“I want all families to be made whole, to be reunified, to be together — as is our right,” says writer, poet and student Elizabeth Zion. In this profoundly moving talk, Zion shares the impacts of family separation, including her personal struggles with homelessness and poverty — and points a way toward moral and just policies that recognize the human rights of migrant families.
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Mihaela Claudia P..
February 17, 2022 at 8:03 pm
Beautiful Elizabeth! I see great future in her! Bless her!
James C
February 17, 2022 at 8:13 pm
I love that beautiful Irish girl!
𝑬𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒊𝒂
February 17, 2022 at 8:16 pm
I’m proud of you Elizabeth. Go on Wonder Woman.
Teacher Navigator
February 17, 2022 at 8:17 pm
Nice…
TO Smooth
February 17, 2022 at 8:19 pm
Beautiful video. We need to hear more of this instead of the usual rhetoric that casts men/fathers as throwaways and down plays the importance of the enact family structure.
Alison Chavarria
February 17, 2022 at 8:19 pm
A pleasure–and challenge–to hear from Elizabeth on this crucial topic. I hear the change she is calling for. Where will this strength come from, in the human family?
“Whole populations of people will be moving in the future as their lands dry out or become uninhabitable, a reality never seen in this world before at this scale. Where will the power come from? Where will the inspiration come from? Where will the inner strength and integrity come from to face such a world and to serve it in such a way that human unity can grow and human freedom can be preserved and expanded? It must come from this well that We speak of. It must come from God, who wills this for humanity. For this must happen now, for the alternative is far too grave to even speak of. It is driven by need. It is also driven by courage and honesty.” – Marshall Vian Summers
Michael Jordan
February 17, 2022 at 8:24 pm
only 18 and already such a captivating story teller and speaker
katherinemoore52
February 17, 2022 at 8:28 pm
I cannot express my heart through words… May your message be heard by the masses… I pray for our families, that are in separation and or suffering, all around the world, every day 🙏 Thank you and God bless you
Hallelujah! icBlessings
February 17, 2022 at 8:34 pm
Eloquently stated…. 🙏
Gaasuba Meskhenet
February 17, 2022 at 8:37 pm
Housing is a human right!
No more evictions from primary residences!
mike bell
February 17, 2022 at 8:39 pm
Good video it’s hard on family with just one parent. The story is different the father wanted to be there from the start. A government is a good thing but oftentimes bureaucrats miss humanity of individual stories.
Tochi Smiles
February 17, 2022 at 8:40 pm
It cannot be overemphasized just how important family is, most importantl the unification… I could relate because I too have long forgotten how my mother looks like. I often go back to look at her picture and I wondered how different life would have been, but then I don’t have a government to blame, I have death to blame.
No reason, geopolitical, bereaucratic, economic or otherwise is enough to put families apart unless where necessary.
Neurodivergent Dragon
February 17, 2022 at 9:01 pm
Beautiful woman! I love her afro!
graham mewburn
February 17, 2022 at 9:11 pm
Thank you Elizabeth
Cheers Gray
Australia
dan parish
February 17, 2022 at 9:11 pm
If one family member deserves asylum, the country should also should take the kids and spouse by default.
I guess on the flip side… If a country has allotted x amount of people to grant asylum to, would taking the whole family by default take away asylum from other people that are in more danger? After all, Nigeria is 50% Christian and I’m guessing the father was Christian his whole life and didn’t face the same threats.
graham mewburn
February 17, 2022 at 9:16 pm
I once met a man who converted from Moslem to Christian. I asked him what Christians and Moslems have in common. He said we worship the God of Abraham. God’s Name in Hebrew is called the Tetragramaton. It’s translated into English as Jehovah and Yahweh.
Our Father in Heaven honoured be your Name
HalleluJAH
Praise JAH
Praise JehovAH
Jah is a contraction of Jehovah
My Six Sense
February 17, 2022 at 9:35 pm
I am surprised Ted Talks put this on! The billionaire class (who also control Ted Talks) has been working diligently for DECADESin Western nations to destroy family unit and demoralize nations to garner wealth and power! What’s the next show going to entail? Explaining how Authoritarians throughout history have used race, religion, culture, & gender to divide the people in order to implement Totalitarian rule as is the case today in West? This must be a mistake?
