Why TED?
We’ve been here for a while, sharing our stories, backgrounds and treasured moments. From past conferences to this upcoming one, we want you to know it all. To continue the tradition, we are letting you in on a little secret that has not yet been addressed, something very special and unique to each member: the reason we got into TED in the first place.
Every decision starts with a reason, we like to think of it as the WHY? Our WHY varies from person to person, but who better to tell this than some of our own members themselves.
Maria de los Angeles Villarreal
“Ted Talks have always inspired me. From motivating me to read more and engage in creative activities, to learn about disabilities and the struggles of living in certain countries, there is always something new, fresh, insightful and worthy of being heard. They are my favorite way to learn about the world. I deeply admire the work the organization has done and wanted to be part of them. When I found out about their team at UT I attended their event was inspired by other classmates, professors, and community members. I gained so much knowledge and hope in just one day. I wanted to be part of this amazing team so that I too can help everyone else have the same positive learning experience I had”
Shanil Jasani
“In today’s ever-changing world, the power of negativity and levels of non-productive competition are growing at an unsustainable rate. From hate crimes to unethically fighting for class ranks, finding positivity in the society around us is difficult. TEDx helps ease this though promoting the power of positive thinking, sharing ideas, and collaboration”
Joyson Zhang
“I have always been amazed by the concept of TED talks, how simple ideas when presented in the right way and with passion, can change the lives of so many people. That is our vision on this team - something we all are passionate about. What drew me into this org was the passion and drive of the founding members - I wanted to surround myself with people like that and I was drawn to their passion/commitment for TED. Turned out to be a great choice - challenging and rewarding, as I saw all our work culminate in our last year’s conference”
Jess Park
“Since I was in the 6th grade, I’ve been watching TED talks both in and out of school. The speakers enlightened me with their words of wisdom and insights, and it was a fascinating display to see all these speakers come from their own distinct paths in life. It showed the simple brilliance of TED. TED was a world of education and insight to a plethora of topics that one might otherwise never have exposure to, and it’s why I wanted to come full circle through TEDxUTAustin. It gave the opportunity to enlighten other UT students so that they could gain an even wider and deeper perspective of the world around them.”
TEDx will always hold a special place in each of our hearts, all for different reasons, but still united in this shared passion. It’s an outlet, a source, an inspiration, and ultimately a community that welcomes open minds with open arms. We’ve seen ourselves grow deeper in knowledge and solidarity through this very org that we stand to uphold every day.
We’ve crossed hardships and victories alike while carrying the name of TEDx upon our backs. And from this, we truly only want to see it flourish and grow, both across communities and the hearts of others.
We hope that you’ve managed to get a glimpse into the vast depth of our love for TEDx, and hope that you too may find such passion and inspiration from the three glowing letters as we first did.
Until next time we connect,
-TEDxUTAustin