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PeopleTranscript
00:00I am so grateful and honored to be here today to witness the incredible power and impact
00:08that comes from within this room.
00:09Now, as we all do, I was scrolling on social media the other day and I saw this meme.
00:18And it read, things people in LA say when they don't actually want to hang out with
00:24you.
00:26And then there's a list, lunch soon.
00:31Let's get something on the books.
00:33I'm free next month.
00:36We should totally do a hike.
00:40Bella Bajaria said at least one of those to me four years ago.
00:45And we just went on our first hike last week.
00:49I'm kidding.
00:51We've been going on hikes every week for the last four years.
00:54It's been a beautiful journey of conversations spanning everything from our childhoods to
01:00meditation, what we're currently watching on Netflix, obviously, where she oversees
01:05a budget of $17 billion, defining what we watch on TV and film, everything from Squid
01:12Games through to Nobody Wants This.
01:15Bella's the reason we have anxiety and joy.
01:20When I was preparing for this speech, I noticed that in my relationship with Bella, she was
01:26very humble and modest to mention the great work she did.
01:30So I reached out to the person who knows her best, her husband, Doug, who I've also got
01:34to know.
01:35And what he shared with me touched me so deeply, I had to share it with you.
01:41He said, charity is in her soul.
01:45She's always done it.
01:47When she won Miss India as a 20-year-old, true story, she used the platform to launch
01:53the West Coast affiliate of a New York charity, Heart and Hands for the Handicapped.
01:59And as a mother of young children, she taught the kids about charity, too.
02:04In lieu of gifts for their birthdays, she'd encourage the kids to have people donate to
02:10a charity or bring something for someone in need.
02:14On top of that, she had the kids host an annual pancake breakfast, where people would
02:19bring a bag of groceries, which would be given to children that didn't have anything to eat
02:25when school was not in session.
02:27And the kids got all their friends and families involved, too.
02:31Giving back is who Bella is.
02:34Thank you so much, Doug, for those wonderful words.
02:38Today we honor Bella for her commitment to the power of literacy, to effect change in
02:42the world, and her amazing work with Room to Read.
02:47When girls have access to education, they will change the world.
02:51It gives them agency, empowerment, and self-belief, three things that Bella stands for and deeply
02:58believes everyone deserves.
03:02Growing up in an Indian family, we all know we only have three options, to be a doctor,
03:09an engineer, or a failure.
03:13Bella, I mean this, I think we all want to fail like you.
03:21You're a role model to our community and beyond.
03:24And Bella, I've often said that we're wired for generosity, but educated for greed.
03:30And I'm so glad you're bringing us back to our essence.
03:34Thank you for being the person that decides what the world is watching.
03:37Please join me in congratulating my dear friend and special human, Bella Bajaria.