"Who is to blame?" Gustavo Guevara asks an audience that listens with fascination. He has already listed several of Mexico's major problems, and now he wants to put his finger on the wound. The audience falls silent, but Gustavo reads many of their thoughts: "The president," he says with a hint of irony. Then he clarifies that no, each individual is responsible for what happens in the world.
Gustavo Guevara is a 27-year-old Mexican man who suffers from a condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta. This condition makes his bones as fragile as glass. Gustavo fractures with the slightest blow or fall. This has happened to him 70 times in his life. He has to get around in a wheelchair because his limbs cannot bear his body weight.
Five years ago, Gustavo made one of the biggest decisions of his life: he would stop complaining. He was tired of asking himself, "Why me?" Nothing was easy for him, going from one doctor to another, from one hospital to another, with no hope of recovery.
So one day, he decided to stop suffering. Instead of being a spectator of his own pain, he would become an agent of change for everyone. Since then, he has traveled throughout Mexico raising awareness to end discrimination against people with disabilities, who would be better known as "people with special abilities."
We accept the truths without digesting them.
In one of his speeches, Gustavo began by questioning popular beliefs. “What is the color pink associated with?” he asked. From the audience, timid voices could be heard: “Girls.” “Love.” “Roses.” “Breast cancer.”
After hearing several answers, Gustavo brought up a historical fact that not many people know. Several centuries ago, when monarchies ruled the world, red was the color of royalty par excellence. This was because the shade was very difficult to obtain, and therefore only those in royal circles had access to it. The king's son, being the prince, was not supposed to wear red, but pink.
The intention in telling this story was none other than to show conclusive proof of a misunderstanding. Many people attribute meaning to reality because they've heard it from others and been told it since childhood. However, they are mistaken. They don't realize this because, instead of digesting this information, they simply assume it is true. And that's it.
A harsh reality
During his speeches, Gustavo Guevara also addresses the Mexican reality, which is not far removed from that of other Latin American countries. He points out, for example, that the image of Mexicans is often associated with drunks, womanizers, talkative, and lazy individuals. This is supported by famous figures who have represented them, such as "Speedy Gonzales" and others.
Likewise, the speaker offers a series of shocking data. Mexico ranks first in the world in childhood obesity and second in adult obesity. It ranks first internationally in bullying. It leads in teenage pregnancies. It ranks first in workplace stress. 14% of children do not attend school. Nearly 30% of children under 14 work. 71% of men and 65% of women have been abused. More than 50,000 children are involved in organized crime. There are 20,000 who are sexually exploited, and more than 80,000 used in pornography…
Gustavo points out that, in the face of this, many people simply claim they are not the cause of these problems and that they are not involved in illegal activities. However, he clarifies, they also do nothing to solve the serious problems facing their society.
The light at the end of the tunnel is in each one of us.
One of the most interesting facts Gustavo Guevara provides is that Mexicans refuse to take the initiative for three reasons: fear of being rejected or ignored, fear of failure, or because they don't want to end up being the only ones working to solve problems.
Faced with this situation, Gustavo's conclusion is that a revolution in people's minds is needed. Not expressed in a tweet or a Facebook post, but in actions. Everyone must understand that their individual contribution is needed to solve collective problems. If others are well, the individual will be well too.
The light at the end of the tunnel appears when people stop questioning and instead act. The greatest crisis is mental. People don't think, they don't question, they simply accept reality as it is, without designing paths to building a better world.
Do you know what a person with a disability's daily life is like? We'll tell you the harsh truth in this humorous article. Check it out here.
