:16:37,622 --> 00:16:38,832
- Yes.
440
00:16:38,873 --> 00:16:41,043
- I'd imagine it's tough
for the entire family,
441
00:16:41,084 --> 00:16:44,254
tough for everyone, butto be a kid in high school...
442
00:16:44,295 --> 00:16:45,955
- Yeah.- I mean, they were--
443
00:16:46,006 --> 00:16:47,626
they were very aware
444
00:16:47,674 --> 00:16:51,394
that you were definitely
gonna have it really bad.
445
00:16:51,428 --> 00:16:53,558
- Yes, I was like, "Dad,
446
00:16:53,596 --> 00:16:56,306
"I don't know--I don't know
who's going to speak
447
00:16:56,349 --> 00:16:58,099
for Muslim women if I don't
speak for Muslim women."
448
00:16:58,143 --> 00:16:59,813
- Wow.
- Like what's on TV?
449
00:16:59,853 --> 00:17:01,063
Blue and black blobs?
450
00:17:01,104 --> 00:17:02,944
Like we have no representation
of Muslim women.
451
00:17:02,981 --> 00:17:05,401
Like if I don't speak up,
who will?
452
00:17:05,442 --> 00:17:08,902
Who will take my voice?
He was like really quick.
453
00:17:08,945 --> 00:17:10,445
He kind like looked off
into the distance.
454
00:17:10,488 --> 00:17:12,818
He was like, "Oh, I knew
you were my daughter."
455
00:17:12,866 --> 00:17:15,906
[laughter]
456
00:17:15,952 --> 00:17:18,832
And then he was like--
- You will run for president.
457
00:17:20,582 --> 00:17:23,632
- Me?
Or Hussein?
458
00:17:27,297 --> 00:17:29,837
- Definitely not Hussein.
You.
459
00:17:29,883 --> 00:17:34,353
You, my daughter,
will run for president. Ha.
460
00:17:34,387 --> 00:17:37,307
[heroic fanfare]
461
00:17:37,349 --> 00:17:41,479
* *
462
00:17:41,519 --> 00:17:43,019
- I was like, "Dad,
I was born in Cairo."
463
00:17:43,063 --> 00:17:45,273
There's a constitution.
That's not going to work.
464
00:17:45,315 --> 00:17:47,225
I can't run for president.
465
00:17:48,985 --> 00:17:51,945
[heroic fanfare]
466
00:17:51,988 --> 00:17:56,238
* *
467
00:17:56,284 --> 00:17:58,414
- Then you will run
for president
468
00:17:58,453 --> 00:18:01,623
of your class.
Yes?
469
00:18:01,664 --> 00:18:02,924
- I couldn't be like, "No, Dad,
I'm not doing that."
470
00:18:02,957 --> 00:18:05,457
I was like, "Yeah, Dad.
Rise to the occasion.
471
00:18:05,502 --> 00:18:07,802
Here we go.
Let's do this."
472
00:18:07,837 --> 00:18:10,587
- So he went from
"You don't have to wear..."
473
00:18:10,632 --> 00:18:11,932
- Right.
- "Your headscarf."
474
00:18:11,966 --> 00:18:12,966
- Yes.
- To--
475
00:18:13,009 --> 00:18:14,219
- To seeing me strong.
476
00:18:14,260 --> 00:18:16,010
- To seeing you
and all your power,
477
00:18:16,054 --> 00:18:17,434
and then suddenly being like,
478
00:18:17,472 --> 00:18:20,432
"Oh, yes,
you will be president."
479
00:18:20,475 --> 00:18:22,055
- Yes.
Of your class.
480
00:18:22,102 --> 00:18:24,522
- But at this time
when you don't have the votes.
481
00:18:24,562 --> 00:18:26,402
- No, I don't have the votes,
Randall.
482
00:18:26,439 --> 00:18:28,729
I'm the only Muslim.
I'm the only Muslim.
483
00:18:28,775 --> 00:18:30,025
I'm the only one
who wears a headscarf
484
00:18:30,068 --> 00:18:32,028
in a sea
of over 3,300 students.
485
00:18:32,070 --> 00:18:34,160
It was like, it's time to--
it's time to stand
486
00:18:34,197 --> 00:18:35,817
on your own two feet, Yasmin.
487
00:18:35,865 --> 00:18:37,485
It's like
it's time to put all of that
488
00:18:37,534 --> 00:18:39,334
into practice, into action.
489
00:18:39,369 --> 00:18:41,329
- Which is--which is
a huge risk at this time.
490
00:18:41,371 --> 00:18:42,661
- Huge risk.
- Yeah.
491
00:18:42,706 --> 00:18:44,076
- And so I, like,
go over to this other room.
492
00:18:44,124 --> 00:18:46,004
My brother's just like looking
at me in the other room,
493
00:18:46,042 --> 00:18:47,502
Hussein,
And he's like--
494
00:18:47,544 --> 00:18:50,134
- Dad told me you promised
to run for class president?
495
00:18:50,171 --> 00:18:52,801
I know you're smart and all,
but that's pretty stupid.
496
00:18:52,841 --> 00:18:54,341
- I know, I know.
497
00:18:54,384 --> 00:18:56,264
Okay, I don't know
what I'm going to do.
498
00:18:56,302 --> 00:18:58,512
I need you to help me.
499
00:18:58,555 --> 00:19:00,715
- This seems like
a Yasmin problem.
500
00:19:00,765 --> 00:19:03,975
- Please.
Please, just come on.
501
00:19:04,019 --> 00:19:05,729
- It's going to be ugly.
502
00:19:05,770 --> 00:19:07,440
- I'm like, "Come on, man.
I need your help."
503
00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,360
He's like, "Okay, well,
who--who's your opponent?
504
00:19:09,399 --> 00:19:10,359
Do you know anyone
who's running?"
