Meghan Markle urges women to fight inequality with ‘compassion’

Meghan Markle spoke out about the fight against gender and race inequality while addressing young women around the world at a digital global leadership summit on Tuesday – during which she quoted the Dalai Lama while urging participants to focus on ‘compassion’ instead of ‘anger’. 

The 38-year-old Duchess of Sussex joined the event, organized by UN initiative Girl Up, to give a passionate speech about racial and gender injustices the world over – insisting that young women are the key to global change if they are willing to put aside negativity and focus on ‘building each other up’. 

Standing in front of a plain wall while wearing a vibrant blue dress, Meghan told participants that they must challenge world leaders and executives to fight major issues including racial injustice and gender inequality, as well as gun violence, mental health awareness, and the reform of the criminal justice system. 

‘those in the halls and corridors and places of power—from lawmakers to world leaders to executives—all of those people, they depend on you more than you will ever depend on them. And here’s the thing: They know this,’ Meghan said.  

‘Now many of them, better or worse, they don’t listen until they have to,’ she continued. ‘Because the status quo is easy to excuse and it’s hard to break.’ 

The Duchess of Sussex, who is currently living in Tyler Perry’s $18 million Los Angeles home with her husband Prince Harry and their baby son Archie, noted that powerful organizations, including government, ‘pull tightest right before snapping’ and she urged the young summit participants to ‘keep challenging’ global leaders. 

‘I say to you, keep challenging, keep pushing, make them a little uncomfortable. Because it’s only in that discomfort that we actually create the conditions to reimagine our standards, our policies, and our leadership,’ she insisted. 

However, the former Suits star also noted that any fight for change or social justice should be done with ‘compassion’, insisting that ‘compassion doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel anger or outrage’ – but rather than you should ‘broaden’ those emotions into something positive.  

Quoting the Dalai Lama, Meghan continued: ‘Compassion doesn’t mean we shouldn’t feel anger and outrage when we see blatant injustice all around us—of course we should. But I challenge you to broaden that feeling. The Dalai Lama famously said, “Compassion is the radicalism of our time.” 

‘Compassion means seeing the pain and suffering of others and knowing it’s our duty to try to help relieve it.’ 

The duchess also addressed the ‘power’ of social media, noting that it has the potential both to ‘aid’ and ‘impair’ the fight for justice. 

‘Our online role has the power to affirm and support as much as it does to harm,’ she noted. 

Speaking about dealing with negativity in all forms, Meghan shared her advice for how to handle it, both in person and online, telling the summit participants that they must learn to drown out the ‘noise’ of negative voices and prioritize positivity.  

‘We are not meant to be breaking each other down,’ she said. ‘Build each other up, support each other. 

‘There will always be negative voices and sometimes those voices can appear to be outsized, and sometimes they can appear to be painfully loud. You can and will use your own voices to drown out the noise. Because that’s what it is—just noise. 

‘But your voices are those of truth. And hope. And your voices can and should be much louder.’

The Duchess of Sussex also shared two role models that she looks towards for inspiration and motivation: New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and WNBA star Maya Moore. 

‘We can take inspiration from women like Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who brought New Zealand together to swiftly and boldly tackle COVID-19, or Maya Moore, the WNBA star who has sat out from professional basketball since 2019 to free a man [prisoner Jonathan Irons] who served 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit,’ she said.

Meghan then vowed to continue ‘cheering on’ all young women who are leading the fight for social change, while also offering the support of Prince Harry and their son Archie. 

‘I will be cheering you on, so will my husband, so will Archie, as you all continue marching, advocating, and leading the way forward,’ she concluded.  

Girl Up, which has the motto ‘uniting girls to change the world’, revealed that the royal was set to appear at its virtual 2020 Global Leadership Summit last week, sharing the news on its social media platforms.

Meghan was a keynote speaker at the online event, which began on July 13 and is set to continue until July 15.

It is the latest in a series of public steps taken by Prince Harry and Meghan as they shift the focus of their royal work towards racial equality and social justice. 

