Niceties Issue One

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Iʼm often the earliest to arrive at meetings, so itʼs FROM THE
not unusual for me to grab a cuppa at a Starbucks
or Gloria Jeans and one of those free magazines EDITOR’S DESK
to read as I wait for my friends.
Iʼm sure you know which free magazines Iʼm

referring to. Theyʼre heavy on pictures and ads,
and content-lite. Lots of clubbing photos, fashion
spreads make up the publication that few will
spend more than 5 seconds per page.
GET
Not that I have anything against these kinds of
rags, but I often wish that thereʼs something more
substantial. Something that triggers thought, but at
CONNECTED
the same time not too erudite that it becomes too
burdensome for a teatime read. Amy Walker from Seattle would concur. After all,
sheʼs doing all she can to connect people from
NICETIES tries to fill the gap. Weʼre a free various nationalities through a film, aptly named
publication with a clear focus: to encourage the Connected.
youth to serve their community.
Human connection is also the fuel which drives
How do we do that? To be honest, weʼre not sure Simin, our third profile. In fact her entire campaign
ourselves. But weʼre doing our homework. Weʼve can be distilled into a word we often say too many
connected with friends to find role models within times without any true meaning- hello. Read her
our demographic to share their stories. Hopefully story to find out what I mean.
youʼll find them as inspiring as we do.
We are also proud of our editorial quality. All thirty-
The theme for our inaugural issue is GET two pages of Niceties are written by four people.
CONNECTED, because thatʼs the first step Each article is carefully thought through and
everyone must take. To make an informed researched by its writer.
decision, we must first be in the know. Thatʼs what
this issue is about: an introduction to what may Our two columnists are people unafraid to voice
seem like the alien domian of community their thoughts. Whether itʼs about joining a cause
involvement. on FACEBOOK or achieving greatness, Iʼm sure
youʼll agree that they each bring something unique
Our profiles today get that. Steven Chia, whom Iʼm to the table.
sure you recognise as Prime Time Morningʼs host,
is our cover story this quarter. He tells me that We have partnered with Care Corner Singapore for
youʼre always only part of something because our IN SESSION section, where a full-time
someone has brought you there. counsellor dispenses advice anyone can use. We
hope you find it useful.
So with that I present to you Niceties, your

connection to the world of community involvement.
We trust youʼll like it as much as we do. NICETIES
2 | NICETIES | donicethings.org
CONTENTS
EVENTS
3 HINDSIGHT
-a look back at completed social projects
UPCOMING
-Ready, set? PARTY!!!!
FEATURES
29
PEOPLE
10
-EU SIMIN: She may only be 21, but this bona
fide life coach is determined to make the
world a better place.
18
-STEVEN CHIA: One part news anchor; one
part philanthropist, full time father.
24
-AMY WALKER: The Seattle actress is giving
you and I the opportunity to be a movie
director.
TREND
-SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURISM. Don’t know what
that means? No worries, we’ll tell you.
VOXPOP
8
23 -NICETIES finds out that despite CIP, we are
not more involved.
ORGANISATION
9
-YMCA. Find out more about the organisation
which inspired the song.
COLUMNS IN SESSION
7 TSE HAO GUANG

-So what if you’re nice? That’s not enough.
28
I DON’T HAVE A LIFE!
-Jean Chen, our counsellor, explores what it
means to live.
17
DARYL GOH
- Niceness vs Greatness BACK COVER
WE ARE DONICETHINGS.ORG
-Our parent organisation is always watching
our back.
donicethings.org | NICETIES | 3
HINDSIGHT Niceties revisits some social projects
DoNiceThings.ORG has been involved since our birth.
GOODIE
BAG
PACKING
JANUARY
Chinese New Year is a season of
festivities: bakwas, sweets, and
mandarin oranges are must haves!
However, not everybody can afford to
a feast worthy of the season.
So on 9 and 10 Jan. 2009, DNT played

a part in fulfilling that dream.
Volunteers sourced by DNT helped to
pack goodie bags in Henderson
Community Centre for the
underprivileged.
text TSE HAO GUANG
CNY
@
Sri Narayanan
FEBRUARY
The Sri Narayanan Mission Home for

the Aged Sick held its annual CNY
celebrations on 7 Feb 2009 with a
carnival for its residents.
DNT was on site to help, contributing

over 30 volunteers to man game stalls,
guide residents and decorate the area.
The event was a success and
everyone, both resident and volunteer,
enjoyed himself immensely.
Project
Daybreak
Mercy Relief
MAY
DNT helped sourced for volunteers in
aid of Project Daybreakʼs Mercy Relief
Newspaper and Clothes Collection
Drive on 2 May 2009.
The Day Breakers and over 200

volunteers turned up, and over 2
sessions filled up 10 truckloads of
recyclables.
Hello
Campaign
APRIL
More than 500 volunteers turned up on

11 April, 2009 and took to the streets
with the Hello Campaign. Greeting
random passers-by all along Orchard
Road with warm smiles and cheerful
hellos, volunteers tried to encourage
the man on the street to open up and
spread some cheer. While reserved at
first, the unwitting public eventually
warmed to the joie de vivre of the
campaigners.
A FACEBOOK SOCIAL GRAPH
tracks connections between you
and your friends. More lines
may mean that you are nicer
than someone who has fewer,
but that doesnʼt matter if you
donʼt help others.
COLUMN
BEING NICE ISN T ENOUGH