505
00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:11,860
I'm like,
"Yeah, there's one guy
506
00:19:11,901 --> 00:19:14,111
"who's announced, since August,
that he was going to be
507
00:19:14,154 --> 00:19:15,164
"the senior class president,
508
00:19:15,196 --> 00:19:16,696
and his name was Mike Green."
509
00:19:16,740 --> 00:19:18,580
So Mike Greenwas a triple threat.
510
00:19:18,616 --> 00:19:20,826
He played football,basketball.
511
00:19:20,869 --> 00:19:21,999
He ran track.
512
00:19:22,037 --> 00:19:24,457
He was 6'2".He had aced the ACTs.
513
00:19:24,497 --> 00:19:25,957
He already got early decisioninto Duke,
514
00:19:25,999 --> 00:19:28,379
to be likea scholar-athlete, pre-med.
515
00:19:28,418 --> 00:19:29,668
- Outta my way, wimps.
516
00:19:29,711 --> 00:19:31,631
Whoever makes eye contact
gets punched.
517
00:19:31,671 --> 00:19:34,221
- He was mean.People were scared of him.
518
00:19:34,257 --> 00:19:36,887
Every girl wanted to date him.Every guy wanted to be him.
519
00:19:36,926 --> 00:19:38,596
That was Mike Green.And he was like,
520
00:19:38,636 --> 00:19:40,556
"I'm going to bestudent class president, guys.
521
00:19:40,597 --> 00:19:41,847
"I just want you guys to know
522
00:19:41,890 --> 00:19:43,430
I'm going to throwthe best prom."
523
00:19:43,475 --> 00:19:45,935
He was like making all these,like, promises to people.
524
00:19:45,977 --> 00:19:50,727
He is the quintessential
American hero from high school.
525
00:19:50,774 --> 00:19:53,404
- He sounds like--like
high school royalty.
526
00:19:53,443 --> 00:19:54,863
- Yes, he was diabolical.
527
00:19:54,903 --> 00:19:56,913
He just announced
that he's going to be president
528
00:19:56,946 --> 00:19:58,446
before anyone even voted.
529
00:19:58,490 --> 00:20:01,240
- Sounds like a good ol' boy.
He's everything you're not.
530
00:20:01,284 --> 00:20:02,994
- Yeah.
Yeah, thank you.
531
00:20:03,036 --> 00:20:04,906
- Listen, you've got
to do the thing
532
00:20:04,954 --> 00:20:08,584
no one else in school can do,
something that sets you apart.
533
00:20:08,625 --> 00:20:10,335
- Right, okay.
Like, wear a headscarf.
534
00:20:10,377 --> 00:20:11,747
Yes.
Check.
535
00:20:11,795 --> 00:20:13,915
- No, you're gonna rap
your election speech.
536
00:20:13,963 --> 00:20:15,263
- You're going
to rap your election speech?
537
00:20:15,298 --> 00:20:16,418
- What?
538
00:20:16,466 --> 00:20:17,756
- That's what you're
going to do.
539
00:20:17,801 --> 00:20:19,761
- What?
- We do it all the time.
540
00:20:19,803 --> 00:20:21,263
- Yeah, no.
We do it in private
541
00:20:21,304 --> 00:20:23,264
where we make up these silly
little raps for each other.
542
00:20:23,306 --> 00:20:26,426
I can't rap battle Mike Green
in front of the entire school.
543
00:20:26,476 --> 00:20:27,886
- Who said anything
about battle?
544
00:20:27,936 --> 00:20:29,936
He's not gonna know
that you're doing this.
545
00:20:29,979 --> 00:20:31,819
You're just going to be
dissing him one way.
546
00:20:31,856 --> 00:20:33,776
You'll be the only one
waging war.
547
00:20:33,817 --> 00:20:35,277
- And I'm like, I don't think
we should be
548
00:20:35,318 --> 00:20:39,028
talking about waging war right
now, Hussein, but okay.
549
00:20:39,072 --> 00:20:42,202
I employed the help
of a young man named Mark,
550
00:20:42,242 --> 00:20:45,042
who I was tutoring,
who was best friends with Mike.
551
00:20:45,078 --> 00:20:47,408
both: Oh!
- To cut the music, to do this.
552
00:20:47,455 --> 00:20:48,785
He mixed the music.
553
00:20:48,832 --> 00:20:50,332
He was like a Napster guy.So he was like--
554
00:20:50,375 --> 00:20:53,375
- I got you, girl.
I hook my tutors up.
555
00:20:53,420 --> 00:20:55,550
We'll mix this up in a jiffy.
Watch this.
556
00:20:57,757 --> 00:20:59,797
- How quick is a jiffy?
[dial-up tone whirring]
557
00:20:59,843 --> 00:21:01,643
- Uh, we may have to
leave it on overnight.
558
00:21:04,848 --> 00:21:08,098
And if Mike Green asks,
I was never here, girl.
559
00:21:12,063 --> 00:21:13,653
- Where's your head at?
560
00:21:13,690 --> 00:21:16,030
Are you feeling really--is this
something that takes a lot of,
561
00:21:16,067 --> 00:21:18,697
like, a lot of courage
to muster up,
562
00:21:18,737 --> 00:21:20,987
or are you just kinda like,
yeah, I'm doing this?
563
00:21:21,031 --> 00:21:23,911
- No, no, no, no, no.
I am sweating out of my mind.
564
00:21:23,950 --> 00:21:25,330
- Yeah.
565
00:21:25,368 --> 00:21:28,708
- All I'm doing is thinking
about messing up on stage
566
00:21:28,747 --> 00:21:30,417
in front of thousands of kids.
567
00:21:30,457 --> 00:21:32,377
All I can think about
568
00:21:32,417 --> 00:21:36,667
is ruining any semblance
of respect I had.
