Hello. My name is Matthew Williams, and I am a champion.
大家好。我的名字叫马修·威廉姆斯，我是一名冠军。
I have won medals in three different sports and national games in Canada,
我曾在三种不同的运动中以及加拿大全运会中获得奖牌，
competed at the international level in basketball and was proud to represent Canada on the world stage.
我参与过是国际级别的篮球项目，并且我为能代表加拿大走向世界舞台感到十分骄傲。
I train five days a week for basketball and speed skating,
我每周都有五天
work with top quality coaches and mental performance consultants to be at my best in my sport.
与顶级的教练和心理作业咨询师一起训练篮球和竞速滑冰，来保持最好的竞技状态。
By the way, all that is through Special Olympics.
补充一下，这些都是因为特殊奥林匹克运动会。
Does that change the way you think of me and my accomplishments?
这有没有让你们对我以及我的成就有所改观呢？
The world does not see all people like me as champions.
这个世界并没有把所有像我一样的人当成冠军。
Not long ago, people like me were shunned and hidden away.
不久以前，像我这样的人是不被待见的。
There has been lots of change since Special Olympics began in 1968,
自从1968年的特殊奥林匹克运动会开始，这种现象得到很大的改善，
but in too many cases, people with intellectual disabilities are invisible to the wider population.
但现实中还是经常可以看到，相比普通人来说，智力有缺陷的人常被视而不见。
People use the r-word in front of me, and they think it doesn't matter.
人们在我面前用“傻”字叫我，以为我会无所谓。
That's the word "retard" or "retarded" used in a derogatory manner.
他们叫我“傻子”，说我迟钝，完全是贬义的用法。
They're not thinking about how much it hurts me and my friends.
他们不知道这对我和我朋友伤害有多大。
I don't want you to think I'm here because I'm a charity case.
我不想让你们觉得我出现在这里是为了得到怜悯。
I am here because there is still a big problem with the way many people see individuals with intellectual disabilities,
我在这里，是因为这个问题还存在：还有很多人看待智力缺陷的人的方式有问题，
or, too often, how they don't see them at all.
或者，更多的，许多人根本就不认可他们的存在。
Did you know the World Games happened this year?
你们都知道世界运动会是今年举办的吧？
I was one of over 6,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities from 165 countries who competed in LA.
我是6500名智力缺陷运动员中的一员，我们来自165个国家，在洛杉矶比赛。
There was over 62,000 spectators watching opening ceremonies, and there was live coverage on TSN and ESPN.
当时有超过62000名观众观看开幕式，而且TSN和ESPN还直播了。
Did you even know that happened? What do you think of when you see someone like me?
可你们知道这件事吗？当你看到像我一样的人的时候，你会怎么想？
I am here today to challenge you to look at us as equals.
我今天来到这里，就是想大胆提出，将我们平等看待。
Special Olympics transforms the self-identity of athletes with intellectual disabilities and the perceptions of everyone watching.
特殊奥林匹克运动会改变了智力缺陷运动员的自我认识，也改变了观众的看法。
For those of you who aren't familiar, Special Olympics is for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
如果你们不熟悉特殊奥林匹克运动会，我来解释一下，它就是给智力有缺陷的人设立的。
Special Olympics is separate from the Paralympics and Olympics.
它独立于残奥会和奥运会。
We offer high-quality, year round sports programs for people with intellectual disabilities that changes lives and perceptions.
我们有高质量的、专门给智力缺陷的选手的、全年的运动项目。这些项目能改变我们的命运和对我们的认知。
This movement has changed my life and those of so many others.
特殊奥运会改变了我的生活，也改变了很多人的生活。
And it has changed the way the world sees people with intellectual disabilities.
同时也改变了这个世界看待智力缺陷人群的看法。
I was born with epilepsy and an intellectual disability. Growing up, I played hockey until I was 12 years old.
我出生时就患有癫痫以及智力缺陷，12岁之前我一直都是打曲棍球。
The older I got, the more I felt it was harder to keep up with everyone else, and I was angry and frustrated.
越长大，就越觉得要跟上别人愈来愈困难，我感到生气沮丧。
For a while, I did not play any sports, didn't have many friends and felt left out and sad.
有一段时间，我没有接触任何体育运动，没有多少朋友，感觉自己被遗弃，无人问津。
There was a time when people with intellectual disabilities were hidden away from society.
曾经有这么一段时间，智力缺陷的人是被这个社会隔离开来，不被公开的。
No one thought they could participate in sports, let alone be a valued member of society.
没人会觉得他们也能参加体育运动，更别说成为社会有价值的一员。
In the 1960s, Dr. Frank Hayden, a scientist at the University of Toronto,
在20世纪60年代，弗兰克·海登博士，多伦多大学的一名科学家，
was studying the effects of regular exercise on the fitness levels of children with intellectual disabilities.
