Theme: TEDWomen 2019: Bold + Brilliant

This is our year to be bold and brilliant! At TEDxHoustonWomen 2019, we'll spotlight dazzling ideas from some of the world's most extraordinary risk-takers and innovators who presented on the TEDWomen stage; and offer live talks from thought-provoking pioneers making power moves, brilliant people launching their ideas, and local champions who tirelessly show up as allies and advocates.

This December 14, 2019, join us at Unity of Houston and connect with a locally rooted, globally connected community of people interested in leading the change they wish to see in the world. Sow the seeds to collaborate with innovative thinkers who catalyze ideas toward action. Join us!

Unity
2929 Unity Dr
Main Building
Houston, Texas, 77057
United States

Deborah "D.E.E.P." Mouton

Poet / Singer / Actress / Photographer / Wife / Mother

Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton is an internationally-known Poet, Singer, Actress, Photographer, Wife, and Mother. A native-Californian who now resides in Houston, D.E.E.P. was the first African-American Poet Laureate for the City of Houston, and ranked the #2 Best female Poet in the World. D.E.E.P. has established herself as a notable force in the Performance and Slam Poetry World. Her recent poetry collection, Newsworthy, is available now through Bloomsday Literary.

Jackie Lyles

Executive Advisor / Change Maker

Jackie Lyles works with a range of executives, from big technology, healthcare and energy companies to churches, schools, governments, and nonprofits. She is a force for positive good and lasting change in organizations and communities. Little did she know when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Jackie would be on her way to the emergency room with her own health hurricane. Jackie knows what it means for your heart to be broken, your body to stop in its tracks, and your life to be hit by a hurricane. Through her recovery, Jackie found new ways to approach and embrace change. Jackie is the bestselling author of Own Your Value and Transformational Growth. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Houston Chronicle, and Houston Business Journal. She was recognized as a “Women on the Move.” Jackie holds an MBA from University of St. Thomas in Houston and a BS in Psychology from Texas A&M.

Juanita Campbell Rasmus

Pastor / Spiritual Director / Humanitarian / Artist

Juanita Rasmus is a pastor, Spiritual Director, and contemplative with a passion for outreach to the world's most impoverished citizens. Juanita co-leads St. John’s Church in Downtown Houston with her husband, Rudy. They founded the Bread of Life in 1992, ultimately serving 500 meals per day and 14 tons of fresh produce per week to the homeless. During Hurricane Harvey, they partnered with Tina Knowles Lawson and Beyoncé to help over 100,000 victims recover from the floods. In 2009, Juanita was diagnosed with kidney cancer, but she wasn’t afraid. Instead she waited to see what lesson the disease would bring. In August 2010, The Art Project Houston (TAPH) emerged from Juanita’s recovery from cancer as a therapeutic art program for the homeless, hungry, and transitioning community of Houston. The lessons from Juanita's battles with depression and cancer have been chronicled in a memoir entitled "Learning to Be" and will be available in June 2020 through InterVarsity Press.

KiKi Maroon

Burlesque Clown

KiKi Maroon is a standup comic, radio personality, producer, and international award-winning burlesque clown. Combining standup comedy, storytelling, and cabaret; she has been called “a modern day Lucille Ball." KiKi has charmed audiences across the U.S., South America, Europe, and Asia; winning her the titles of 2013 Burlesque Comedy Queen and 2015 People’s Choice at The International Queen Burlesque Festival (Milan, Italy). She is currently based in Texas, where she was named one of Houston’s “Most Colorful Celebrities” by The Houston Chronicle and included in “The 100 Most Creative People” by The Houston Press. When she’s not captivating people onstage, she’s calling the shots backstage, as the producer of The Burly Q Lounge, KiKi Maroon’s Comic Strip , and The BCBC Festival (international burlesque & circus festival). After being a cast member on several radio shows and podcasts, KiKi launched her solo podcast, Clown, Interrupted.

Kim Roxie

Beauty Catalyst

A native Houstonian, Kim Roxie graduated from Clark Atlanta University and started working in the beauty industry. After discovering how toxic many of the ingredients inside common beauty products were, Kim set out to give women clean beauty options and launched LAMIK Cosmetics, becoming an entrepreneur at the age of 21. Armed with her savings and a $500 investment from her mom she opened up a retail store in a popular urban Houston mall. From there she built a eco-friendly beauty brand with a loyal customer base that has helped LAMIK thrive for 15 years.

Michelle Avalos

Christian Woman / OPS Ninja / Connector

Michelle Avalos is on a mission to empower other changemakers by equipping them with tools needed to transform their vision into action for good. Originally from Mexico, Michelle has lived in Houston most of her life and was the first person in her family to graduate from college. When she entered the corporate workforce in 2013, she broke barriers as one of the youngest and few Latinas in Houston's Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) industry. After eight years of serving on non-profit boards and mentoring and advising thousands of students on a volunteer basis, Michelle Co-Founded Creative Vida: a non-profit focused on educating and empowering youth through creative experiences. In the summer of 2018, Michelle chose to make a career shift and now serves as the Director of Operations at Impact Hub Houston, a locally rooted, globally connected community on a mission to inspire, connect, and empower changemakers, social entrepreneurs, and impact supporters. #CambiaElMundo

Norma West-Green

Advocate / Activist

My journey began in Pittsburgh, Pa. -- Steel country. I was not aware of racism or bigotry until the Court decision on Oliver Brown vs The Board of Education of Topeka Kansas. Regardless of my not having personal experience of bigotry that I was aware, I joined protest groups; non-violent as well as civil unrest. I was arrested many times for civil unrest, physically and verbally abused and never considered my own safety until we really did overcome. The movement and mission continues. I remain an activist, a voter registrar, election worker and all that promotes the message that we all must commit to social equality. I am a divorced mother of three, a writer and a proud senior.

Robin Paoli

Aspiring Shero

Robin Paoli is the founder and Board President for Houston Women March On as well as founder and CEO at Bibliosol Global. Her lifelong advocacy has ranged from grassroots organizations to national assemblies, with campaigns spanning multiple sectors from health care and housing to economic development and social justice. Robin is a serial entrepreneur, helping launch more than thirty not-for-profit, for-good, and for-profit initiatives and businesses, locally and globally. She believes love is a series of daily actions stretching us beyond ourselves and breaking the systems and institutions that imprison us and reduce us to less than we are meant to become. Robin has been recognized for community development and frameworks for measuring impact, and is the recipient of awards for advocacy, public affairs, and writing.

Runsi Sen

Social Entrepreneur, Women's Health Advocate

Runsi Sen, Founder of Ovarcome, a global ovarian cancer foundation, serves as the President and CEO of the organization. Runsi lost her mother to ovarian cancer in 2009, and in her memory and with her inspiration founded Ovarcome. Under Runsi’s leadership, Ovarcome has experienced significant growth both nationally and internationally. An MBA and Business Executive, Runsi decided to leave her corporate career to dedicate herself to the pursuit of ovarian cancer awareness and patient support, after having gone through the transformative journey with her Mom. Regarded as a pioneer thinker and a voice for the caregivers and survivors in the cancer community, Runsi wishes to give the gift of Ovarcoming to all.