How many of you are tired of seeing celebrities adopting kids from the African continent?
(Laughter) Well, it's not all that bad.
I was adopted.
I grew up in rural Uganda, lost both my parents when I was very, very young.
And when my parents passed, I experienced all the negative effects of poverty, from homelessness, eating out of trash piles, you name it.
But my life changed when I got accepted into an orphanage.
Through one of those sponsor-an-orphan programs, I was sponsored and given an opportunity to acquire an education.
I started off in Uganda.
I went through school, and the way this particular program worked, you finished high school and after high school, you go learn a trade -- to become a carpenter, a mechanic or something along those lines.
My case was a little different.
The sponsor family that was sending these 25 dollars a month to this orphanage to sponsor me, which -- I had never met them -- said, "Well ...
we would like to send you to college instead."
Oh -- it gets better.
(Laughter) And they said, "If you get the paperwork, we'll send you to school in America instead."
So with their help, I went to the embassy and applied for the visa.
I got the visa.
I remember this day like it was yesterday.
I walked out of the embassy with this piece of paper in my hand, a hop in my step, smile on my face, knowing that my life is about to change.
I went home that night, and I slept with my passport, because I was afraid that someone might steal it.
(Laughter) I couldn't fall asleep.
I kept feeling it.
I had a good idea for security.
I was like, "OK, I'm going to put it in a plastic bag, and take it outside and dig a hole, and put it in there."
I did that, went back in the house.
I could not fall asleep.
I was like, "Maybe someone saw me."
I went back -- (Laughter) I pulled it out, and I put it with me the entire night -- all to say that it was an anxiety-filled night.
(Laughter) Going to the US was, just like another speaker said, was my first time to see a plane, be on one, let alone sit on it to fly to another country.
December 15, 2006.
7:08pm.
I sat in seat 7A.
Fly Emirates.
One of the most gorgeous, beautiful women I've ever seen walked up, red little hat with a white veil.
I'm looking terrified, I have no idea what I'm doing.
She hands me this warm towel -- warm, steamy, snow white.
I'm looking at this warm towel; I don't know what to do with my life, let alone with this damn towel -- (Laughter) (Applause) I did one of the -- you know, anything anyone could do in that situation: look around, see what everyone else is doing.
I did the same.
Mind you, I drove about seven hours from my village to the airport that day.
So I grab this warm towel, wipe my face just like everyone else is doing, I look at it -- damn.
(Laughter) It was all dirt brown.
(Laughter) I remember being so embarrassed that when she came by to pick it up, I didn't give mine.
(Laughter) I still have it.
(Laughter) (Applause) Going to America opened doors for me to live up to my full God-given potential.
I remember when I arrived, the sponsor family embraced me, and they literally had to teach me everything from scratch: this is a microwave, that's a refrigerator -- things I'd never seen before.
And it was also the first time I got immersed into a new and different culture.
These strangers showed me true love.
These strangers showed me that I mattered, that my dreams mattered.
(Applause) Thank you.
These individuals had two of their own biological children.
And when I came in, I had needs.
They had to teach me English, teach me literally everything, which resulted in them spending a lot of time with me.
And that created a little bit of jealousy with their children.
So, if you're a parent in this room, and you have those teenager children who don't want anything to do with your love and affection -- in fact, they find it repulsive -- I got a solution: adopt a child.
(Laughter) It will solve the problem.
(Applause) I went on to acquire two engineering degrees from one of the best institutions in the world.
I've got to tell you: talent is universal, but opportunities are not.
And I credit this to the individuals who embrace multiculturalism, love, empathy and compassion for others.
We live in a world filled with hate: building walls, Brexit, xenophobia here on the African continent.
Multiculturalism can be an answer to many of these worst human qualities.
Today, I challenge you to help a young child experience multiculturalism.
I guarantee you that will enrich their life, and in turn, it will enrich yours.
And as a bonus, one of them may even give a TED Talk.
(Laughter) (Applause) We may not be able to solve the bigotry and the racism of this world today, but certainly we can raise children to create a positive, inclusive, connected world full of empathy, love and compassion.
Love wins.
Thank you.
(Applause)