569
00:21:36,713 --> 00:21:38,513
I thought about
also like--I'm kind of
570
00:21:38,548 --> 00:21:40,508
like "representing"
something bigger than me,
571
00:21:40,550 --> 00:21:41,970
so I really gotta get
this right.
572
00:21:45,889 --> 00:21:46,969
- So, where are you
in the process now?
573
00:21:47,015 --> 00:21:48,265
You--you're working
on the speech.
574
00:21:48,308 --> 00:21:50,768
Is there campaigning happening?
- Yes, there is.
575
00:21:50,810 --> 00:21:53,020
So I really try to lean in
to me being different.
576
00:21:53,063 --> 00:21:56,113
So I start putting up slogans,
like, you know,
577
00:21:56,149 --> 00:21:58,819
like "Rising Muslim Star,"
like very clear.
578
00:21:58,860 --> 00:22:00,900
Like I am a rising Muslim star.
579
00:22:00,945 --> 00:22:02,155
- Right.
580
00:22:02,197 --> 00:22:04,317
- You know, vote for me.
My name was El Hottie.
581
00:22:04,366 --> 00:22:05,656
Yasmin Elhady is my name.
582
00:22:05,700 --> 00:22:07,370
So they call me El Hottie.
583
00:22:07,410 --> 00:22:10,160
Like H-O-T-T-I-E.
- Yeah.
584
00:22:10,205 --> 00:22:12,865
- Yeah, so I made like, "Votefor El Hottie," you know.
585
00:22:12,916 --> 00:22:15,786
And then I'd havelike flames and stuff.
586
00:22:15,835 --> 00:22:17,875
Like she's lit.She's on fire.
587
00:22:17,921 --> 00:22:22,011
I also really thought very
carefully about the slogans
588
00:22:22,050 --> 00:22:26,010
because I wanted to approach
the single-most powerful
589
00:22:26,054 --> 00:22:29,644
voting bloc at our school--
the cheerleaders.
590
00:22:29,683 --> 00:22:31,523
- A lot of influence there too.
- Yeah.
591
00:22:31,559 --> 00:22:33,139
- Hugely influential.
592
00:22:33,186 --> 00:22:35,976
- So did you have any ins
with the cheerleaders before
593
00:22:36,022 --> 00:22:37,482
or were they just--
- Funny, you should ask.
594
00:22:37,524 --> 00:22:40,614
So one of the cheerleader's
boyfriends in middle school
595
00:22:40,652 --> 00:22:43,612
decided to pinch
my butt in class,
596
00:22:43,655 --> 00:22:46,445
and I slapped him super hard.
597
00:22:46,491 --> 00:22:48,201
And he couldn't believe
that I did that.
598
00:22:48,243 --> 00:22:49,993
And I was like, "Don't you ever
touch a woman like that.
599
00:22:50,036 --> 00:22:52,706
And I'm sure your girlfriend
wouldn't like that very much."
600
00:22:52,747 --> 00:22:54,917
- Just so happened,
she was a cheerleader.
601
00:22:54,958 --> 00:22:58,748
So she had always remembered
that I stood up for women.
602
00:22:58,795 --> 00:23:01,045
- Yeah!
- And that I stood up for her.
603
00:23:01,089 --> 00:23:02,839
So she had remembered that.
Okay.
604
00:23:02,882 --> 00:23:04,972
So I went to the cheerleaders
where they practiced.
605
00:23:06,803 --> 00:23:10,103
Hey guys, you know me, I'm
running for class president.
606
00:23:10,140 --> 00:23:12,270
- Oh, yeah, we heard.
Good luck.
607
00:23:12,308 --> 00:23:15,348
It's going to be, like, really
hard to win against Mike Green.
608
00:23:15,395 --> 00:23:16,765
- "We all have crushes
on Mike."
609
00:23:16,813 --> 00:23:18,363
- Literally, they were like,
"We all kind of want
610
00:23:18,398 --> 00:23:20,648
to date him because, you know,
he's cute or whatever."
611
00:23:20,692 --> 00:23:23,072
Okay, listen, let's talk.
612
00:23:23,111 --> 00:23:25,571
Mike Green's going to be busy
with sports, track,
613
00:23:25,613 --> 00:23:26,783
probably dating you guys.
614
00:23:26,823 --> 00:23:27,913
I will be your friend.
615
00:23:27,949 --> 00:23:30,039
I will be here
to listen to you,
616
00:23:30,076 --> 00:23:31,696
woman to woman.
Isn't that better?
617
00:23:31,745 --> 00:23:34,035
- Women supporting women?
618
00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,080
Oh, I am here for this.
What can we do?
619
00:23:37,125 --> 00:23:38,205
- How about this?
620
00:23:38,251 --> 00:23:40,251
What if you guys
tried being me for a day?
621
00:23:40,295 --> 00:23:42,205
They were like,
"Oh, like real smart and weird.
622
00:23:42,255 --> 00:23:43,585
Like a weirdo?"
623
00:23:43,631 --> 00:23:46,051
- You mean like a
Freaky Friday situation? Sure.
624
00:23:46,092 --> 00:23:47,262
- Yeah. No.
625
00:23:47,302 --> 00:23:48,972
I was thinking more so
wouldn't it be cool
626
00:23:49,012 --> 00:23:51,512
if you guys wore a headscarf
to school like me?
627
00:23:51,556 --> 00:23:54,926
They were like,
"Huh. Look like you?
628
00:23:54,976 --> 00:23:56,596
"Like all like wrapped up
like in a bow,
629
00:23:56,644 --> 00:23:57,814
like a little present?"
630
00:23:57,854 --> 00:23:59,984
Like, yeah.
Like a little present.
