“Brave Starts Here”: Talking about Lizzie Velazquez

Lizzie Velazquez was born blind in one eye and with a rare syndrome that does not allow her to gain weight. Once called “The world’s ugliest woman,” on social media, she has turned her negatives into positives, written three books, graduated from college, and become a beloved and sought after motivational speaker. We invite you to watch her Ted Talk as a family, and then choose from the conversation starters below to talk about bullying, bravery, beauty, and more.

 

Do you think Lizzie is a brave woman? Why or why not?

 

How do you define bravery? Can you give an example of a person you know who you think is brave? Why?

 

What is your first reaction to seeing Lizzie? Does your reaction change as you listen to her story? If yes, how?

 

Lizzie turns her negatives into positives. For instance, she talks about the “benefits” of being visually impaired and of being small. Are there any negatives you think about yourself that you can turn upside down, into positives?

 

Why do you think people bully other people?

 

Despite being called “The World’s Ugliest Woman” and “a monster” on social media by people she didn’t even know, Lizzie eventually decided that she would not let her appearance define her as a person. “You decide what defines you,” she says in the video. What do you think defines you as a person?

 

Define beauty. What do you think makes someone beautiful?