text TSE HAO GUANG
The world marches to the beat of progress, and this is usually a good thing. Advances
in transport and technology have made selflessness almost effortless. Now, any
philanthropist can wire funds to social advancement groups halfway across the world
in an instant. Students looking for ways to contribute can login to internet portals that
host community involvement projects.
While this may look super on paper, the ease at which fight poverty and hunger.
we can do good looks set to breed a new generation For those who recycle
of people who care, but it is not enough to make a real and drive electric cars, or
difference. As green issues become more and more perhaps lobby for
fashionable, being perceived as socially responsible is progressive taxes, it’s a
similarly in vogue. Sadly, many who jump on the great way to spread the
bandwagon are only superficially committed to their word. For those who
good causes. Simply being nice isn’t enough these don’t even turn off the
days. water while brushing their
teeth, well, their couch
Community Service Vacations activism simply cheapens
the efforts of those who
Take Overseas Community Involvement are truly on fire for a
Projects (OCIPs). Lots of schools encourage their better world.
students to take part in them, and usually subsidize
volunteers. The combination of an exotic holiday At the click of the mouse, we can I should be more positive.
during school hours, cheap airfare, and friends for show the online world how The hordes of members
company is something even travel agencies cannot against global warming we o n D N T ’s F a c e b o o k
compete with. Wait, wasn’t helping others supposed Group can’t all be just for
to be the whole idea? are ... ... couch activism simply show. I’m sure many want
cheapens the efforts of those to contribute, but don’t
Another hidden pitfall of OCIP is the ephemerality of it who are truly on fire for a better know how. If you are one
all. Most volunteers go off for two weeks, build a toilet world. of these people, just email
in Cambodia, and come back with lots of pictures. And
that’s it. The grateful Cambodians will never see their
friends from Singapore ever again, and next year a
new set of faces, DSLR cameras in tow, will come and haoguang@donicethings.org and I will put you to work.
build another toilet. Prove me wrong!
Yes, yes, OCIP does do good. The Cambodians definitely The Bottom Line
need their toilets. I have no doubt that they enjoy the
company of the Singaporean visitors and vice versa. But The fact is that we are not realising the full
they need more. They need people genuinely concerned potential of our tools. Despite falling airfares and the
for their long term well-being, who are willing to be more proliferation of social networks, we remain half-assed
than nice. The same goes with any form of community about actually doing something to change the lives of
service really. How much is done because it is convenient those that need help.
and fun? Because it fills up a required quota?
It can’t be that we lack the resources or are too young.
Click For A Cause Look at William Kamkwamba from Malawi. When he was
14, he used junk and scrap material to build a windmill to
If there is something I dislike even more than provide electricity for his family. And he learned how
recreational CIP, it is the recent phenomenon of joining through reading books at his local library. He has since
community service groups on Facebook. I’m talking about gone on to build windmills all across his country. His
you! The thousand over people who accepted a request book, The Boy who Harnessed the Wind, comes out at
to join the DoNiceThings Facebook group. I’m sure many the end of September.
support DNT passively. But what DNT and other such
groups need is active support. Without it, all Nope, we lack for nothing except the drive and the guts.
Ultimately, instead of changing society, we are too
the good intentions and internet lobbying are for nothing. I concerned with trying to fit into it. Instead of looking to do
wonder how many people joined the group mindlessly. It real good, we satisfy our consciences by merely fulfilling
can’t hurt, right? And besides, it’s for a good cause... CIP quotas. It’s not easy to break out of the comfortable
boundaries of being nice. I gotta admit though, as a writer
There’s even a Facebook application called ‘Causes’. At I’m probably not doing enough either.
the click of a mouse, we can show the online world how
against global warming we are, and how much we want to Time to stop typing and start doing!NICETIES
TREND
A new direction in
community involvement...
SOCIAL
ENTREPRENEURISM
text JASON LI
The term was coined in the 1950s but today, social entrepreneurism
seems to be the way to go when it comes to social work and charity.
Microsoft legend Bill Gates and eBay founder Pierre Omidyar have been
lauded as social entrepreneurs when they channelled millions of their
companiesʼ profits into bettering the lives of the underprivileged. Steve Jobs,
who brought us the iPod, has been condemned for giving a grand total of 0%
of his wealth to charity.
Itʼs also the main reason why Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank
which provides small loans to budding entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for
bank loans, won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.
In Singapore, Citibank and the YMCA are hoping to inject some social
entrepreneurism into the blood-streams of social work and volunteerism here
with Youth for Causes.
With all the rage over social entrepreneurism, NICETIES gives you the low
down on what the term means.
What is Social Entrepreneurism?
According to Wikipedia, social entrepreneurs are people who recognise social

problems and use entrepreneurial principles to organise, create, and manage
a venture to make social change. So positive impact, not profit, is key. That
said, not all of them are non-profits. Many prefer the term ʻmore-than-profitʼ,
and blend profit-making and social change when they operate.
How did Social Entrepreneurism come about?
Although the phrase is only about half-a-century old, historians have pointed
to figures from the past as social entrepreneurs. Take Florence Nightingale for
example; she revolutionised the entire medical industry with her modern
nursing practices when she started the worldʼs first nursing school.
We have to find a way to make the aspects of capitalism that
How can I be part of this phenomenon?
serve wealthier people serve poorer people as well.
Itʼs not that difficult. If youʼre the boss, you can start small: ensure that all the - Bill Gates
waste paper go to the recycling plant, not down the rubbish chute for instance.
Or give a percentage of your profit to a charity of your choice. Starbucks often
gives a penny or two per cup sold to poor kids in Africa.
If youʼre a youth who wants in on the action, thatʼs not a problem too.
Consider being part of the Citibank-YMCA joint project, Youth for Causes.
They give seed money to viable projects and provide mentoring to sharpen
your skills as both entrepreneurs and do-gooders. NICETIES
ORGANISATION
YM The Young Menʼs Christian Association (YMCA) was

founded in London at the height of the Industrial
Revolution in 1844. George Williams, a draperʼs
clerk, was horrified at the poor living conditions
CA
that he and his contemporaries had to endure.
Together with other young drapers, he formed the
YMCA to help other young men preserve their moral
integrity.
text TSE HAO GUANG
The YMCAʼs Board of

Today, the YMCA has established itself in over 120 countries and has a total of 45 Directors
million members. The Singapore chapter of the Association was inaugurated in
1902. During World War II, the YMCA building at Stamford Road was famously
taken over by the Kempeitai and used as its Singapore headquarters. The
National Heritage Board has since declared the building a World War II Heritage
Site.
The torture and bloodshed of the past has since given way to community building
and enrichment. In fact, after the war another branch of the YMCA was formed to
cater to Chinese speaking youths who could not identify with the ʻEnglishʼ
organisation. Today, the Metropolitan YMCA continues to reach out to the
Chinese speaking population.
The YMCA is a pretty all-encompassing organisation with a multitude of initiatives

geared specifically to different parts of the community.
The YMCA-Tan Chin Tuan Community Service Programmes help to enrich the
lives of the physically and mentally challenged, while the YMCA Financial
Assistance cum Capability for Employment Scheme provides financial aid,
employment training and work attachments at YMCA for those in need.
Youths are not left out, either. Uni-Y is YMCAʼs effort to engage university-level
youths and facilitate their development. Currently, it has a presence in SMU and
NUS, but plans are afoot to set up a branch in NTU and extend its scope to the
Junior College level with Hi-Y (High School YMCA).
PEOPLE
the
rose
thorns has
text JASON LI
When you meet her for the first