631
00:24:00,023 --> 00:24:02,733
Wouldn't that be--wouldn't
that be weird,
632
00:24:02,776 --> 00:24:04,526
but also really cool
and different?
633
00:24:04,569 --> 00:24:06,819
- Can we wear, like,
colorful ones?
634
00:24:06,863 --> 00:24:08,033
- Yeah, any color you want.
635
00:24:08,073 --> 00:24:09,533
- What about purple?
- Oh, 100%.
636
00:24:09,574 --> 00:24:11,704
That is so your color.
- Okay, we're in.
637
00:24:13,536 --> 00:24:15,076
Back to practice, ladies.
638
00:24:16,373 --> 00:24:18,833
- You're a genius.
- Thank you, thank you so much.
639
00:24:18,875 --> 00:24:20,915
- This is a genius move.
- Thank you, thank you.
640
00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:23,420
So I put slogans
on the back of the headscarves.
641
00:24:23,463 --> 00:24:25,133
It's like, "Can't scarf this."
642
00:24:25,173 --> 00:24:27,343
"Scarf it down."
"Scarf girl to the rescue."
643
00:24:27,384 --> 00:24:29,804
"It's getting hot in here,so put on a scarf."
644
00:24:29,844 --> 00:24:31,144
You know what I mean?
645
00:24:31,179 --> 00:24:34,139
[upbeat music]
646
00:24:34,182 --> 00:24:40,402
* *
647
00:24:40,438 --> 00:24:43,268
So this was a really importantcampaign move on my part.
648
00:24:43,316 --> 00:24:45,646
- How is Mike Green
campaigning at this point?
649
00:24:45,694 --> 00:24:47,114
- He had like posters up.
650
00:24:47,153 --> 00:24:49,533
It was like
"Mike Green for president.
651
00:24:49,572 --> 00:24:50,912
"I'll--I'll serve you.
652
00:24:50,949 --> 00:24:52,989
Mike Green for president.
You know me."
653
00:24:53,034 --> 00:24:54,414
- "Mike Green for president,idiots."
654
00:24:54,452 --> 00:24:57,082
- Yeah, "Mike Greenfor president, duh."
655
00:24:57,122 --> 00:24:58,422
- Yeah.- Yeah, yeah.
656
00:24:58,456 --> 00:24:59,996
[laughter]
657
00:25:01,584 --> 00:25:02,964
- What happens
when you and Mike, like,
658
00:25:03,003 --> 00:25:04,343
pass each other in the hall?
659
00:25:04,379 --> 00:25:06,299
- What's the vibe?
- It's a little tense.
660
00:25:06,339 --> 00:25:07,549
It's a little tense.
661
00:25:07,590 --> 00:25:09,550
- You're going down.
662
00:25:09,592 --> 00:25:13,142
[spaghetti Western music]
663
00:25:13,179 --> 00:25:14,509
- I will bury you.
664
00:25:14,556 --> 00:25:17,346
* *
665
00:25:17,392 --> 00:25:19,272
No one on the teams
would even talk to me.
666
00:25:19,310 --> 00:25:20,690
Like, no jocks.
667
00:25:20,729 --> 00:25:22,809
Like, nobody on any of
the athletic teams would even,
668
00:25:22,856 --> 00:25:24,476
like, make eye contact with me.
669
00:25:24,524 --> 00:25:27,694
- So all of the tension
from the 9/11 aftermath--
670
00:25:27,736 --> 00:25:28,896
- Yeah.
671
00:25:28,945 --> 00:25:30,695
- How is that feeling
at this time?
672
00:25:30,739 --> 00:25:34,079
- There was a couple students
who did tear down my posters,
673
00:25:34,117 --> 00:25:36,577
especially the ones about
like "Rising Muslim Star."
674
00:25:36,619 --> 00:25:37,749
- Yeah.
675
00:25:37,787 --> 00:25:39,907
- And I had a conversation
with them.
676
00:25:39,956 --> 00:25:41,166
And I just said, "Look, like,
677
00:25:41,207 --> 00:25:42,827
"you can disagree
with me all you want,
678
00:25:42,876 --> 00:25:43,916
but you--you can't
tear down my posters."
679
00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:45,210
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
680
00:25:45,253 --> 00:25:46,763
- He's like,
"Well, I just think like,
681
00:25:46,796 --> 00:25:48,166
"why are you like
being all Muslim about it?
682
00:25:48,214 --> 00:25:50,014
Like don't you know
what just happened?"
683
00:25:50,050 --> 00:25:52,550
I'm like, "What just happened
has nothing to do with me.
684
00:25:52,594 --> 00:25:53,764
"It just doesn't.
685
00:25:53,803 --> 00:25:56,723
"And me being Muslim
is my identity,
686
00:25:56,765 --> 00:25:58,095
"and I'm proud of my identity,
687
00:25:58,141 --> 00:26:01,101
and it defines
the good stuff about me."
688
00:26:01,144 --> 00:26:02,564
- You were dealing with it.
- I was dealing with it.
689
00:26:02,604 --> 00:26:04,314
- Face-to-face.
both: Head on.
690
00:26:04,356 --> 00:26:05,646
- Head on.
Yeah.
691
00:26:05,690 --> 00:26:07,070
So I've been--
I had been practicing,
692
00:26:07,108 --> 00:26:08,938
so I felt really confident.
693
00:26:08,985 --> 00:26:12,695
- Today's the day?
- Today is the day.
694
00:26:12,739 --> 00:26:16,119
- Kick Mike Green's ass.
Ha!
695
00:26:16,159 --> 00:26:18,869
- So you give your speeches
on the day of the election.
696
00:26:18,912 --> 00:26:20,082
- We give our speeches
on the day of the election,
697
00:26:20,121 --> 00:26:21,291
and we find out the results
the next day.
