TED is a nonprofit that aims to spread beneficial thinking and powerful ideas usually through short talks and videos. TED was started in 1984 and has left a powerful impact on millions of people on a global scale. These talks enlighten viewers about topics and interests of every sort, including scientific discoveries, personal triumphs, health issues, entrepreneurial venture, government affairs, and more.
This year, on November 15, there will be hundreds of TEDx events taking place throughout the world. Every TEDx event, each of which is an independently organized event designed to spread TED’s mission, falls under a larger annual theme. The theme this year is “Worlds Imagined.” At Hewitt, students like Head Curator Paloma Stafford ’16 have been working hard to plan a TEDxYouth@Hewitt event that brings “Worlds Imagined” to life. With such an inspiring weekend ahead, I wanted to talk to Paloma personally about the work she has done.
Hewitt Times: Can you tell me about this years theme and what work you’ve done to honor it?
Paloma Stafford: TEDx declares a universal theme each year for this specific weekend. This year, the theme is “Worlds Imagined.” I feel as if each year the declared theme is more vague than the last one. When the theme was announced, the curators and I talked a lot about what this theme means to us and how to clearly define it for our community. We finally decided that this theme tries to highlight the importance of an inspired and empowered community making their collective dreams a reality. As a result, we have chosen speakers who have not only pursued their passions but have created a lifestyle with the goal of helping to improve their communities. However, this is not necessarily in a tangible sense, like painting a mural in a run-down playground. We crafted a speaker line-up in which each performer and speaker has found what his or her community lacks and as a result has created a platform for people to fill these voids in their community.
HT: How will this year’s TEDX be different from previous years?
PS: This year is the 5th anniversary of TEDxYouth@Hewitt. When the curators and I first met, we all agreed that we wanted this year’s event to be bigger and bolder than it has been in the past. We did everything in our power to make this event as playful, youthful, and inspirational as possible. Some notable features include younger speakers, including two 11-year-olds and two 17-year-olds, live music, a skipping break, and a photo booth. There are of course more highlights, but some things we want to keep a secret.
HT: What are you most looking forward to from the event?
PS: I think what I am most looking forward to is seeing our work in action. I also am excited to see how each of the curators’ personalities is reflected through the event. The curators all quirky and enthusiastic, and the speakers we have lined up are a great reflection of who we, the curators, are.
To see the TED mission being kept alive within our own community is inspiring. I strongly encourage everyone to attend; if you can’t, the live stream of the entire event will be available here. Congratulations to Paloma and the rest of the curators on all of their hard work!