time, Eu Simin strikes you as little
more than a pretty girl. Her petite
frame (she’s 1.6 m at her maximum
with 4-inch stilts) and easy smile
(two dimples flank it) belie her
energetic passion, which only
indicator are her incandescent eyes
that accompany a firm handshake.
She had just finished psyching up her 500 troops for
the Hello Campaign when I first met her. The event saw
these volunteers lined up along the Orchard stretch
saying “Hello” to the Saturday shoppers. It is part of a
bigger strategy to encourage Singaporeans to be
friendlier and increase pledges for the Singapore
Kindness Movement.
Simin reminded me of a worker bee as she flitted --in

her yellow SKM tee and her black hair loosely bundled
into a chignon-- from point to point to manage her
volunteers. Most of them tower over her. If sheʼs fazed,
it certainly doesnʼt show. She exudes a confidence
thatʼs somewhat incongruous with her build.
I managed a short chat with her but sheʼs obviously too
busy for anything more so we arranged a separate
interview for this profile.
--
The tête-à-tête takes place on a lazy Thursday
afternoon at an ice-cream parlour footsteps from where
the Hello Campaign was held. I am punctual, but sheʼs
early; I apologise for making her wait. Sheʼs smiling in
a diaphanous black dress, hair in a bun, more neatly
arranged now.
Even though Iʼm the interviewer, Simin shoots the first

questions in rapid-fire motion. “Whatʼs this for? Can
you tell me what your publication is about? When will it
be out? How long will it take?” she asks, barely giving
me enough time to answer between each query.
Sensing sheʼs one to cut to the chase, I plonked my
notebook down on the table to begin.
Innovative Community Service
Although sheʼs 21, Simin has three community
campaigns under her belt. Prior to spearheading the
Hello Campaign, she was integral in the Pick Me Up
and Health In Your Hand campaigns.
The 2008 Pick Me Up Campaign saw youths write an
anthology of their personal triumphs within 24 hours.
The final product was featured in the news media and
reached an international readership. Part of the
proceeds went to Make-A-Wish Foundations, which
fulfils dreams of terminally ill children.
The Health In Your Hands Campaign is another
innovative drive earlier this year to educate
Singaporeans on the benefits of hand reflexology.
Volunteers went around teaching the public simple
massages to relieve various minor ailments.
But the Hello Campaign is particularly special to Simin,
so much so that she calls it her “baby”. She birthed the
idea after a brainstorming session with her team and
personally sought out funds and official endorsement of
her plan.
While she was prepared to give as much as it took to

ensure the campaignʼs success, she admits to not
being totally prepared. She is piqued at the barrage of
prank calls sheʼs been receiving since the event; she
had listed her personal contact on the scores of
publicity flyers.
“There have been a lot of random calls and messages,”
she complains. “The most annoying are the times when
CONT>
PEOPLE
The Hello Team

LEFT: Simin with her volunteers.
Sheʼs the girl in the green dress.
RIGHT: Hello Campaign covered by local media
the callers donʼt even say anything.” She is considering not looked back and has “been working on [her]
getting a private number. evolutionary journey since.”
“My first thought was that the Hello Campaign must “I can say that a lot of areas in my life changed,” she
work. If that means giving my number, so be it. But it attests. “Social life has changed; relational life has
doesnʼt help that my number is so damn easy to changed; resource [management] has changed. The
remember.” three main areas of my life have changed.”
Not all people were as convinced as Simin was about

her strategy. On Helloʼs Facebook Eventʼs page, Dan She indulges in the moment as she shares about how
Dan wrote: “I think the middle-age group and the elderly her personal relationship with her mother has improved.
are very sceptical about talking to strangers. Almost Even though theyʼd always been close, Simin says that
thinking that every stranger must have a BAD motive for there was an invisible barrier between them they could
talking to them. :/” not cross.
Yang Ying expressed his scepticism more directly: “Middle-child syndrome,” jokes the second of three
“What difference can you make just by saying hello?” sisters, before turning serious.
Simin minces no words for such cynics. “Crudely, I “It might be culture,” she wonders aloud. “Asian families
would say that the Hello Campaign is for people like donʼt really share personal sensitive stuff with parents. I
that,” she retorts. This sort of irritation is one that Iʼve would put on a brave front when something happened.”
seen often: in people who do not suffer fools. You get a She added that what resulted was a lack of
sense that sheʼs certain of her convictions and understanding between mother and daughter.
sometimes fails to comprehend why not everyone
shares them. Coaching, she says, has helped overcome the gap
between the two. By improving her communication
“There are subsequent steps you need to take after skills, Simin realised that she can now click with her
saying hello,” she sighs, weary of this oft-asked mother at a “friend-friend” level. At a recent trip to the
question. “Hello is about about encouraging people to mall, they talked and joked (“I was joking that since my
take the first step, to initiate conversation. But you need mom knew me so well, she should match-make me so I
to follow through with that, because [a] relationship is donʼt have to be a nun.”) freely about Siminʼs
not a one-off thing.” relationship issues; something that hadnʼt happened
before.
Life Changes
In The Driverʼs Seat
Todayʼs Eu Simin tells me she wasnʼt always so
determined, certain and in charge. She describes her Coming a long way, Simin is now ECIʼs youngest life
former self as “an aimless pathetic woman”. Thatʼs just coach. She introduces me to Sabrina, whom she
three years ago. mentors. Sabrina, a designer, has a nice smile and
hides behind her bangs.
“I was idealistic, yes, but I didnʼt know how to get where
I wanted to,” she recalls. “But now, itʼs about making Even though Sabrina is three years older, Simin talks
what I want happen. And itʼs never about trying about her with mom-like pride: “She used to be so shy,
anymore; itʼs about making it happen no matter what.” but now she can say hello to anyone and strike a
conversation.” Sabrina blushes slightly, pleased with the
A “coaching program” marked the turning point in her compliment.
life. She registered for an Executive Coach International
(ECI) programme called The Courage to Change, which Itʼs Simin who steers the interviewʼs direction, deftly
she testifies for with an almost religious fervour. Sheʼs CONT>
PEOPLE
changing the topic when the questions become too

personal and calculating what anecdotes are safe to tell
(“must protect my familyʼs privacy.”) Sheʼs also quick to
correct my misperceptions, emphasising to me that
coaching and motivational programs are different, and
throws in jargon like “neuro-linguistic programmes” and
“grayline marketing”.
Sheʼs politically correct most of the time, although the

aforementioned mixed tone of irritation and resignation
sometimes seeps through, especially when she weighs in
on policy.
“Itʼs not about dangling a carrot in front of the students.

