Miranda Bambata is a student at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. We asked her what inspired her to apply to become a speaker at TEDxYouth@CapeTown, to which she responded: “I want to discover what else I am capable of. I believe the experience will open my mind, give me the courage to share my ideas and teach me to trust myself more. I also think the mentorship will help me become the next activist, leader and/or anything else I would possibly like to be.”
On the topic of who or what inspires Miranda, she said: “I am inspired by having the courage to go ahead and do what I want to do, and become the person I want to be, bearing in mind my choices and decisions will not necessarily make everyone happy."
Miranda’s journey to the TEDx stage:
What do you hope to gain from the experience of being a TEDx speaker?
I hope it will not only improve my speaking abilities but who I am as a person. I hope it will teach me gratitude, fearlessness, leadership and the art of understanding I am not in competition with anyone, but that everyone matters and so do their ideas. That I don't have to agree with or like them but to respect them for their intelligence and their courage to speak their mind when they have wars going on in their own lives. I hope not to become the same person I am today and that this experience will open a new world to endless possibilities.
The talk is only a few weeks away, how are you feeling about it?
I am still coming to terms with being selected so I would say that I am excited and nervous at the same time.
If you had a superpower what would it be?
To give people the ability to be compassionate, honest about how they truly feel, and to let them know that it's okay to not have it all figured out. I would also love to be able to fly.
If you could be any animal in the world, what animal would you be and why?
A butterfly because they undergo a process of metamorphosis in order to be a complete butterfly.
This fully represents my growth as I am in a process of letting go of certain things, developing characteristics, losing people, hurting, learning, hoping and dreaming, and I think these and many more of the changes I am going through are what are going to help me become the phenomenal woman that I plan on becoming.
If you could time travel, where would you go?
London, Amsterdam and the entire African continent.
Which fictional character do you wish you could meet?
The girl who falls in love with the beast (forgot her character name but Emma Watson plays her role) from the Beauty and Beast movie.
If you could sing a duet with anyone, who would it be?
Taya Smith, a Hillsong worship team leader.
Miranda also added that…
I am inspired by knowing that I can fight for the things I want and understand that I am responsible for everything I want.
I am inspired by people who are doing things, by places that calm me and give me permission to be me.
I am inspired by faith being the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen and how I excise it.
I am inspired by failing, by making mistakes, my imperfections, and how all those things help us become courageous human beings with scars. Yet human beings that still choose to be kind, love more and care in a world where we have been conditioned to do retaliate to situations with anger, hatred and pain.
I am inspired by the idea of being crazy enough to think I can change the world.”
