The Star R. AGE Zoom Party with UNICEF Malaysia (14/12/2020)

 The final Zoom party of the year with #StandTogether kindness campaign by R. AGE is here! After a week meeting Selangor royalty - Tengku Zatasah, the princess of Selangor and Arwind Kumar, it's the moment that everyone is waiting for meeting the people from UNICEF Malaysia! I'm on my way up from Melaka to Selangor for a short stay, and it's a bumpy ride. "Katelyn, I hope you are not driving," Ian is concerned about my safety, "I'm fine, I'm in the backseat of the car for now," I say. 

Dr Rashed - the representative for UNICEF Malaysia, alongside our national ambassador Kak Lisa Surihani and youth advocate Ismail Izzani are on board the party! I'm really star-struck to see Dr Rashed virtually, hopefully, to see him physically in person. What does it take for us to be a kindness leader in big organisations such as UNICEF, Dr Rashed says: "Your kindness and empathy have to empower others," which is true! If we don't take that first step of kindness and empathy, how are we gonna empower the people around us? 

I have reached my destination, still attending the Zoom party in the car. As it was mentioned earlier, a bumpy ride along the way, it's hard for me to type the questions out. Luckily, during the second half of the party time, manage to settle down with a proper table and chair. I wanted to ask the questions, unfortunately, it's the end of the party. It's okay, at least got to meet the three important people from UNICEF Malaysia. 

"I hope Katelyn is fine because she was in the car all the way," says Kak Lisa before leaving the call, I told her that I'm on a short cuti-cuti Malaysia with my parents and younger sibling for a week in Selangor. "Oh, that's good!" she says. We did ask the R. AGE team on how to get into UNICEF Malaysia's initiatives. "Joining the kindness campaign is part of UNICEF Malaysia's work because they are collaborating with us," says Ian. 

Thank you R. AGE team for the final party of the year! I'm going to continue to spread kindness and empathy around me. Hope there is a physical event next year! Kindness leaders, remember to always have courage and be kind. 

The Star R. AGE Stand Together Zoom Party with Arwind Kumar and Tengku Zatasah (7/12/2020)

 After meeting national gymnast Farah Ann and MMA fighter Ann Osman at my first Zoom party. This time it's with Tengku Zatasah Idris - the Princess of Selangor and Arwind Kumar, better known as Mak Cik Roastmah. Logging into the Zoom party, kindness leaders are taking their places to wait for the party to start. To get in the Christmas season, a red hairband is a perfect accessory to get into the festive season. 

When Ian announces the arrival of our first guest - Tengku Zatasah, the kindness leaders are so star struck. It's every girl's dream to meet a real-life princess! Arwind hops on after that and without further ado, let the party begin! As with my first zoom party, a simple breathing exercise is conducted for everyone to relax. 

The real fun is playing one of my favourite games is Would You Rather? One part of the question is would you rather seek advice from our friends or parents? This is a tough question. I choose neither because I would always go to my grandparents whenever I needed advice. I would go to my friends, especially my seniors in high school and university, and my peers who would understand the challenges that I'm going through. As for the past and future self, I choose my past because I would tell the Katelyn in the past to not do this and would regret for the rest of her life. If I could, I would tell my three-year-old self is to not let my parents to not proceed with the physiotherapy therapy treatment, it was a nightmare for a couple of years. 

Tengku Zatasah shares about her experience while she was studying in the UK, it was a painful experience. It reminds me of the times in high school where I would be left behind during PJ (physical education) in class due to my Cerebral Palsy because the teacher would give me the reason that they didn't want to be responsible if anything happens to me. Can we just include all students no matter they are disabled or not? We need more empathy and kindness, be more inclusive. 

Arwind also shares his experiences on how did the MCR impersonation come up, it did receive a lot of backlashes but slowly people are accepting as it progresses, some might not. Not all people can accept when we want to come up with something. During my first year in university, I wanted to raise awareness of mental health among my course mates but I ended up in the wrong place. Luckily, I have Model United Nations (MUN) acts as a platform to voice out the causes I'm championing. 

During the Q & A session, I ask Tengku Zatasah and Arwind how they use their popularity to spread kindness and empathy around them? They said we don't need a title or being popular to spread kindness and empathy, we could do it by starting from ourselves, people will tend to follow after that if we take that baby step. A group photo is taken at the end of the party. Thank you #StandTogether team for organising and can't wait for the next and final #StandTogether Zoom party. 

What would you do to spread kindness and empathy around you? 

#StandTogether Zoom Party with Tengku Zatasah and Arwind Kumar