I grew up in a broken family. My mom had to go through several divorces, and we even experienced domestic violence. My grandfather was a good man, but he died of a stroke because of his cigarette addiction. Smoking and harassing women might be part of being a “manly man,” but I never fit the stereotype. I also never fit in with the concept of a complete nuclear family, so I used to feel my life was imperfect.
I could have stayed a victim and be a shy boy. But I dared to dream.
I chose to face my flaws and turn them into my dream of creating a world of justice for all. In that world, all people are valued, and health is a right for everyone, not a privilege. Children can grow up healthy, women are safe from discrimination, everyone has their own voice, and the government works for everyone—not just the 1% of the world.
To make this world a reality, I joined many social movements since high school. In 2015, I initiated youth movement for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to support the control of tobacco. The tobacco issue is not only about how harmful smoking is to your health. In Indonesia, many kids are exploited by the tobacco industry to be smokers, to advertise their cigarettes, and to work in tobacco farms. Knowing this, I started Emancipate Indonesia to address this problem of modern slavery and gather solidarity from young Indonesian workers to unionize.
At the age of 24, I became a One Young World Ambassador and spoke in front of audiences from all over the world. It felt unreal when I knew Terry Crews, the Hollywood actor and #MeToo activist, would be on stage with me! Before my speech, Terry said to me, “You are on the right side of history.” Then I remembered the moments when I was bullied for my imperfections, when I wanted to give up but didn’t, and I realized that in the end, it’s all worth it.
When I accepted the imperfections in my life, I learned lessons and found my dream. My mom, who had to be both the breadwinner and the nurturer of our family, taught me that it is important to not only dream, but also take action. Dreams inspire us to look at what hasn’t been done, and actions show us what can be done. But we will never reach the end. Focus on the process, and we shall shape our dreams and actions for the better.
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