So what if thereʼs CIP hours? It doesnʼt make people feel
connected to the things they do,” she says about the
government incorporation of community service into the
education system.
“But since they asked me to give CIP hours, I give.”
She opines about the way a certain non-profit
organisation is run: “Iʼm not criticising [the charity] but
they collect money and make one child happy. Whatʼs the
point? But what if we can take the money and impact the
world? Thatʼs what Iʼm after: Impact.”
Sheʼs big plans for her brainchild. “Weʼre exploring the
[possibility] of a non-profit organisation,” she reveals.
“And a talk-show. The Hello Talk-show. It hopes to
eradicate prejudices, whether itʼs racial or because a
disability exists. Those are definitely some of our
milestones.”
As she dreams, her fiery eyes melt to uncover a soft,
starry quality. Doesnʼt matter that sheʼs not sure how
exactly sheʼll get there yet, sheʼll do her research and
seek out the right people. For Simin, what matters is
knowing her goal.
Her volunteers may be taller than her,

but an unfazed Simin takes the lead in
the Hello Campaign.
TOUGH COOKIE:
Simin takes on the guys on
their terms in a drinking game.
A Rose, Thorns and All
I recall her motherʼs worry about Simin being left on the

shelf. Itʼs understandable: such steel in a lady might drive
away potential suitors. But Sabrina laughs away the
concern: “She has two sides; her business side may
scare guys away. But her personal side is nice.”
Simin is sure of the one thing she cannot stand in men -
the lack of self-improvement. “If he doesnʼt want to work
on his life then he can say bye-bye. I donʼt think Iʼll even
talk to him,” she states, deadpan and serious. Ouch.
Roses are one of Siminʼs favourite flowers. And itʼs not a
stretch to see the similarity between the two. Both have
definite beauty. And while the rose has its thorns, Simin
has gumption. NICETIES
Hitler wielded great influence in his
time, but he wasnʼt very nice. Look
at where that got him.
COLUMN
DO GREAT THINGS
text DARYL GOH
Originally, this was going to be a column about nothing. Unfortunately (or fortunately,
for the readers) I was persuaded that nothing just wasn’t good enough. At the very
least, I should write about nice things. “How about nice nothings, sweet nothings?” I
asked. Turns out this isn’t a publication on puppy love and infatuation but I won’t
settle for plain ole’ nice; I’m striving for greatness.
After all, if Iʼm going to expound on the virtues of doing Singaporeans harbour
nice things, I might as well make a great effort at it. great inertia when asked
This column will thus be your launch pad to achieve to give back to society.
greatness with every nice thing you do. A tall order? Often they will complain
Well, it really is easier than it sounds. that society has left them
with little time as it is, the
You may be wondering what is the relation between struggle of daily sapping
doing nice things and being great. Are people who do most of their energy
nice things necessarily great and do great people get already. However, what
where they are from their good deeds? Not always. most of us fail to grasp,
Hitler was a great politician, but he wasnʼt nice. or refuse to see, is that
Accordingly, you may encounter nice people everyday there are many who are
but it would be a bit of a stretch to consider all of them living worse lives than the
great. Great people strive with purpose to be the best working professionals
at what they do; and being exceptionally good at doing One morning I was tempted to that you see shuffling
nice things is not just easy but extremely fulfilling as smack a slow-moving elderly down Shenton Way.
well. couple at the MRT station. I was
tempted to berate them for their Think of the elderly who
Start with small deeds, like holding doors for people, subsist on collecting
ill courtesy in moving so slowly...
giving way on the sidewalk or giving up your seat to cardboard, or those who
Their combined girth was the
the pregnant lady on public transport. A little have given up on making
graciousness goes a long way, more than ever in a span of three people. a living altogether, to
society like ours where courtesy and friendliness has suffer the indignity of
no place during rush hour. being housed in old-folksʼ
homes.
A tip: to inoculate yourself against the dreariness of
mingling with the rush hour crowd, learn to take a step If our golden generation doesnʼt strike a chord with you,
back (or two), slow your pace and your blood pressure then think about disadvantaged children, the ones with
might follow suit. mental or physical impairments that rob them of some of
the basic skills that we take for granted. If you were in
Granted, the above might not always be easy. One their shoes, surely some concern and nice gesture would
morning, I was tempted to smack a slow-moving elderly go a long way towards making you feel like a part of
couple at the MRT station. I was tempted to berate them society, instead of being second-rate citizens unable to
for their ill courtesy in moving so slowly, and if I felt mean contribute at the breakneck pace that has become
enough I would point out that their combined girth was the customary.
span of 3 average people.
Again, you might ask how does doing all this make me
If I did any or all of the above Iʼd find myself on the front great? The answer is simple. Once people recognise that
page of STOMP, so thankfully I did the right thing and in our society, they exist not as individuals but as a
ignored them. Only later did I consider I was being rather collective, they can realise that anything which positively
selfish to feel that way. In any case, I rushing to be on affects the welfare of people can by extension be good for
time for work at a job I donʼt really like. Whatʼs the point? all. Doing nice things breeds qualities like compassion
Better to take a break and save myself the stress. and empathy, concepts not readily found in textbooks, but
essential to living a fulfilling life. Work upwards from the
Inaction – as shown above – is one thing, while taking the small things, and I promise, you are on the road to
nice route is an option too, just a little harder. achieving much greater rewards in future. NICETIES
PEOPLE
FATHER NEWS ANCHOR SOCIAL VOLUNTEER
STEVEN
CHIA text JASON LI
photos JOEL LAU
You probably have breakfast or commute to work with

him on the SBS bus every morning. He s on TV more
often than Fann Wong and Zoe Tay. He s in the oﬃce by
430 am, before the ﬁrst public transport service.
We all know the Steven Chia of Prime Time Morning, but

behind this news anchor is a simple family guy who cares
deeply for his community.
Itʼs hard defining Steven Chia. Heʼs got a job, loves

his family and does community work on the side. He
goes to church weekly. Nothing outlandish. In fact
heʼs almost too normal for a public personality; the
taboo adjective comes to mind: BORING.
Unlike our local celebrity newscasters - think Cheryl