698
00:26:21,331 --> 00:26:23,421
- Right, so this--
this speech is crucial.
699
00:26:23,458 --> 00:26:25,208
- Speech is really crucial.
It's a Tuesday.
700
00:26:25,251 --> 00:26:26,921
But Monday is the day
that all the cheerleaders
701
00:26:26,961 --> 00:26:28,631
came in--in the headscarves.
- Yes. Yes. Yeah.
702
00:26:28,672 --> 00:26:30,052
- Wow.
- I'm stunting.
703
00:26:30,090 --> 00:26:31,550
Feeling myself a little bit.
You know what I'm saying?
704
00:26:31,591 --> 00:26:33,761
- Yeah, yeah, your
polling numbers are rising.
705
00:26:33,802 --> 00:26:35,142
- I feel like it was--
I was like,
706
00:26:35,178 --> 00:26:38,178
"Now this is
a political maneuvering."
707
00:26:38,223 --> 00:26:39,973
But I also knew that I had
to get through the speech.
708
00:26:40,016 --> 00:26:41,136
- This is what it all
comes down to.
709
00:26:41,184 --> 00:26:42,444
- I got two minutes.
It's Tuesday.
710
00:26:42,477 --> 00:26:43,647
I got two minutes
in front of thousands of kids.
711
00:26:43,687 --> 00:26:44,807
I can't mess this up.
712
00:26:48,358 --> 00:26:51,648
- Are you as nervous
as I am right now?
713
00:26:51,695 --> 00:26:52,735
- Oh, my God.
Well, let me tell you.
714
00:26:52,779 --> 00:26:54,239
I wore like a shirt dress
715
00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,070
because I wanted to look
like a mogul, you know?
716
00:26:56,116 --> 00:26:58,156
But I had sweatedstraight through it.
717
00:27:00,662 --> 00:27:03,622
[intense music]
718
00:27:03,665 --> 00:27:10,295
* *
719
00:27:10,338 --> 00:27:13,338
- You're just dripping--
just drenched.
720
00:27:13,383 --> 00:27:14,723
- Yeah,
and Mike Green looks at me.
721
00:27:14,759 --> 00:27:17,009
And he's like, "Good luck."
- Describe the assembly.
722
00:27:17,053 --> 00:27:18,303
- It's a big auditorium.
723
00:27:18,346 --> 00:27:20,016
And we have a stage,
a wooden stage.
724
00:27:20,056 --> 00:27:23,596
And the auditorium
sat probably...
725
00:27:23,643 --> 00:27:24,773
I want to say like a thousand--
726
00:27:24,811 --> 00:27:26,061
- Packed.
- Packed.
727
00:27:26,104 --> 00:27:29,364
- Does anyone know
what you're going to do?
728
00:27:29,399 --> 00:27:31,609
- No one has any idea what I'm
going to do except for Mark.
729
00:27:31,651 --> 00:27:33,111
I'm wearing a white headscarf.
730
00:27:33,153 --> 00:27:37,743
I also was wearinga little ski cap.
731
00:27:37,782 --> 00:27:39,622
And on the ski capwas a little piece of paper
732
00:27:39,659 --> 00:27:42,249
that I had to safety pin.It said, MC Yasmin.
733
00:27:44,873 --> 00:27:47,633
And then I had madea tinfoil chain
734
00:27:47,667 --> 00:27:49,627
with like music notes on itand was like,
735
00:27:49,669 --> 00:27:51,589
"Yo, yo, yo. Yasmin."
- Okay.
736
00:27:51,629 --> 00:27:53,879
So people know something's up.
- Something's up.
737
00:27:53,923 --> 00:27:54,843
- Who's at the podium
at this point?
738
00:27:54,883 --> 00:27:56,183
Is it the--the principal?
739
00:27:56,217 --> 00:27:57,467
- Principal's at the podium
introducing us,
740
00:27:57,510 --> 00:27:58,970
and I'm about to walk up.
741
00:28:00,805 --> 00:28:04,265
[indistinct chatter
from students]
742
00:28:06,686 --> 00:28:08,976
- All right, Tigers.
743
00:28:09,022 --> 00:28:13,322
This is the moment
we have all been waiting for.
744
00:28:13,360 --> 00:28:16,910
Now, you know that saying,
"It's not, if you win or lose,
745
00:28:16,946 --> 00:28:19,316
it's how you play the game."
746
00:28:19,366 --> 00:28:22,446
Well, that is
completely not true.
747
00:28:22,494 --> 00:28:26,664
Winning is everything.
Remember that.
748
00:28:26,706 --> 00:28:28,786
If you fail in high school,
749
00:28:28,833 --> 00:28:32,173
it will haunt you
the rest of your life.
750
00:28:32,212 --> 00:28:35,592
Trust me, I lost my bid
for high school president,
751
00:28:35,632 --> 00:28:37,802
and it--it ruined me.
752
00:28:42,305 --> 00:28:45,515
Ah,
but enough about my problems.
753
00:28:45,558 --> 00:28:47,808
We have here our candidates.
754
00:28:47,852 --> 00:28:49,772
And let's meet the first one.
755
00:28:49,813 --> 00:28:51,113
Bless her heart,
she's going to lose.
756
00:28:51,147 --> 00:28:52,937
But let's give her a big hand,
shall we?
757
00:28:52,982 --> 00:28:56,032
Yas-meen.
[scattered applause]
758
00:28:57,445 --> 00:28:59,195
- I kind of go up therewith a swagger,
759
00:28:59,239 --> 00:29:00,279
and people are like...
[gasps]
760
00:29:00,323 --> 00:29:01,573
Or they're already
kind of laughing.
761
00:29:01,616 --> 00:29:02,986
- Which is what you want.