他当时在研究正常运动对智力缺陷儿童的健康程度的影响。
Using rigorous scientific research, Dr. Hayden and other researchers came to the conclusion
海登博士以及其他研究人员，通过严谨的科学研究，得出了一个结论：
that it was simply the lack of opportunity to participate that caused their fitness levels to suffer.
导致智力缺陷儿童的他们健康程度下降的原因，仅仅是缺乏运动的机会。
Lots of people doubted that people with intellectual disabilities could benefit from fitness programs and sports competition opportunities.
很多人质疑智力缺陷的人能从运动项目或体育竞技中受益。
But pioneers like Dr. Hayden and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of Special Olympics, persevered,
但正是因为有海登博士，以及特殊奥林匹克运动会创始人尤尼斯·肯尼迪·谢里夫，他们坚持运动的好处
and Special Olympics athletes have proved them right four and a half million times over.
而且特殊奥林匹克运动员不下四百五十万次证明了运动的确有好处。
Before I joined Special Olympics, I was nervous because I was young, shy, not confident and didn't have many friends.
在我参加特殊奥林匹克运动会之前，我是容易紧张的人，因为我年轻害羞，没自信，也没多少朋友。
When I got there, though, everyone was very encouraging, supportive, and let me be myself without being judged.
但我到了那里，却发现每个人都很友善，很乐于助人，不歧视我，让我做回我自己。
Now, I am a basketball player and speed skater who has competed at provincial, national games,
现在，我是一名篮球运动员，也是一名竞速滑冰运动员，参加过省级和国家级比赛，
and this year made it all the way to the World Summer Games in LA,
而且今年还参加了在洛杉矶的夏季特殊奥林匹克运动会。
where I was part of the first ever Canadian basketball team to compete at World Games.
在那里，我代表的是第一届加拿大篮球运动员，参加世界比赛。
I am one of more than four and a half million athletes around the globe, and I've heard so many similar stories.
我是世界上这四百五十万名运动员中的一份子，我也听说过很多相似的故事。
Being Special Olympics athletes restores our pride and dignity.
成为特殊奥林匹克运动会的运动员，帮我们拾回自信和尊严。
Special Olympics also addresses critical health needs.
这个运动会也指出了重要的健康需求。
Studies have shown that, on average, men with intellectual disabilities die 13 years younger than men without,
研究表明，平均来看，智力缺陷的男人比没有智力缺陷的男人要少活13年，
and women with intellectual disabilities die 20 years younger than women without.
而智力缺陷的女人比没有智力缺陷的女人要少活20年。

Special Olympics keeps us healthy by getting us active and participating in sport.
特殊奥林匹克运动会让我们保持健康，让我们主动地参与到运动中来。
Also, our coaches teach us about nutrition and health.
我们的教练也教会我们营养与健康。
Special Olympics also provides free health screening for athletes who have difficulty communicating with their doctor or accessing health care.
特殊奥林匹克运动会也会提供免费的健康体检，给那些和他们的医生沟通有困难的运动员，或者是难以得到健康关注的运动员。
At the 2015 World Summer Games, my Team Canada teammates and I played the Nigerian basketball team.
在2015年的夏季特殊奥林匹克运动会，我的加拿大队的队员和我一起对阵尼日利亚篮球队。
The day before our game, the Nigerian basketball team went to the World Games Healthy Athlete screening,
比赛的前一天，尼日利亚篮球队队员参加了运动会的健康系统体检，
where seven of 10 members were given hearing aids for free and got to hear clearly for the first time.
10名队员中的7名得到了免费的助听器，人生第一次听得更清楚。
The change in them was amazing. They were more excited, happy and confident, because their coach could vocally communicate with them.
给他们带来的变化是很惊人的。他们更加兴奋，开心，自信，因为他们的教练终于能用语言和他们交流了。
And they were emotional because they could hear the sounds of the basketball,
他们非常容易激动，因为他们能听到篮球的声音了，
the sounds of the whistle and the cheering fans in the stands -- sounds that we take for granted.
哨子的声音，还有站在旁边的粉丝的欢呼声，那些我们认为理所应当存在的声音。
Special Olympics is transforming more than just the athlete in their sport.
特殊奥林匹克运动会不单在运动员的体育方面改变他们。
Special Olympics is transforming their lives off the field.
它同时也在运动员的生活方面改变他们。
This year, research findings showed that nearly half of the adults in the US don't know a single person with an intellectual disability,
今年，研究表明，在美国接近半数的成年人对于智力缺陷的人一个也不认识，
and the 44 percent of Americans who don't have personal contact with intellectual disabilities are significantly less accepting and positive.