Sean Kavanagh
February 17, 2022 at 9:42 pm
How is this possible? The Irish government are incompetent muppets. Why would you give asylum to a woman and her children but not her husband?? Talk about setting people up to fail!
Andy Cordy
February 17, 2022 at 9:50 pm
I love the idea of a unified family and it’s very sad that willing participants in united families are kept apart by immigration / migration issues but so many more families are disunited because participants are not willing for widely diverse reasons, to be united.
In a world struggling with rapidly growing populations, ever increasing disparity between rich and poor and unprecedented levels of migration, the chaos created by divided families is catastrophic and can only get worse until our population matches our ability to house and feed it.
millertas
February 17, 2022 at 10:10 pm
What an amazing and beautiful (both externally and internally) young woman.
Somadi
February 17, 2022 at 10:55 pm
My heart aches and tears fall as I froze and sat in silence listening. Thinking. Feeling. I pray her family is reunited. No family should have to endure such despair and sacrifice. I pray they are reunited, all families. We have to do more, just do. The simplest things, being with those you love and who love you can be the hardest. It’s not impossible, I’m praying and believing
Christian Hohenstein
February 17, 2022 at 11:40 pm
I can’t tell if this heartbreaking story makes me more sad ore more angry at those who stand in the way of family unification
Aj Rogers
February 18, 2022 at 12:05 am
So beautiful! And can I say, you look so much like Megan Markle 🥰
Demi FW
February 18, 2022 at 12:41 am
Such a beautiful message from a beautiful young woman ❤
Aaron Redd
February 18, 2022 at 1:35 am
We need to hear more stories like this. Thank you Elizabeth.
Stephen Rose
February 18, 2022 at 1:46 am
10/10
So Sara
February 18, 2022 at 2:07 am
beautiful!!
Pauline Deles Jessie
February 18, 2022 at 2:08 am
Love the fro ❤️❤️
English IELTS
February 18, 2022 at 2:28 am
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
JericaT21
February 18, 2022 at 2:44 am
My family fleed Vietnam and came to Canada as refugees. Now with 2 daughters of my own, I feel your pain and understand how important your message is. Please let us know how we can help. Thank you for sharing your story.
NMK One
February 18, 2022 at 4:30 am
This is heartbreaking, sad how the countries we were born in let us down forcing some to look for safer and more liveable countries elsewhere that are more accepting of diverse religions. I wonder if their is a way they can be reunified. I don’t understand why Ireland made the decision they made to keep the dad away. Hope that they can reconsider by reviewing this situation considering the kids are grown. At least grant him a visa to visit.
Samuel Filip
February 18, 2022 at 6:30 am
Fantastic video! Very interesting this is on TED.
Jh5578
February 18, 2022 at 7:01 am
The data shows that single parent children have worse outcomes on average. Not difficult to imagine with the difficulties of being a single parent. Its a needless disservice to our citizens and countries to keep families apart. As long as the family members pass the saftey and security checks, it is a detriment to *everyone* to keep them apart.
Concerned Citizen
February 18, 2022 at 7:36 am
She seems older than 18.. And a 2nd-year university student!.. So she entered at 16?.. A very mature young lady!
Tracy Marie Briare
February 18, 2022 at 10:44 am
Amazing!!! Reunification doesn’t profit the racket. Dismantle the whole thing reform and keep families together. Preponderance of evidence is a low burden to ruin multiple lies. Many children aren’t even abused or neglected to get caught in the system the family may be lower income and able to care for the child. #freealei
JJ Johnson
February 18, 2022 at 2:20 pm
What a amazing story my prayers go out to you and your family Elizabeth, you are so beautiful inside and out and thank you for spreading awareness about this issue.
Even though my story is a little different there’s some similarities and I truly believe that growing up without one parent can really impact your life in a negative way
duy van
February 19, 2022 at 10:14 am
“He was never given a chance to hold my hand as I took my first steps but I pray I get a chance to hold his when he needs my help to walk in his old age”
This really makes my heart broken. May this be very simple with others but it now does not happen to her family
Johnjohn42 Kudi
February 19, 2022 at 11:06 pm
Liked and am watching!!!