762
00:29:03,034 --> 00:29:05,664
- And so I put the boom box
at the edge of the stage,
763
00:29:05,704 --> 00:29:06,964
and I hit play.
764
00:29:12,544 --> 00:29:14,924
[hip-hop music]
765
00:29:14,963 --> 00:29:16,803
* Yasmin, Yasmin, baby *
766
00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,130
* *
767
00:29:19,175 --> 00:29:21,965
* Yasmin, Yasmin,
baby, non-stop *
768
00:29:22,012 --> 00:29:23,642
* I infiltrate
while I listen *
769
00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:25,770
* School's coming back
with an important election *
770
00:29:25,807 --> 00:29:27,677
* School,
it's teaching me right *
771
00:29:27,726 --> 00:29:29,976
* Ask me any questions,
I won't bite *
772
00:29:30,020 --> 00:29:32,150
* White is the color
of my scarf *
773
00:29:32,188 --> 00:29:34,568
* Green is the color
when you barf *
774
00:29:34,607 --> 00:29:36,607
crowd: Oh!
775
00:29:36,651 --> 00:29:38,991
- Nice.
- Yes.
776
00:29:39,029 --> 00:29:40,239
- Yes!
- And "green is the color
777
00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:42,320
when you barf."
- Barf.
778
00:29:42,365 --> 00:29:43,485
Barf, vomit!
779
00:29:43,533 --> 00:29:46,873
You are vomit.
You are vomit, man.
780
00:29:46,911 --> 00:29:48,621
- And what's the look
on his face?
781
00:29:49,622 --> 00:29:51,422
Yeah.
- [laughing]
782
00:29:51,458 --> 00:29:54,338
No one has ever
called him vomit before.
783
00:29:54,377 --> 00:29:55,957
- No one has ever
called him out, period.
784
00:29:56,004 --> 00:29:57,884
And the crowd st--well,
they went wild.
785
00:29:57,922 --> 00:30:01,762
They were like, "Oh, damn!"
786
00:30:01,801 --> 00:30:03,681
crowd: Oh!
787
00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:08,560
[music continues]
788
00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,190
- * Welcome to high school
where the students say *
789
00:30:11,227 --> 00:30:13,397
* We go out to the flagpole
if we want to pray *
790
00:30:13,438 --> 00:30:15,818
* Wanna skip, take a pic
because the gods are roamin' *
791
00:30:15,857 --> 00:30:18,737
* And the gates be closed
after 8:00 in the morning *
792
00:30:18,777 --> 00:30:22,567
[cheering and applause]
793
00:30:22,614 --> 00:30:25,204
* I've got to win *
794
00:30:25,241 --> 00:30:28,331
* So you better
get this voting started *
795
00:30:28,370 --> 00:30:32,290
* Get this voting
started on a Tuesday *
796
00:30:32,332 --> 00:30:35,342
* If it was the principal,
you'd be here all day *
797
00:30:35,377 --> 00:30:39,457
* He talks way too long
on the intercom *
798
00:30:39,506 --> 00:30:42,506
* Every word he says
just comes out all wrong *
799
00:30:42,550 --> 00:30:45,180
crowd: Oh!
800
00:30:45,220 --> 00:30:47,970
- You dissed the principal?
- I dissed the principal.
801
00:30:48,014 --> 00:30:49,854
- Whoa!
- He deserves to be dissed.
802
00:30:49,891 --> 00:30:51,601
- And then
people started getting--
803
00:30:51,643 --> 00:30:53,733
the cheerleaders were like,
"Oh, my God!"
804
00:30:53,770 --> 00:30:55,190
- Wow.
805
00:30:55,230 --> 00:30:57,570
- And the place erupts.
806
00:30:57,607 --> 00:31:00,527
[triumphant music]
807
00:31:00,568 --> 00:31:05,618
* *
808
00:31:05,657 --> 00:31:07,487
- Whoo!
809
00:31:16,501 --> 00:31:18,961
So then Mike Green
goes up there to do his speech.
810
00:31:22,340 --> 00:31:25,430
And he was like crying.
811
00:31:25,468 --> 00:31:27,388
He was crying.
- He was crying?
812
00:31:27,429 --> 00:31:28,889
Of course he was.
- No way.
813
00:31:28,930 --> 00:31:30,140
- He was crying.
814
00:31:38,064 --> 00:31:40,734
- [sighs]
815
00:31:42,944 --> 00:31:45,494
[feedback screeches]
816
00:31:47,073 --> 00:31:49,783
- He's like, "I'm Mike Green.And, uh, you know.
817
00:31:49,826 --> 00:31:51,286
"I don't know why you reallyshould vote for me.
818
00:31:51,327 --> 00:31:52,697
I'm going to votefor her too."
819
00:31:52,746 --> 00:31:54,036
[all gasping]
820
00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:55,120
- What!
- Yes!
821
00:31:55,165 --> 00:31:57,915
- He endorsed you?
- Yes!
822
00:31:57,959 --> 00:31:59,789
Yes!
- Wow.
823
00:31:59,836 --> 00:32:01,876
- How the mighty have fallen.
824
00:32:01,921 --> 00:32:04,091
- Oh, my God.
- Yes.
825
00:32:04,132 --> 00:32:05,802
- Amazing.
826
00:32:05,842 --> 00:32:08,802
[triumphant music]
827
00:32:08,845 --> 00:32:13,305
* *
828
00:32:20,899 --> 00:32:22,189
[scattered applause]
829
00:32:22,233 --> 00:32:25,113
- So I get home,
and I had the boom box.
830
00:32:25,153 --> 00:32:27,663
Right as I enter my home,
831
00:32:27,697 --> 00:32:30,157
the boom box actually fallsand breaks.
832
00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,000
- This seems like an omen.
833
00:32:34,037 --> 00:32:35,327
- So you're saying
it went badly?