The post announcing the Duchess of Sussex’s appearance read: ‘The present is female! But don’t take our word for it. ⁠ 

‘Hear from our keynote speaker Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex, as she takes the stage at our 2020 Leadership Summit, happening virtually July 13-15!’

The campaign group said this year’s summit promises to be ‘unforgettable with interactive virtual workshops, panels with global leaders, and so much more’.  

The Girl Up Global Leadership Summit is part of an initiative started by the UN, which is ‘dedicated to securing equal opportunities for underprivileged adolescent girls in developing countries such as Ethiopia, Malawi, Guatemala, and India’. 

Initially, the leadership summit was due to take place in Washington, D.C., however it was moved to an online format over fears about safety amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

The summit boasts a host of big-name corporate sponsors, including P&G, while the organization itself has partnered with the likes of Google, BNY Mellon, H&M, Intel, and Penguin. 

A spokesperson for Girl Up confirmed to DailyMail.com that speakers are not paid for their time, and all take part in the summit on a volunteer basis.  

However, experts have previously revealed that both Meghan and Prince Harry could stand to earn millions from public speaking engagements in the future – with one agency estimating that the couple could rake in up to $500,000 each from a single appearance. 

In February, a PR expert told DailyMail.com that the couple may have earned ‘up to $1 million’ between them to speak at a star-studded JP Morgan summit in Miami, insisting that the couple will be the ‘highest-paid speakers that exist on the corporate market’.

‘I would not be shocked if they earned in excess of $1 million,’ Ronn Torossian, CEO of New York-based firm 5W Public Relations, said of their JP Morgan engagement. 

‘Over the year their earning power could be unlimited.’  

Meanwhile, GDA Speakers, whose clients include Nicole Kidman and Diane Keaton, told TMZ that the Duke and Duchess will likely attract much higher fees than regular celebrities, even without their HRH titles. 

The majority of big-name celebrities earn between $200,000 and $300,000 for a speaking engagement, however the agency estimates that Harry and Meghan could each earn close to double that amount thanks to their impressive global standing.  

‘The LA celebrity hotness is back!’ Fans swoon over Meghan Markle’s flowing locks, bare shoulders and glowing skin as she ditches the royal look for good – and ’emerges rebranded and more confident than ever’

• Fans have praised Meghan’s appearance as ‘flawless’ and remarked on her ‘LA makeover’ following her live speech for UN initiative Girl Up, 
• Followers quickly flooded Twitter with tweets remarking on her ‘flowing hair, Hollywood glow – comparing relaxed look to her reserved former royal look
• Body language expert Judi James described the LA native’s appearance as redesigned and rebranded
• Described her as ‘fully emerged from the royal experience and is back on track and on form as a confident and inspirational speaker in her own right’

By Jessica Rach for MailOnline 

Fans have praised Meghan Markle’s appearance as ‘flawless’ and remarked on her ‘LA makeover’ following her live speech for UN initiative Girl Up, which an expert has called her ‘most important one to date’.

The Duchess of Sussex, 38, appeared via video link as she spoke out about the fight against gender and race inequality while addressing young women around the world at a digital global leadership summit today. 

And followers quickly flooded Twitter with tweets remarking on her ‘flowing hair, Hollywood glow and bare shoulders’ – comparing Meghan’s relaxed look to her more  reserved former royal look. 

Meanwhile body language expert Judi James described the LA native’s appearance as  redesigned and rebranded, describing her as ‘fully emerged from the royal experience and is back on track and on form as a confident and inspirational speaker in her own right’.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Judi said: ‘This was a very redesigned and rebranded Meghan, with her body language suggesting she has now fully emerged from the royal experience and is back on track and on form as a confident and inspirational speaker in her own right.

‘Meghan’s gesticulation was more ‘guru’ than Hollywood actress and wife of a prince. 

‘The way her cheeks rounded in a calm smile at the start showed happy confidence to be there addressing her young audience and throughout her speech she avoided showboating or over-congruence, both of which are trait-traps that less experienced and less adept speakers often fall into, using over-exaggeration to try to hammer their messages home. 

