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).

The Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre
800 21st Street NW
Washington, District of Columbia, 20052
United States

Alireza Jafarzadeh

Iranian Dissident Figure & Commentator

Mr. Alireza Jafarzadeh, a well-known author, Middle East commentator, and a prominent Iranian dissident figure, is known for revealing the major nuclear sites of Iran. Mr. Jafarzadeh is the author of The Iran Threat and is an accomplished analyst, frequently appearing on major television and radio broadcasts, writing for or being quoted in acclaimed news outlets such as Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, and Reuters, and speaking in various forums, including on Capitol Hill and major universities across the United States. Mr. Jafarzadeh has advocated for democracy, women’s rights, and human rights. He is the Deputy Director of the US Representative Office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI-US), which has gained bi-partisan majority support in U.S. Congress as well as thousands of parliamentarians around the globe.

Amy Shoenthal

Journalist, Marketing Consultant, & Author

Amy Shoenthal is a journalist, marketing consultant, and author of The Setback Cycle, a book about how today’s prominent founders and leaders overcome obstacles to find success. In her years spent profiling these leaders for outlets like Forbes and Harvard Business Review, nearly every discussion revealed a common theme: what they learned during their biggest setbacks led them to their most successful ventures. Amy also boasts a two-decade marketing career, working with some of the world's largest brands, from Procter & Gamble to Google. Now, through her consulting firm, Visionaries Collective, she works with founders, corporations, nonprofits and small businesses to shape their brand narratives and captivate audiences through strategic storytelling. Amy previously wrote a local children’s book about the independent-owned businesses in her own beloved neighborhood of Sunnyside, Queens, where she lives with her husband and daughter.

Doncel Brown

Fashion Designer

Doncel Brown's journey from the tech industry to the forefront of fashion is a testament to the power of passion and determination. With no formal training, he embarked on a remarkable odyssey, guided solely by his creativity and vision. Fueled by his innate curiosity for innovation and conversations, Doncel founded Generation Typo, a brand that transcends mere apparel, aiming to foster meaningful connections across generations. Despite the initial skepticism he encountered, Doncel remained steadfast in his pursuit. His relentless dedication and willingness to embrace risk propelled Generation Typo to unprecedented heights, culminating in a triumphant showcase at New York Fashion Week. The invitation to Paris Fashion Week marked a pivotal moment in Doncel's career, affirming his place among the industry's elite. For Doncel, fashion is more than just fabric and thread; it's a medium through which he can inspire change and spark meaningful conversations.

Kanika Gupta

Artist

Kanika Gupta is an internationally recognized artist and entrepreneur who uses her practice to create dialogue and human connections to bring us to a more inclusive world. Through multi-modal and sensory based work, Kanika is passionate about engaging public audiences with art in ways that are meaningful to them. Kanika is named among Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women. Her work can be seen at www.byKanika.com

Karen Vallejos Corrales

Lawyer & Immigration Activist

Karen Vallejos Corrales is an experienced advocate for the immigrant community. Her commitment to immigrant rights includes advocacy and leadership that challenges systemic inequities in education. After witnessing the 2010 collapse of the federal DREAM Act, she was one of the founding members of the Dream Project. The mission of the Dream Project is to empower students whose immigration status creates barriers to education by working with them to access and succeed in college through scholarships, mentoring, and scholar, alumni, and family support. Karen earned her Juris Doctorate from the Washington and Lee School of Law and possesses a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Southwestern Adventist University. Her expertise spans nonprofit leadership, governance, and legal and policy research.

Nabila Hijazi

Teaching Assistant Professor of Writing

Dr. Nabila Hijazi is a Teaching Assistant Professor of Writing at George Washington University. Her research interests include the rhetoric surrounding Muslim women and literacy studies, with a focus on Syrian refugee women. Drawing on community-based work with Syrian refugee women in the Washington, D.C. region, Hijazi examines the cultural, economic, and political dimensions of their Arabic literacy practices and English literacy learning in the United States. Her dissertation, “Syrian Refugee Women in the Diaspora: Sustaining Families through Literacies,” received honorable mention in the 2020 Presidents Dissertation Award by The Coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric and Composition. Her work appeared in Composition Forum, a journal of the Association of Teachers of Advanced Composition, and several edited collections such as Food Justice Activism and Pedagogies: Literacies and Rhetorics for Transforming Food Systems in Local and Transnational Contexts.