834
00:32:35,372 --> 00:32:37,622
- No.
No, no, it went really well.
835
00:32:37,665 --> 00:32:39,625
I think I--I think
I did really well.
836
00:32:39,668 --> 00:32:41,338
- So you're saying you won?
- No.
837
00:32:41,378 --> 00:32:42,958
No, I'm saying
it wasn't a disaster.
838
00:32:43,004 --> 00:32:44,384
I don't know yet.
839
00:32:44,422 --> 00:32:45,972
- When will you know?
When will you know?
840
00:32:46,007 --> 00:32:48,087
- Tomorrow.
I'll know tomorrow!
841
00:32:48,134 --> 00:32:50,014
He was like, "Okay.
All right.
842
00:32:50,053 --> 00:32:51,553
"All right, it's fine.
843
00:32:51,596 --> 00:32:53,216
"I'm excited.
You're good.
844
00:32:53,264 --> 00:32:54,974
Doesn't matter
if you win or lose."
845
00:32:55,016 --> 00:32:57,636
- It doesn't matter,
but I'm kind of, uh, invested.
846
00:32:57,686 --> 00:33:02,016
- Hey, whatever happens,
I'm proud of you,
847
00:33:02,065 --> 00:33:03,775
and you owe me a new boom box.
848
00:33:03,817 --> 00:33:05,107
- My eyes were like, wide open
849
00:33:05,151 --> 00:33:06,611
when the alarm goes off
at like 6:30.
850
00:33:06,653 --> 00:33:08,073
I get myself ready
to go to school.
851
00:33:08,113 --> 00:33:09,863
I go to school,
and I'm in homeroom,
852
00:33:09,906 --> 00:33:12,776
the principal on the--on
the intercom, he's like--
853
00:33:12,826 --> 00:33:15,826
"Good morning, Tigers.
854
00:33:15,870 --> 00:33:19,170
"We got some new presidentsand vice presidents,
855
00:33:19,207 --> 00:33:20,877
"and secretaries.And what else?
856
00:33:20,917 --> 00:33:22,957
"Wait, and treasurers,apparently.
857
00:33:23,003 --> 00:33:24,593
I've got a note here."
858
00:33:24,629 --> 00:33:27,089
- "I had some scrambled eggs
for breakfast.
859
00:33:27,132 --> 00:33:29,512
"Now, my wife makes thema little runny for my taste.
860
00:33:29,551 --> 00:33:33,391
But I ate them anyway,and then I drove to school."
861
00:33:33,430 --> 00:33:35,140
Get to the point!
- Exactly!
862
00:33:35,181 --> 00:33:36,391
I'm at like
the edge of my chair.
863
00:33:36,433 --> 00:33:37,813
He just was like--
864
00:33:37,851 --> 00:33:40,231
"And here we go.
865
00:33:40,270 --> 00:33:42,900
"Your next year'sclass president...
866
00:33:42,939 --> 00:33:46,109
is Miss Yasmin Elhady."
867
00:33:46,151 --> 00:33:48,281
all: Yay!
868
00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:51,820
[cheers and applause]
869
00:33:54,242 --> 00:33:55,622
- The homeroom erupts.
870
00:33:55,660 --> 00:33:57,410
Erupting!
Everyone stands up.
871
00:33:57,454 --> 00:33:59,414
They all clap. They were like,
"You deserve it.
872
00:33:59,456 --> 00:34:01,456
You deserve it.
You're amazing."
873
00:34:01,499 --> 00:34:03,039
I was like, "Oh, my God.
Thank you guys so much."
874
00:34:03,084 --> 00:34:04,594
- Wow.
875
00:34:04,627 --> 00:34:07,417
- All of senior year,
me and Mike Green have lockers
876
00:34:07,464 --> 00:34:08,884
on top of each other.
- Yeah.
877
00:34:08,923 --> 00:34:11,013
- Top locker, bottom locker
for all senior year.
878
00:34:11,051 --> 00:34:12,301
- Yeah.
- He was 6'2".
879
00:34:12,344 --> 00:34:14,724
Guess who had the top locker?
880
00:34:14,763 --> 00:34:16,683
- Can I just get some--
- No.
881
00:34:17,557 --> 00:34:19,227
- So you get home that night.
882
00:34:19,267 --> 00:34:22,597
- So I get home, and my dad
is like, "Okay, what do we got?
883
00:34:22,645 --> 00:34:24,305
What do we got?What do we got?"
884
00:34:27,484 --> 00:34:30,454
- It was a landslide victory.
I won!
885
00:34:30,487 --> 00:34:34,947
- That's my girl!
I knew you were my daughter.
886
00:34:34,991 --> 00:34:36,121
Yay!
887
00:34:36,159 --> 00:34:37,539
- But second of all,
he was like,
888
00:34:37,577 --> 00:34:39,827
"You, my beautiful daughter,
889
00:34:39,871 --> 00:34:42,291
are worth a thousand sons."
890
00:34:42,332 --> 00:34:44,252
- Ohh...
- He gave me a big hug.
891
00:34:44,292 --> 00:34:46,752
- I love that.
- And he made it worth it.
892
00:34:46,795 --> 00:34:49,085
That's the best part.
I mean, I'm proud.
893
00:34:49,130 --> 00:34:51,720
And, um,
894
00:34:51,758 --> 00:34:53,758
and he was, um...
895
00:34:53,802 --> 00:34:56,262
he still is, like, the
most major figure in my life.
896
00:34:56,304 --> 00:34:57,684
- Yeah.
897
00:34:57,722 --> 00:34:59,222
- And I know I would've
never done it without him.
898
00:34:59,265 --> 00:35:01,765
- How did that win
set up your life?