Fox, Genda Chong, or Timothy Go- Steven doesnʼt
seem to attract ogling, hormone-raging, fans. Heʼs
also scandal-free; no drug involvement, no bitter
rivalry with his colleagues and no criminal charges
pending against him.
CONT >
It seems heʼs got his head screwed on tight. Maybe itʼs whole thing going. So in that respect itʼs like a volunteer
the community work heʼs involved in. Currently heʼs project.”
working on a few projects with the YMCA, among them
Youth for Causes (YFC) and FACES. It was also a friend who led Steven to the YMCA in 2004,
or the Y, as the organisation is affectionately called by its
YFC seeks out young entrepreneurs who want to members. One of the directors is a family friend, and he
positively impact society and funds them. Proceeds will invited Steven to join one of the committees. Then, as
go to charity. FACES, which stands for Financial Steve puts it, “one thing led to another.”
Assistance cum Capability for Employment Scheme,
provides monetary relief to needy families undergoing Current Projects
temporary difficulty.
A long way from organising a varsity carnival, Steven is
We All Start Somewhere currently heavily involved in FACES, which is a year old.
Steven tells me that he was not always so active when it Albert Ching, the YMCAʼs General Secretary, talks about
comes to volunteering, and that his first foray into Stevenʼs role in FACES: “He was instrumental in
community involvement was through a friend in Simon developing and implementing yet another direct-service
Fraser University where he read Communication Studies. programme for people in need.”
“It always takes someone to bring you in,” he says. “ I “Our main premise is you come in, you need help. We will
used to work with the international student office, and I help you in the quickest way possible,” Steven explains. “
had this idea to have a global carnival to get all the Our only criterion is that you see a counsellor or social
different groups to set up stores to create awareness.” worker within our organisation.”
Although strictly speaking, the carnival was not charity or The counsellorʼs role is to ascertain the level of need
about helping the poor, it awakened Stevenʼs sense of each client requires, because, as Steven stresses,
initiative. “This is one event where there was no official
school agenda,” Steve remembers. “But I came up with CONT>
the idea and I roped in a bunch of friends and we got the
PEOPLE
Steven Chia, with co-host Suzanne

June, on Channel NewsAsiaʼs
Prime Time Morning.
“this is not forever; this is to help you get back on your The Family Guy
feet.” So each case is reviewed half-yearly.
On the blog keeps on the Channel NewsAsia website,
He reveals the kinds of clients who walk through the Yʼs Steven describes his “other full time job” as being Dad to
open doors. “There are families where the father has left his “little girl Lucy”. In fact, his role as philanthropist
and the kids are at home alone with the grandmother who comes after that at number three.
is taking care of them because the mother is not taking
care of them either.” Family is the secret to Stevenʼs masterful avoidance of
media scrutiny. “I have one kid and family life is good. I
Steven is also on the selection panel for YFC and helps think it keeps you grounded,” he shares.
choose which projects should be awarded grants. He is
an advocate for social entrepreneurism, believing that “itʼs There are also numerous pictures of the family on the
always better to be able to have your own resources than blog, which header displays a range of family photos: him
to get it from other people.” and the missus, Lucy, even the extended family.
He talks about the aptness of YFC coming under the When asked if familyʼs most important in his life, he
YMCA umbrella. The YMCA, which runs hotel and reaffirmed that, emphasising: “Not just my immediate
education services among other things, is relatively family, but my parents, my siblings and all.”
untangled in the strings that come tied to government
money. Steven brightens noticeably when three-year-old Lucy is
mentioned. He confesses that “sheʼs one of the reasons
“We [YMCA] donʼt get funding from the government. So why I keep the job I have. Being on PTM, it gives me a lot
we are not bound by government restrictions. We have of time to hang out with her in the afternoons.”
our own funding, which we are able to use for what is best
for the projects that weʼre working on.”
His Ideal Singapore
Besides the financial freedom, Steven adds that the most
important case for social entrepreneurism is sustainability. Steven has never seriously considered this question
“We are not relying on anyoneʼs goodwill to survive; too before, but he says that he hopes the Singapore Lucy is
many projects have died because thereʼs simply no growing up in continues to mature, and that Singaporeans
money.” take greater ownership of their country.
He is impressed by some of the proposals fielded by the “Thereʼs a lack of awareness and a certain sense of
youth, saying that often the simplest ideas are the most maturity,” he says, taking time to appreciate the irony of
effecting. Pointing to a group who sold nicely packaged having such an effective government.
apples for $2 each, he reveals the tidy $20, 000 in
revenue they raised in a single day. CONT>
“Here weʼve grown up in a society where we no longer
think for ourselves because the government is doing it
for us. So I donʼt worry about traffic; I donʼt worry about
the trees. I donʼt worry about anything because I know
that those guys will take care of it.
At the same time he likes that the youth are more into
helping others. “In school you get to do it, even though
CIP is sort of a farce, it still puts you out there.”
Steven on Steven
Albert Ching describes Stevenʼs working style as “easy

going”, “informal, non-conventional”, pretty much similar
to what I observed for myself: Steveʼs in jeans and pink-
striped long-sleeved shirt, unbuttoned at the top.
During our interview he describes himself in pretty

much the same vein: “Iʼm kind of an out going guy, Iʼm
very laid-back.”
He does let known something he says heʼs not told

many.
“I donʼt like long meetings,” he discloses. “I donʼt think

there ever needs to be a meeting that goes beyond
more than two hours. By then itʼs too long and no oneʼs
listening.”
In fact he says long meetings are one reason why he

left his previous job: “My boss at my previous
job used to have really long meetings, very
ineffective.”
That was a subtle hint to signal the end of our

half-hour interview. I suddenly realise Steven
Chia is not boring after all. The difficulty that
comes with trying to understand this
newscaster, father and volunteer lies in his
multiple layers and the subtleties that
comprise him. NICETIES
The Chia family on Lucyʼs third

birthday.
VOX POP
Do Young People text DARYL GOH
Really Want To Volunteer?