44%的没有与智力缺陷的人，接触的美国人明显的更不宽容，态度更不积极。
Then there's the r-word, proving that people with intellectual disabilities are still invisible to far too many people.
然后带“傻”字的词，证明了智力缺陷的人依旧被视而不见，感觉与世隔绝。
People use it as a casual term or an insult.
人们用这个词，要么随口说说，要么骂人。
It was tweeted more than nine million times last year,
去年在推特上，这个词被用了超过九百万次，
and it is deeply hurtful to me and my four and a half million fellow athletes around the planet.
这深深伤害到了我，以及这个世界上四百五十万运动员同伴。
People don't think it's insulting, but it is.
人们不觉得这是在骂人，但它确实是。
As my fellow athlete and global messenger John Franklin Stephens wrote in an open letter to a political pundit who used the r-word as an insult,
我的运动员同伴，也是全球信使，富兰克林·史蒂芬斯，他给一个曾用“傻”词来骂人的政治评论家写了一封信，
"Come join us someday at Special Olympics. See if you walk away with your heart unchanged."
“找一天来看特殊奥林匹克运动会吧，看在你离开的时候，是否仍想法不变。”
This year, at the 2015 World Summer Games, people lined up for hours to get into the final night of powerlifting competition.
今年，在2015年夏季特殊奥林匹克运动会，人们排了好几小时队，就是为了看最后一晚的举重比赛。
So it was standing room only when my teammate Jackie Barrett, the Newfoundland Moose,
当我的队友杰基·巴雷特上场时，人们都站了起来，他被称为纽芬兰驼鹿，
deadlifted 655 pounds and lifted 611 pounds in the squat -- setting huge new records for Special Olympics.
他硬拉起来665磅，并且蹲起举起了611磅，为特殊奥林匹克运动会传下了多项新纪录。
Jackie is a record holder among all powerlifters in Newfoundland -- not just Special Olympics, all powerlifters.
杰基是纽芬兰举重选手中的记录保持者，不仅仅是特殊奥林匹克运动会，而是全部举重选手。
Jackie was a huge star in LA, and ESPN live-tweeted his record-breaking lifts and were wowed by his performance.
杰基现在在洛杉矶算是大明星了，ESPN也实时发了关于他打破举重记录的推特，并且为他的表现而震惊。
Fifty years ago, few imagined individuals with intellectual disabilities could do anything like that.
50年前，几乎没人可以想象智力缺陷的人可以做到这样。
This year, 60,000 spectators filled the famous LA Memorial Coliseum
今年，六万观众填满了著名的洛杉矶纪念体育馆，
to watch the opening ceremonies of World Games and cheer athletes from 165 countries around the world.
观看了比赛的开幕式，也为来自世界165个国家的运动员喝彩。
Far from being hidden away, we were cheered and celebrated.
我们受到祝贺和欢呼，而不再是被掩藏起来。
Special Olympics teaches athletes to be confident and proud of themselves.
特殊奥林匹克运动会教会运动员们更加自信，更加以己为豪。
Special Olympics teaches the world that people with intellectual disabilities deserve respect and inclusion.
特殊奥林匹克运动会也教会这个世界，有智力缺陷的人，也值得被尊重、被包含。
Now, I have dreams and achievements in my sport, great coaches, respect and dignity, better health,
现在，我在我的运动事业里，有梦想也有成就，有良好的培训，得到尊重，生活更加健康，
and I am pursuing a career as a personal trainer.
然后我也在努力往私人教练的事业前进。
I am no longer hidden, bullied and I am here doing a TED Talk.
我不再被掩藏，被欺凌，我在TED这里在做TED Talk。
The world is a different place because of Special Olympics, but there is still farther to go.
有了特殊奥林匹克运动会，这个世界变得不一样，但还有很长一段路要走。
So the next time you see someone with an intellectual disability, I hope you will see their ability.
所以下一次当你再看到智力缺陷的人，我希望你们能看到他们的潜力。
The next time someone uses the r-word near you, I hope you will tell them how much it hurts.
下次有人在你身边用“傻”这个词，我希望你告诉他们这个词都多伤人。
I hope you will think about getting involved with Special Olympics.
我希望你们会希望看一场特殊奥林匹克运动会。
I would like to leave you with one final thought. Nelson Mandela said, "Sports has the power to change the world."
我最后再跟大家分享一个想法。尼尔森·曼德拉说过，“体育有改变世界的能力。”
Special Olympics is changing the world by transforming four and a half million athletes and giving us a place to be confident,
特殊奥林匹克运动会正在改变世界，在改变四百五十万运动员，给了我们一席之地，让我们变得自信，
meet friends, not be judged and get to feel like and be champions. Thank you very much.
认识朋友，不被歧视，也能体验当一回冠军。谢谢大家！