In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Dixon Hall
Newcomb Cir
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118
United States

Aliah Banchik

Student

Labeling dyslexia as a learning disability without so much as noting the powerful gifts that go along with it, is a problem perpetuated by our antiquated education system. Through a combination of neurological explanations of dyslexic brain functioning and personal anecdotes, I hope to inspire, educate, and empower dyslexic and non-dyslexic learners alike with the ultimate goal of redefining dyslexia. It is time to stop viewing it solely as a “disability” and start seeing it for what it is: just a different way of thinking. #PromoteNuerodiversity

Ari Renai

Student

Dance is not only an art form but also a means of freedom of expression. It is incredibly important to make dance accessible to all communities because it can unite people of all different backgrounds and lessen the division seen in society today. Expanding access to dance can defy common social norms and stereotypes, establishing positive social change.

Bouchaib Gadir

Professor

The poems I will be reciting tell stories about immigrants, displaced and marginalized, in New Orleans, Spain and France. These poems are a display of mixed emotion, loneliness, and marginalization felt by migrants with a sense of belonging to a host land or to their native cultures. While marking contrasts between immigrants' dreams and the harsh realities where they find themselves, these poems are written in the spirit of solidarity with women’s conditions, immigration, and minority populations in the hope to make the world a better place for all.

Ellen Rokicki

Student

Computer code gives us the power to take incredible amounts of raw information and analyze it for important connections and patterns. It is the key that can be used to unlock the trends, correlations, and disparities buried in our data sets. In my talk, I will demonstrate how applying computer programming languages to data can spark important conversations surrounding some of our biggest social and global problems.

Heidi Breaux

Professor

Many professors think being affirming to transgender people is comprised of using their correct name and pronouns, however affirming behaviors go far beyond this. They stretch to include remaining away from pathological thinking, implicit bias, binary views on gender, victim or burden blaming, exploitation, tokenism and so much more. This speech will help the viewer understand many additional components that are essential to all work in unison, in order to create safe spaces on campus for transgender and gender diverse students, faculty, and staff.

Kennedy Walker

Student

The social media algorithm at the basis of every app is used so that we see content that aligns with things we interact with the most. This becomes detrimental when we don’t see opposing views, and platforms are polarized and hive minded. I want to show the true dangers in relying on social media for news and information and urge the audience to look beyond the feed and take on the responsibility of educating ourselves on these subjects that impact our everyday lives.

Maddison Wells

Student

Government housing policies and interventions have left blacks in impoverished environments. Both government and private enterprise attempts of redeveloping “the ghetto” intend to rectify these injustices but lack cultural understanding and consistent execution. Ideally, Black communities should invest in themselves and revitalize their own neighborhoods to gradually transition from poverty to middle-class and beyond without relocation. The creation of these ethnic enclaves would allow Black communities to accumulate wealth through real estate and self-reparate.

Maygan Miguez

Student

At just seven years old, I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. This diagnosis propelled my food journey in which I sought answers to the whats, whys, and hows of the food I was putting into my body. Delving deeper into my self-education, I discovered that the food we eat is not only a human health issue but also an environmental and ethical issue. I urge my audience to question the food that they're eating and to "trust your gut" when making environmental, ethical, and healthy choices.

Sarah Broussard

Student

We are in the midst of a deadly pandemic that's caused unprecedented stress on our healthcare workers, increased levels of anxiety and depression among many demographics, and economic turmoil that's made medical bills more burdensome than ever before. Therefore, the time to talk about patient rights - or, rather, the lack thereof - was yesterday. I hope to move beyond the conversation about how broken our healthcare system is and paint the picture of what a health care system should - and could - look like if patient rights were truly upheld. As consumers of healthcare, we deserve holistic, logical, and ethical treatment, and it's time we not only appreciate that as a true statement but also encourage action at all levels to bring this truth to functional fruition.

Spencer Chism

Student

In 2020, we had more authors and more books being published than ever before in history, most of which were discussing issues alive and relevant to our time today. Yet, we continue to teach texts that are centuries old to students of all levels– from college students studying Aristotle and Shakespeare to children reading Moby-Dick and Frankenstein. Why do educators continue to force old texts onto an audience who no longer find them applicable to their own lives? Let’s embrace modern authors into academia and the English literary canon, where they can be applicable and meaningful to this generation of students and readers.