For most people, the only
exposure they have when it
comes to volunteering will be
a token activity done to fulfil their
Community Involvement
Programme (CIP) requirements
during their school days.
Newspaper collections
and flag days come to mind.
Press a little
further and you might find
a few people who had
helped out at elderly
homes or youth
shelters. But apart from
school sanctioned (and
often mandated) CIP, would
young Singaporeans spare the
goodwill to volunteer even
when they are not asked to?
A straw poll was conducted,

and the answers are surprising. Our poll shows that most
Well, to me at least. young people are not
actively volunteering
The sample group ranged from students to young adults
up to the age of 25. Among the school-going lot,
enthusiasm for volunteerism is low, reasons given include who do volunteer, they normally do it in a religious
the feeling that existing CIP activities are adequate to context i.e. church activities.
satisfy their individual ʻquotaʼ for volunteering.
In general, when the idea of volunteering is posited to
This group tends to see volunteering as a part of the non-schooling youths, most respond favourably. They
school curriculum that had to fulfilled as a requirement. said that they do not mind sacrificing some measure of
The notion of volunteering as a conscious personal personal time for a good cause.
decision does not rank high among them.
However, the lack of suitable causes to support is often
Joseph Yang, 19, a full-time National Serviceman, felt cited as a stumbling block. Without a sufficiently attractive
that NSFs generally have little incentive to volunteer, reason to volunteer, most people are reluctant to commit.
especially since they already have so little free time to
contribute. Altruism is often not strong enough a reason to entice
most people, thus volunteer welfare organisations have to
There are also some more inclined to volunteer, but donʼt bring more to the table.
due to the lack of guidance in the form of a school co-
ordinator etc. They do not know who to approach if they They need not necessarily reward volunteer work as that
are interested to volunteer, and as a result do not. would go against its very essence; but it would do no
harm if they publicise and market their aims as being a
For the university undergraduates polled, volunteerism is good fit to the target volunteer group. By doing so they
generally not high on their list of priorities. The heavy would be better to leverage on the vast pool of untapped
workload and increasing demands placed on them are resources that exists among the youth. NICETIES
blamed for the lack of time. They have no time for
personal activities, let alone volunteer work. Among those
PEOPLE
A Soul
on Fire
Sheʼs connected with 4 million viewers from almost every tongue; now AMY WALKER is uniting
them all in a creative way no one has ever done before. text JASON LI
O ne dollar. Thatʼs all it takes for you to produce a movie,

thanks to Amy Walker, an all-in-one performing arts
talent has drawn hundreds of thousands like moths to a
flame. Even the Statesʼ biggest morning news show,
TODAY, was intrigued.
machine. She acts, sings (her original songs too), dances
and writes. And, if you contribute a dollar, sheʼll be Amy was invited to the programme where she treated
directing your movie too. Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera, as well as to the rest of
America, to a sampling of her repertoire.
You might have seen the clip that sparked the
phenomenon which eventually became SoulFire. More Slightly more than a year on, Amy is working on a bigger,
than four million people from all the world over have: a more ambitious project: an indie movie, funded entirely by
simple, two-and-a-half minute video on Youtube where like-minded friends on the internet. The film, Connected,
sheʼs framed in a close-up. explores diversity within a family and tension that results.
“Hello,” she says. “My name is Amy Walker. Iʼm 25 years She talks to Niceties on a platform apt for the internet
old and I was born in London, England.” That explains the sensation -Skype- and gives us insight into what sets her
crisp, plummy accent. on fire. Acting, her first love; accents, many of which she
lapses into even in this interview; movies, her current pet
Which really is nothing spectacular until she re-opens her project; and her family because they all play vital roles in
mouth and repeats her line almost verbatim, but sounding her exploration of human relations.
totally different. Sheʼs still speaking in an English accent,
but one clearly distinct from the previous. NICETIES: Hey Amy, thanks for speaking with us.
When did your fascination with accents start?
Thatʼs just the beginning; she does it again for nineteen
times, a different accent each cycle, spanning almost the AMY: Well, I didnʼt know then that I divided it into accents,
entire Anglo-speaking civilisation. When sheʼs done, you but I guess I started when I learnt to to read and sing as a
are left to wonder where in the world she comes from. child, and listened to stories. You know, children
Russia, California, or Australia? Maybe Ireland. (Sheʼs memorise not just the words, but how they are
actually from Seattle, Washington) pronounced? I guess for me I learnt them very
specifically.
The video caught fire when someone posted it on humour
website Break.com. Within three days, Amyʼs unique If I was listening to a story read, and if it was (turns on
PEOPLE
trans-atlantic accent) “Once upon a time”, I wouldnʼt go

(reverts to her native Seattle accent), “Once upon a time”.
N: What was your first accent?
A: When I was in fifth grade, I became a major Beetles

fan. Of course, they were in Liverpool, but I learnt a lot of
their songs and guitar solos and everything. And I would
memorise them in their accents. That might have been
sort of the beginning.
It was probably the first accent I would go off and talk to

myself in it. I havenʼt done that since Middle School. I was
in fifth grade, when I was twelve.
N: Is that your favourite accent?
A: Itʼs hard to pick a favourite. I really love (with an Aussie

twang) Australian because itʼs so chewy and itʼs just so
fun! And thereʼs all these bizarre words, all the jargon like
“goon”. Itʼs like chewing this big wad of language. And
they are such fun people.
N: Accents are what made you famous, through your

youtube video. What was your response when you
realised that it had become a hit?
A: Iʼve only been hosting videos for only a little over year,
so I was just brand new to the Youtube scene when that
(the 21 Accents video) went viral. I had no idea how many
people were online, so I was simply shocked. Someone
put in on Break.com (a humor website) and in 24 hours it
had 400, 000 views!
But the most fascinating thing was that people in non-

English speaking countries like watching it. That I wasnʼt
anticipating; it was really surprising.
N: All these accents, are you sum of them all, or are

you none?
A: (contemplatively) Well, how do I say this? Iʼm all of

those, and Iʼm none of those. All of us are different with
friends than we are with our grandparents. And weʼre
different with our boyfriends or girlfriends then when we
are interviewing someone. It doesnʼt mean that oneʼs the
real you or not the real you. They are just different
aspects of you. Weʼre just like a kaleidoscope and you
canʼt ever be all of those things that you are at one time.
N: So itʼs about the situation, and just because you

interact differently with different people, it doesnʼt
mean that one of them is false. Theyʼre both equally
real.
A: Exactly. Even when I was a tiny child, the goal for me

was having a clear channel of connection with a person. I
was always aware as a kid when I was treated as one. I
wanted to be treated like an equal.
CONT>
People can think youʼre just like that because youʼre
Asian, or because youʼre young or whatever. But I just
want to get pass all of that to the core level where weʼre
just people.
If you speak in the exact same accent as someone else,

