Conference assists Warria in taking step toward change

by Ellysa Gonzalez, Associate Editor

Intercontinental connection. 

That is the goal of the Clinton Global Initiative organization, which was held April 16 through April 18 in Florida and attended by more than 1,000 students and 100 college and university presidents from all over the world, along with other notable socialites.  One of those students was Teddy Warria, a sophomore pre-medicine major from South Plains College.

The meeting was held at the University of Miami in Coral Gables.  Many entrepreneurs gathered to share their ideas and start setting them in motion.  The shared common goal is making a difference in the world.

“The conference takes in students who have committed to take some action solving problems,” Warria says.  “They help you with the ‘how.’  How can we solve the problem?  They connect you with the right people.  They connect you with people who believe.”

One of the main concerns is making sure people have their basic needs taken care of.  There are five Global Challenge areas that attendees of the CGI U look to solve.  Those areas include: education, environment & climate change, peace & human rights, poverty alleviation, and public health. 

“One of the goals is making sure that people who don’t have access to the basic needs always have access and use,” Warria says.  “We need to be our brother’s keeper to the best of our ability, to move the world into a more equitable direction economically.” 

The availability of resources is what makes this task more challenging.  CGI U attendees come together to find ways to overcome this issue.  The conference gives them the opportunity to share resources with each other, if possible.

“Intelligence is evenly distributed around the world,” Warria says.  “But resources are not.”

To attend a conference, all one has to have is a commitment and a plan of action to help fix a global issue.  This year, Warria’s commitment was promoting economic development through patient capital, social entrepreneurship, and the Acumen Fund.  Warria says that to be able to attend a conference, one has to make reservations ahead of time.

“You have to apply for it,” Warria says.  “You don’t pay anything to attend the conference, but  for the second trip, I paid for the airline ticket.”

This was the Nairobi native’s second time to attend the conference.  His first conference was the CGI U 2009 meeting in Austin, Texas.  Warria says that one of his more memorable experiences of the conference was meeting former President Bill Clinton, and actor Matthew McConaughey.

“My first conference that I went to last year was very meaningful because the book we are writing, ‘Common Vocabulary,’ was being presented by CGI U,” Warria says.  “Matthew McConaughey said he thought that idea was incredible.”

He says the other thing he enjoys about attending the conference is meeting other students from all over the world.  He likes the idea of an interconnected global atmosphere.

“We are trying to make a world where each child of every race and every nation can come together and change the world with the talents that God gave them,” Warria says.  “Students and leaders from college campuses who pledge themselves to change the world by using their God-given abilities.” 

Warria says the meeting taught him that intelligence is not the only thing needed to make a change.  To make a change, one has to take action, even if the action is not seemingly related to their cause.  Warria says that the CGI U conference measures the commitment that has been made toward an entrepreneur’s cause. 

“It taught me volunteer work is good,” Warria says.  “A lot of people have forgotten the meaning of ‘work’ in volunteer work.”

Warria is passionate about his cause and strives to reach his goal.  He says that he knows his earthly purpose and will stop at nothing to reach it because everyone is equal.

“I believe I was born to help bridge the gap between the rich and poor in an interconnected world through entrepreneurship,” Warria says.  “I want to reach that goal.  That’s why they invited me, so they can help me reach that goal.”

He says that one of the forces that drives him is an old African philosophy.

“I am my brother’s keeper,” Warria says.  “I believe in the African philosophy which means, ‘I am, because you are.’  We are all equal under the eyes of God.”