899
00:35:01,810 --> 00:35:03,190
- So I feel like that win
900
00:35:03,228 --> 00:35:05,978
really made me believe
in human beings,
901
00:35:06,022 --> 00:35:08,232
in collective humanity.
902
00:35:08,274 --> 00:35:10,534
It made me believe in myself,
903
00:35:10,568 --> 00:35:14,278
that I think that
if I could strategize,
904
00:35:14,322 --> 00:35:17,282
if I could problem-solve,
I'd be just fine.
905
00:35:17,325 --> 00:35:19,115
- Yeah.
- So I feel like that set me up
906
00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:24,330
for making sure that I could
put out my wings, jump.
907
00:35:24,374 --> 00:35:27,344
And if I fly, great.
And if I fall on my face,
908
00:35:27,377 --> 00:35:29,207
I'll get back up
and it'll be just fine.
909
00:35:29,254 --> 00:35:32,884
I ended up going off to Cairo,
going back to where I was born,
910
00:35:32,924 --> 00:35:34,684
and going to
the American embassy in Cairo
911
00:35:34,718 --> 00:35:36,258
to do a graduate fellowship
in Arabic.
912
00:35:36,302 --> 00:35:37,972
And it just taught me
a lot about like,
913
00:35:38,013 --> 00:35:40,183
oh, like there's no difference
between my story
914
00:35:40,223 --> 00:35:41,683
or this person's story.
915
00:35:41,725 --> 00:35:43,555
Like, it just so happens
that I was born into a family
916
00:35:43,601 --> 00:35:47,521
that came to the United States
and had this life,
917
00:35:47,564 --> 00:35:50,154
but I could've just as easily
been a poor child
918
00:35:50,191 --> 00:35:52,571
in the street begging.
- Yeah.
919
00:35:52,610 --> 00:35:54,400
- And it really inspired me
to want to go to law school
920
00:35:54,446 --> 00:35:56,026
and, like, fight
for people's rights.
921
00:35:56,072 --> 00:35:57,532
I was shaky on my own,
922
00:35:57,574 --> 00:35:59,284
but if I was fighting for
someone else, I felt strong.
923
00:35:59,325 --> 00:36:00,615
I felt that
we could stand together.
924
00:36:00,660 --> 00:36:02,910
- Wow.
- So that made me feel like
925
00:36:02,954 --> 00:36:05,044
I needed to be a part of,
926
00:36:05,081 --> 00:36:06,881
you know, a legal education
927
00:36:06,916 --> 00:36:09,416
that could help empower people,
protect people.
928
00:36:09,461 --> 00:36:10,881
I work in public service,
929
00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,090
and a big part of me running
for that first election
930
00:36:13,131 --> 00:36:15,631
was me being part of the--
the governing structure.
931
00:36:15,675 --> 00:36:16,885
- Amazing.
932
00:36:16,926 --> 00:36:20,426
- That's the story, guys.
- I am blown away.
933
00:36:21,639 --> 00:36:24,269
- You are an incredible person.
- Thank you.
934
00:36:24,309 --> 00:36:26,479
- Thank you for
taking us on this
935
00:36:26,519 --> 00:36:29,189
incredible journey with you.
- Yeah.
936
00:36:29,230 --> 00:36:31,610
- * Are you gonnamake it happen today? *
937
00:36:31,649 --> 00:36:33,899
* Or will you just settlefor another delay? *
938
00:36:33,943 --> 00:36:36,283
* Come on,you gotta make it happen now *
939
00:36:36,321 --> 00:36:38,911
* Come on, you gotta make ithappen now *
940
00:36:38,948 --> 00:36:41,078
* Said, are you gonnawait and sit on your hands? *
941
00:36:41,117 --> 00:36:42,827
* Or will you goand start making out *
942
00:36:42,869 --> 00:36:44,699
* A list of demands? 'Causeyou can make it happen *
943
00:36:44,746 --> 00:36:46,496
- * Yasmin, Yasmin, baby *
944
00:36:46,539 --> 00:36:48,879
- * Start attacking,don't lose out on the action *
945
00:36:48,917 --> 00:36:50,957
* Hey!Seek the path *
946
00:36:51,002 --> 00:36:53,842
* Reach and grab all the rightthings that you need to have *
947
00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:55,590
* Don't wait in good faith *
948
00:36:55,632 --> 00:36:56,882
- * School's coming back
with a brand new election *
949
00:36:56,925 --> 00:36:58,755
* This school got
ahold of me tight *
950
00:36:58,802 --> 00:37:00,222
* Ask me any questions,
I won't bite *
951
00:37:00,261 --> 00:37:02,101
- * Now is the time,lay it all on the line *
952
00:37:02,138 --> 00:37:04,598
* When you break throughthe wall in your mind *
953
00:37:04,641 --> 00:37:06,731
* Whatever's occurred,that's the past *
954
00:37:06,768 --> 00:37:09,018
* Don't lose the couragewhen I have to ask *
955
00:37:09,062 --> 00:37:11,062
* Are you gonnamake it happen today?
956
00:37:11,106 --> 00:37:12,726
- * White is the color
on my scarf *
957
00:37:12,774 --> 00:37:14,284
* Green is a color
when you barf *
958
00:37:14,317 --> 00:37:17,397
- * Light fuse, igniteand move, why refuse? *
959
00:37:17,445 --> 00:37:19,855
* 'Cause if you really believeyou want it to be *
960
00:37:19,906 --> 00:37:22,776
* More than a dream, you gotto turn it into reality *
961
00:37:22,826 --> 00:37:25,076
* So you gottamake it happen now *
962
00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:27,870
* Come on,gotta make it happen now *
963
00:37:27,914 --> 00:37:30,334
* Come on, you gotta make ithappen now *
964
00:37:30,375 --> 00:37:31,495
* Whoo! *
965
00:37:31,545 --> 00:37:36,095
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