they wonʼt see you as different. People donʼt think they
have an accent usually you know. They think, oh
everyone has an accent but we donʼt have one.
N: SoulFire films and your movie, Connected, are

also about human connection. How did you make the
jump from Youtube?
A: It didnʼt seem like a jump to me. At the time I was living

in Philadelphia and I didnʼt really know anyone there, so I
was communicating solely through email, Skype and
cellphone.
Itʼs not like being in person with someone you know? You
canʼt really feel their energy and tell how well weʼre
communicating and itʼs harder to connect.
But in some ways, communication was happening at the

same time between me and people around the world with
my Youtube video. Someone would email me and say, “I
was inspired by your video and Iʼm in Russia.”
That completely blew my mind. It is such a small world

that we can connect to people who weʼve never met and
probably never will meet.
I just wanted to explore all of that. Iʼm not against or for

any of that. And then I had that kind of theme and the
story just started to come out about the family. And then
when that happened, the theme just kind of fell to the
back.
N: Who came up with the idea of the entire world

chipping in a buck to fund the movie?
A: Hmm... it was sort of a collective idea. My mom was

telling a woman about the 21 Accents thing and the film I
am working on. And the woman said: “You know, if just
one out of three people gave one dollar, youʼd have
enough money for the film.”
I thought, you know, if we did that, if we had all these

people and say for a dollar, “you can have your name in
the credit of the film”, then all we need is a million people.
That sounds a lot, but itʼs not when something really
catches on.
And the thing we love is that it gives power to the people,

because normally the film industry is quite esoteric you
know?
N: And thereʼs the commercial aspect too.
A: Definitely. Sometimes, not all, but sometimes the

PEOPLE
integrity of the artistry of the film can be at risk. And the But thereʼs something so important about that. And Iʼm
one thing I knew when I wrote this film is that I did not just always so fascinated by family dynamics.
want to sell it off and have it made into cookie cutter plots
like “Monsters vs Aliens” or something you know? N: What inspires you?
But really, we really want to empower other people too. A: My parents are very inspiring; theyʼre pretty amazing
For them to say, “all it takes is a little bit. If we just give a people. They have a lot of integrity. My mom is a music
little bit, even if itʼs just a dollar. But if lots of us do it, then therapist. Sheʼs been doing her soulʼs work almost all of
we can make amazing things.” her life through music and therapy. And my Dad works for
the Salvation Army and he was a minister before that.
N: Empowering people through the web.
So both of them are very service-oriented, community
A: Right exactly. Before we had the idea for the one dollar minded and earth minded and they are very true to
thing, we wanted to make a website. A community called themselves.
SoulFireProject.com where anyone could make a page or
a mini-site about their project, their soul fire project. But Iʼm also inspired by everything. Inspired by the bird
Something theyʼre burning to do, whatever it is. Go study outside my window, and great art and you.
journalism in Toronto, or start a school in Africa, or raise
funds for a bone marrow transplant for someone in the N: Ever considered Hollywood?
community. Anything.
A: I really follow my heart. If I wake up tomorrow and
N: Connected is about familial relationships. What know in my heart that I had to go to LA I totally would. But
was it like growing up in your family? as Iʼm demonstrating now, it doesnʼt matter where you
are. What matters is that Iʼm doing the work of my heart
A: I was the middle girl of two brothers who I love. And and soul. Thatʼs the exact thing Iʼm doing through my film.
thereʼs lots of music going on all the time. My brothers
were sporty, but I was artistic enough for all of us. N: Finally, you often end with “good vibes to you” in
your videos. What do you mean?
We had our good fights too, but thatʼs part of it you know?
Itʼs hard, family is hard no matter what. Even if you love A: Haha, itʼs just me sending pure loving energy. Some
them, itʼs hard because youʼre stuck with them, you people pray, but for me itʼs just taking it beyond a level of
know? words to just a pure and energetic form. Itʼs just a way I
like to think about it! NICETIES
IN SESSION
I DONʼT HAVE A
LIFE
IS THIS THE ECHO OF YOUR
text JEAN CHEN

EXISTENCE?
If you are wondering right now if you have a life, It will take time and it will take effort. It will be searching,
then the answer is – You donʼt! persevering and then searching again. One way to start
is to jot down your answers when you ask yourself,
If you are constantly chasing after that coveted “What is my lifeʼs focus?”
promotion, or if you find yourself playing computer
games such as DOTA or Maple Story, or reading You may have more than one answer as you ponder
romance or science fiction books, or watching drama more about it. At the beginning, the answers may be
series such as Korean drama or CSI or hitting the clubs your mental mantra or what you would like to see in
so frequently that you do not allow other activities into yourself. But if these answers make you feel tense or
your life, then you do not have a life either. tired, it probably means that you have yet to find your
answer.
It might be hard to swallow the fact that we might just be
wasting our lives away, but every day is really the last If it is an ambition or a dream, it may not be your answer
day that we are at our youngest. If you find yourself either. If your life is like a car, finding your focus is not
yearning for genuine and continued happiness, this is discovering the path or ideal destination; it is finding the
worth spending time on. engine that drives you.
What then, is having a life? Even if the answers may contradict one another,
continue jotting them down. When you find your answer,
Having a life is having a FOCUS. Merely trying to catch you will be so deeply convicted that your mental,
up with our external reality is draining; it is weariness at emotional and spiritual beings will resonate with it.
best and indifference at its worst. However, having a
focus pulls in our energy. It gives us the fervour to make Have a fulfilling time discovering your life focus! =)
NICETIES
our life count for something. It gravitates our existence to
being the best person we can be and specifies our life
purpose.
It makes us alive! Jean is a full-time counsellor with CARE CORNER
SINGAPORE, an organisation dedicated to serve,
What is my lifeʼs focus? strengthen and support families.
This is a question that is difficult to answer. For more information or support, call 1800-353-5800.
Unfortunately, it does not surface immediately at will with Visit their website: www.carecorner.org.sg
a snap of our fingers. It is also not something that
someone else can answer for us.
As Kahlil Gibran, writer of The Prophet, puts it, “The
vision of one man lends not its wings to another man.” It
is also not likely to be something that would just pop into
our mind one day like a ʻEureka momentʼ of
enlightenment when we least expect it.
UPCOMING
In this section, we highlight the most happening events in the community text TSE HAO GUANG
involvement scene that every nice person must participate - Go to
www.donicethings.org for more info and to register!
The tripartite of Nam Hong Welfare

Service Society, Northwest CDC and
Republic Poly is holding the Brooks
Republic Charity Run on the 28th of
June. A whopping 500 volunteers are
needed to ensure that the race pack
collection and the event itself run
smoothly. You need not be a runner to
help out so donʼt wait, register with your
friends now!
for
runners
Love parties? Check.

