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).

Institute of Contemporary Art
601 W Broad St
Richmond, Virginia, 23220
United States

Alexandra Smith-Scales

Masters Candidate at VCU Brandcenter

Alex Smith-Scales is a first-year Master’s candidate at VCU Brandcenter studying Creative Brand Management. She is so excited about her experience with coming out and how the process restored a sense of authenticity that she didn’t know she was capable of. She is so thankful for her family and friends for their endless support. She would also like to thank her partner, Mellon, for giving her the adventure of being loved and cherished every day.

Amoney (Amany Bouali)

Undergraduate Media Production and Business Student at VCU

Amoney is a female Tunisian-American lyrical rapper. Her music carries meaning in every word and starts as poetry that expresses past hardships and emotions through rhyme and rhythm. Amoney started making music in the summer of 2020 with the rise of the Black Lives Matter protests. With every track, she experiments with different styles and genres and captivates her audience with catchy melodies and relatable lyrics. Her performance today features a combination of tracks from her most recent album: Came From Something, and newer singles from this year.

Garret Westlake

Associate Vice Provost for Innovation at VCU

Dr. Garret Westlake is leading the transformation of Virginia Commonwealth University into one of the world’s leading universities for cross-disciplinary collaboration and innovation. As VCU’s inaugural associate vice provost for Innovation and the executive director of the da Vinci Center for Innovation, Dr. Westlake advances university-wide design thinking and leads student innovation and entrepreneurship. He is also the co-founder of the SHIFT Retail Lab - a student innovation lab and storefront recognized by Fast Company as a 2022 World Changing Idea. He was also a successful technology entrepreneur - the CEO and founder of a social impact software company that employed individuals with autism. An advisor and consultant for Fortune 500 companies, Dr. Westlake is a facilitator of innovation, design thinking, and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®.

Leilei Xia

Animator and Filmaker at VCU School of the Arts

Leilei Xia is an artist whose works involve animation, video, tactile theater, tactile objects, participatory art, community engagement and pedagogy. She was born in Guangzhou, China and has been studying art in the US. Her trajectory has been moving from illustration to animation, to video installation, and to tactile art and workshop experiences. She is always trying to walk on the boundaries of mediums and genres, and let them coexist in a project. Recently her research has been focusing on combining the process and the result of art to make art not as a noun, but as a verb.

Padmini Simhan

Masters of Marketing Management Candidate at VCU

Padmini Simhan is a 23 year old graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University, pursuing a Master’s of Science in Marketing Management. Her interests include creating narratives and marketing content, conducting market research, studying consumer behavior, dancing, singing and writing. Her love for music stems from her belief that it connects people, especially when expressing and sharing emotions, is the basis for her talk. Padmini hopes to pursue a career in creative marketing with a focus in consumer behavior, so she can continue to learn more about the psychology behind music and social marketing and how they all intertwine with each other.

Thérèse Weidenkopf

Medical Student at VCU School of Medicine

Thérèse (Tess) Weidenkopf is currently a first-year medical student at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Roanoke College in 2022 with Honors in a Theatre Major and Biochemistry Major. She is deeply thankful for the physician who stood by her side during treatment, family, her theatre directors, and pre-med mentors who encouraged her in every light and dark moment she endured. She hopes this TEDx talk inspires all to take up a theatre class and begin to understand the complexities underlying all human stories.

Tyler Mitchell

Undergraduate Political Science Student at VCU

Tyler Mitchell is a political science major at VCU who hopes to better his community by educating people about the benefits of people-centered city planning and infrastructure. Tyler wants to flip the public’s idea of what a city is on its head by presenting the benefits of pedestrian based infrastructure.