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Mackenzie's speech:
My name is Mackenzie, and I am so beyond thankful to be able to stand here today to advocate for what change is needed, especially as someone who has seen firsthand how substances and addiction can ruin lives, in particular the youth I surround myself with. The theme, Read the Fine Print, is not only addressing physical labels, but the secrets hidden behind every product they sell, every dollar they make, and the momentary joy people gain from “trying something new”. The secrets address it all except the addiction that's connected to the money they make, the people fighting to try and rid the disease that once was “a quick high”, or the teenagers who are negotiating prices to calm their stress.
As I stated before, I have witnessed addiction firsthand in so many people. Today I decided to tell you about my oldest sister, the strongest person I know, who never chose addiction, but addiction chose her.
My sister was always a leader, someone who motivated everyone, and believed in making a change when it came to people around her. She fought for people, no matter who you were or what was happening, my sister would drop it all for you. Anyone who knows her will tell you she's inspiring, hardworking, and fierce. Growing up she was mature, smart, and always doubtful of people's true intentions, she played it safe. I see these all as admirable traits, something my siblings looked up to, she was the person I wanted to be, the person I idolized. At the time she was against drug and alcohol consumption, because just like me she had seen people in her school, her family, and her community infected by the illness of addiction. My sister would always tell me and my siblings to be ourselves, don’t follow in the footsteps of the people we have watched go down the rabbit hole, and her famous quote “Be the change Mackenzie”.
When my sister was beginning High School we lived in a small town, every face was imprinted in our minds, and nobody was unknown ever, until she began making new friends from the town over. Once you reach high school people stop wondering who did what, they care about who snuck their parents liquor for the party, and who brought something to smoke. At the beginning of Sophomore year she was normal, a little anxious, but overall fine, until she wasn’t. One day in the bathrooms she was offered a vape, just something to try once, but it had an interesting flavor name, and they were her friends, so in her head she was safe. The second she allowed herself to try it, the second she gave up her control, was also the second she lost herself, the second I lost her, and she never was the same.
From that day forward she became someone different, sometimes she had her good moments, but other times she was moody, aggressive, angry, and always felt alone. Even the days I fought to be there for her, be her little sister again, play around with her, she looked me in the eyes as if I was nothing to her. As high school went on all of her paychecks would go by quickly, not because she was buying necessities, but because her friend had new flavors available. A vape slowly turned into more, something new, something extreme, something “exciting”. We eventually moved to the big city of Cedar Rapids, but for her this was just easier access. The people she surrounded herself with gave her almost everything you can think of, there were no limits. The girl I knew, the girl I grew up with, my inspiration, all gone, all because of one moment when she was 15, because one of her friends purchased a singular vape. For five years I watched my sister spend every dollar she could get, on something to feed the addiction. My sister never checked what was in that vape, or what was in the next “trendy” substance, or the next, and so on.
She lost years off of her life, as well as hundreds and thousands of dollars that benefited companies who never learned her name, never would have cared. They had no desire to know anything about her once she had consumed their product, all they knew was that they would make money off of a scared teenage girl, who felt like all she had was her addiction. In the end she was getting worse, farther in the deep end, so we told her that we were terrified the next time we would see her it would be in a body bag, and from that day forward she has been recovering. My sister almost died, and we will never know how close that day really was, but all we do know is that these businesses didn’t bat an eye, they had no worry about their customers. No second thought about the effect their products can have on lives, on families, on friends.
I am sharing this story not to scare people, but to push for the change, share the truth of what they hide from you, and for others to Read the Fine Print. I might not have been able to save her before it began, but now is the time we all can help others to avoid the disease, to focus on altering the communities we live in, there is no better time to start except now.
We are here to prove that we can be the change, to prove the companies will not be able to overtake us, our lives, our futures, our health. Collectively we will not allow ourselves to refuse working for change, because like my sister preached, I will be the change, and I truly encourage you all to be the change as well, because we are more than the money they see us as, we are much more than a profit.
It is left up to us to advocate for everything my sister, and so many others fought against, because we will start to benefit others by fighting. We can make a difference, and I know we will. I truly believe that we will be the individuals that shed light on these companies' truths, and we will save lives, not corporations.
Thank you.
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