[New School] Harry Potter and Maria Ressa
The following speech was delivered on March 6 at the University of the Cordilleras (UC) in Baguio City during the third Philippine launch of Maria Ressa’s latest book, How To Stand Up to a Dictator.
Good afternoon, everybody. And to you, Ms. Ressa, I first want to say that it is a very much appreciated honor to be here today, to hear you speak and share your stories firsthand. I can’t believe that I am in the presence of the first Filipino to ever be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Imagine, out of hundreds and thousands of people around the world, your fight was chosen to represent that real journalism shows the truth. Aren’t you proud? Isn’t the country proud? Well, if it isn’t, it should be.
I’m Emma Louise Orendain. I’m 10 years old and a big Harry Potter fan.
Like you, Harry was singled out.
Like you, they tried to silence him.
And like you, he didn’t give up.
When I think about what you have done, it reminds me of the brave characters from the books that I enjoy. In Harry Potter, he had within himself a strong power that made Voldemort afraid; that’s what you have. You have a special strength inside of you and that’s what you’ve shared with the world. Your special power is making sure the truth isn’t silenced.
Harry tried to tell them that Voldemort really was back, but everyone around him tried to deny the truth. Still, he kept fighting for the truth like you did. You didn’t let them silence you. You kept telling them what was right.
But at the end of the day, unlike you, Harry is a fictional character. And to be a real person, facing real challenges…is harder. You’re fighting through struggles every single day. You might have physical and emotional problems. Your life may even be in danger. And some things you do or say can be used to hurt you even as you try to do the right thing. And unlike a fictional story, we don’t know what’s going to happen next, we won’t know if everything will work out in the end. We can only hold the line.
And this reminds me of a real person named Susan Brownell Anthony. I chose to research and make a speech about her in class. She is a famous American woman who fought for womens’ rights. You both fought for what is right but you’re a Filipina. Like you, she had a strong moral compass and was loyal, and true to her friends.
Because of you, every single person, here and all around our country should be proud to be Filipino. You’ve inspired many people to tell the truth, you’ve helped them learn the truth. You’ve helped me learn the truth too. There are many different reasons for great things happening because of you. As you’ve said, “After all, you don’t really know who you are until you’re forced to fight for it.” You’ve been forced to be so strong and brave in your fight. You stand tall in the face of so many struggles. And your strength has become a beacon for so many. And personally, I think that what the world really needs is paper, a pen, truth, and more people like you. You’ve done so much for the world. You’ve done so much to fight for what is right. You’ve also encouraged us to stand for the truth.
When I read about you, I was so amazed by what you have done. I’ve just watched a video called “11 Things You May Not Know About Maria Ressa” on Rappler. The twelfth mystery fact was, “She can skateboard!” When I found out about this, I realized, you’re not just a hero, you’re brilliant, you’re smart, and you’re awesome too!
I think it is safe to say that all of us that are here today are amazed by you and all your accomplishments. Congratulations on your new book, How To Stand Up To A Dictator: The Fight For Our Future.
We have all gathered here to show you how much we support you. And we are proud to be a part of the fight for our future.
I’m Emma Louise Orendain and I’ve just met my favorite hero.
Oh! And I have two more books to go in the Harry Potter series, so no spoilers, please! Thank you and good afternoon to everyone! Except you, Voldemort, wherever you are. – Rappler.com
Emma Orendain is a 10-year-old student from Baguio City.