Love dogs? Check.
We ve got just the event for you! Clubbing for a

Cause is the ultimate party for all dog lovers! For the
and
clubbers
$12 cover-charge, you help raise funds for guide
dogs AND get to dance the night away!!
NICETIES
DONICETHINGS.ORG
FOUNDERS
Ng Cheng Wei ngchengwei@donicethings.org

Samuel Seow samuelseow@donicethings.org
CHIEF MARKETING STRATEGIST
Francine Tang francine@donicethings.org
PROJECT MANAGERS
Lim Bing Li limbingli@donicethings.org

Calvin Chong
Muhd Ashik ashik@donicethings.org
Denis Tan denistan@donicethings.org
Hanson Heng
Rachel Cheong
Shaun Lee
Louisa Lin
WEB DIRECTOR
Matthew Lin
NICETIES (ALSO PART OF DONICETHINGS.ORG EDITORIAL TEAM)
EDITOR
Jason Li jasonli@donicethings.org
WRITERS
Daryl Goh darylgoh@donicethings.org
Tse Hao Guang haoguang@donicethings.org
DESIGN
Jolyn Ng
PHOTOS
Joel Lau
Flickr (Creative Commons)
To join DoNiceThings.org or advertise on NICETIES contact admin@donicethings.org
we are
DoNiceThings.ORG
text DARYL GOH
Do Nice Things was conceptualised by the dynamic duo Ng Cheng Wei and Samuel Seow. Our co-
founders are nice people at heart (as we all are) who were puzzled that throughout 2 years in Junior
College brought no memorable contribution to society.
School-sanctioned Community Involvement Programme was undertaken with very little enthusiasm,
if any, and most students simply did it to rack up the hours. It seemed like generations past and
future face the same uninteresting programmes that do little to foster a sense of altruism and care
for society.
Cheng Weiʼs original idea for DNT was about to head to the graveyard of good ideas until he
mentioned it to Sam. Through their shared interest in new media, DoNiceThings was conceived on
the back of paper napkins from Starbucks. Those napkins might be lying around somewhere, even
possibly recycled (plus points for that). Anyway, the idea seemed feasible enough with a little bit of
hard work and dedication.
What followed was a process that continues till this day, a cycle of pitching, brainstorming, more
pitching, to anyone who would listen. First targets were close friends and allies who could get things
done.
Integral to DoNiceThings and its plans are our highly competent coders and designers. Finding them
was hard work because we could only afford pro-bono services. Nevertheless we managed to find
industrious and often overworked coders who deserve praise and pats on the back (in lieu of pay)
for their tiresome efforts.
With the back-end settled, more feet were needed to pound the ground, marketing DoNiceThings to
the people who it matters to: schools, volunteer welfare organisations and corporations. Such bodies
need concrete proposals and assurance, not just Facebook and internet fame.
Initial pitching was difficult as even though we had a concept, DNT had yet to take off. We needed
the corporations to trust in our potential. Thankfully they did, and many came on board.
So thatʼs where we are right now: still making our first painful baby steps. Weʼve lots to learn but a
lot to give too! And weʼre always looking for nice people to bring us to the next stage of growth. Are
you it?

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Niceties Issue One

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' ' '( ) * + , - .

Iʼm sure you know which free magazines Iʼm

So with that I present to you Niceties, your

7 TSE HAO GUANG

So on 9 and 10 Jan. 2009, DNT played

text TSE HAO GUANG

The Sri Narayanan Mission Home for

DNT was on site to help, contributing

The Day Breakers and over 200

More than 500 volunteers turned up on

BEING NICE ISN T ENOUGH

What is Social Entrepreneurism?

According to Wikipedia, social entrepreneurs are people who recognise social

How did Social Entrepreneurism come about?

YM The Young Menʼs Christian Association (YMCA) was

text TSE HAO GUANG

The YMCAʼs Board of

The YMCA is a pretty all-encompassing organisation with a multitude of initiatives

When you meet her for the first

Simin reminded me of a worker bee as she flitted --in

Even though Iʼm the interviewer, Simin shoots the first

While she was prepared to give as much as it took to

The Hello Team

RIGHT: Hello Campaign covered by local media

Not all people were as convinced as Simin was about

changing the topic when the questions become too

Sheʼs politically correct most of the time, although the

“Itʼs not about dangling a carrot in front of the students.

Her volunteers may be taller than her,

A Rose, Thorns and All

I recall her motherʼs worry about Simin being left on the

FATHER NEWS ANCHOR SOCIAL VOLUNTEER

You probably have breakfast or commute to work with

We all know the Steven Chia of Prime Time Morning, but

Itʼs hard defining Steven Chia. Heʼs got a job, loves

Unlike our local celebrity newscasters - think Cheryl

Steven Chia, with co-host Suzanne

Albert Ching describes Stevenʼs working style as “easy

During our interview he describes himself in pretty

He does let known something he says heʼs not told

“I donʼt like long meetings,” he discloses. “I donʼt think

In fact he says long meetings are one reason why he

That was a subtle hint to signal the end of our

The Chia family on Lucyʼs third

Do Young People text DARYL GOH

Really Want To Volunteer?

A straw poll was conducted,

O ne dollar. Thatʼs all it takes for you to produce a movie,

trans-atlantic accent) “Once upon a time”, I wouldnʼt go

N: What was your first accent?

A: When I was in fifth grade, I became a major Beetles

It was probably the first accent I would go off and talk to

N: Is that your favourite accent?

A: Itʼs hard to pick a favourite. I really love (with an Aussie

N: Accents are what made you famous, through your

But the most fascinating thing was that people in non-

N: All these accents, are you sum of them all, or are

A: (contemplatively) Well, how do I say this? Iʼm all of

N: So itʼs about the situation, and just because you

A: Exactly. Even when I was a tiny child, the goal for me

If you speak in the exact same accent as someone else,

N: SoulFire films and your movie, Connected, are

A: It didnʼt seem like a jump to me. At the time I was living

But in some ways, communication was happening at the