‘Instead Meghan spoke with a calm and warm tone, using long blinks and a raised index finger to suggest wisdom and empathy. Her finger pinch gesture flagged up precise thought and a desire to give advice from a place of experience and when she pulled her hands into fists she showed a desire to create change.’

She continued: ‘Her eye-gaze commanded the camera and when she told her audience to ‘Chase your convictions with actions’ she coupled it with small but dramatic pauses and the slow, calm blink.

‘This was possibly Meghan’s most important speech to date, alongside the likes of women like Michelle Obama, and it was clear she was more than up to the challenge. 

‘She was at her most confident here and the way she ended with a praying hand clasp pointed at the camera means her message of support should have inspired a whole new audience.’

And fans quickly shared their excitement over Meghan’s impressive appearance, with one writing: ‘Meghan Markle bringing full Los Angeles celebrity hotness for the UN speech. 

‘No more royal hairstyles, covered shoulders or minimal make-up. She is back!’.

Another added: ‘This girl! She was glowing!’, while one said: ‘Meghan was amazing!’.

Remarking on her speech, another wrote: ‘What a powerful and inspiring speech’, and one tweeted: ‘It’s done, I want to listen to her more!’.

Elsewhere one shared a meme of Rihanna wearing a crown, and remarked: ‘She’s just so effortless with it.. my goodness!’. 

Girl Up, which has the motto ‘uniting girls to change the world’, revealed that the royal was set to appear at its virtual 2020 Global Leadership Summit last week, sharing the news on its social media platforms.

Meghan was a keynote speaker at the online event, which began on July 13 and is set to continue until July 15.

It is the latest in a series of public steps taken by Prince Harry and Meghan as they shift the focus of their royal work towards racial equality and social justice.

The post announcing the Duchess of Sussex’s appearance read: ‘The present is female! But don’t take our word for it. ⁠

‘Hear from our keynote speaker Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex, as she takes the stage at our 2020 Leadership Summit, happening virtually July 13-15!’

The campaign group said this year’s summit promises to be ‘unforgettable with interactive virtual workshops, panels with global leaders, and so much more’.

The Girl Up Global Leadership Summit is part of an initiative started by the UN, which is ‘dedicated to securing equal opportunities for underprivileged adolescent girls in developing countries such as Ethiopia, Malawi, Guatemala, and India’.

A spokesperson for Girl Up confirmed to DailyMail.com that speakers are not paid for their time, and all take part in the summit on a volunteer basis.

Delivering her live speech in a vibrant cobalt blue dress in front of a plain wall at Tyler Perry’s LA mansion, where she is currently staying with Prince Harry, 35, and Archie, 1, Meghan told participants that they must challenge world leaders and executives to fight major issues including racial injustice and gender inequality, as well as gun violence, mental health awareness, and the reform of the criminal justice system. 

The former Suits star also noted that any fight for change or social justice should be done with ‘compassion’, insisting that ‘compassion doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel anger or outrage’ – but rather than you should ‘broaden’ those emotions into something positive.

Quoting the Dalai Lama, Meghan said that she, her husband and Archie would be cheering change-makers on, as she continued: ‘I challenge you to broaden that feeling. The Dalai Lama famously said, “Compassion is the radicalism of our time.”‘

The duchess also addressed the ‘power’ of social media, noting that it has the potential both to ‘aid’ and ‘impair’ the fight for justice.

‘Our online role has the power to affirm and support as much as it does to harm,’ she noted.

Speaking about dealing with negativity in all forms, Meghan shared her advice for how to handle it, both in person and online, telling the summit participants that they must learn to drown out the ‘noise’ of negative voices and prioritize positivity.

‘We are not meant to be breaking each other down,’ she said. ‘Build each other up, support each other.

‘There will always be negative voices. Drown out that noise. Because that’s what it is, it is just noise. Your voices can and should be much louder.’