United States

Louisiana State University; Delgado Community College

Brothers Empowered to Teach (BE2T) is an education non-profit organization focused on recruiting and training men of color to become teachers, particularly Black men. Founded by Larry Irvin, BE2T aims to address the lack of representation of Black male educators in public schools. Through innovative programming, mentorship, and paid fellowships, BE2T is increasing the number of Black male teachers in classrooms in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The organization's approach includes character development, masculinity discussions, and professional skills training to create well-rounded educators. BE2T has placed 174 men in classrooms and is expanding its reach to other cities. The organization's work has been recognized and supported by various initiatives, including receiving grants from the Jrue & Lauren Social Impact Fund. Additionally, BE2T actively participates in events like the Universities of Louisiana Black Male Summit to engage with young Black men and emphasize their crucial role in education. Through its efforts, BE2T is striving to empower Black men to become impactful educators and role models for the next generation. // Louisiana State University; Delgado Community College // The mission of Brothers Empowered to Teach (BE2T) is to generate a pipeline of incredible teachers who mirror success for their students. BE2T has a proven solution to the intersectional local crises of inequitable student outcomes by race, significant teacher shortages, and the under-representation of men of color in teaching. We are transforming the face of K-12 classrooms by opening pathways for Black men to become excellent teachers through our unique approach to recruiting, developing, and retaining teachers of color. By identifying potential educators as early as possible, BE2T broadens and deepens the teacher pipeline. Evidence on teacher turnover, especially for teachers of color, indicates that schools often struggle to create climates of equity to adequately support teachers of color. Black teachers are resigning at twice the rate of their white colleagues, in part due to the fatigue of racism and inequity. When schools invest in a culture of equity, they're better able to retain Black educators. At BE2T, we are creating a world in which the demographics of educators reflect those of the students they serve, Black men thrive as teachers, and Black students thrive in our K-12 schools with excellent teachers who reflect their identity. At BE2T, Black men become teachers through one of three pathways: (1) a three-year Pre-Teaching Fellowship for college students, (2) a one-year Change Track program for college graduates and career changers, and (3) our work with partner schools to build a culture of equity that allows for the recruitment and retention of educators of color. // Larry Irvin is the founder of Brothers Empowered to Teach (BE2T), a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the representation of Black male educators in public schools. Through innovative programming, mentorship, and paid fellowships, BE2T has successfully placed 174 men in classrooms in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The organization's approach includes character development, masculinity discussions, and professional skills training to create well-rounded educators. BE2T's work has been recognized and supported by initiatives like the Jrue & Lauren Social Impact Fund, and the organization actively engages with young Black men through events like the Universities of Louisiana Black Male Summit. By empowering Black men to become impactful educators and role models, BE2T is making significant strides in addressing the under-representation of men of color in the teaching profession and fostering a more diverse and inclusive educational environment. // Education innovator // Larry Irvin is the chief executive officer for Brothers Empowered to Teach (BE2T), where he ensures the overall vision and culture for BE2T and is the chief fundraiser. Larry is the creator and mastermind of ‘The Cipher’, which is BE2T’s in-house personal and professional development space. Prior to this role, Larry was a former teacher and high-school football coach. Larry has become a member of the Andover Breadloaf Teacher Network and also currently Pahara NextGen Fellow. A New Orleans, Louisiana native, Larry earned his associate’s degree in journalism and media arts from Delgado Community College followed by earning his bachelor’s degree in communication studies with a concentration in rhetorical theory and public address from Louisiana State University. Larry is a 2016 Camelback fellow and is also a member of the WKKF Kellogg Leadership Network. Educational attainment was always a point of emphasis for Larry growing up. Raised by an early childhood educator, Larry’s mother spent 23 years as a teacher for the Jefferson Parish Head Start program. Larry was most inspired by his mother’s perpetual benevolence, which extended from the classroom deep into the community, and Larry continues to adopt those same values through his work. // TED Fellow and education innovator Larry Irvin envisions a world where every child can see themselves reflected in their teachers. With his team at Brothers Empowered to Teach, Irvin is providing pathways to careers in education for Black men, who currently make up less than three percent of all teachers in the US -- offering training, personal and professional development and job placement. He shares how their holistic, people-centered approach is changing education. // Larry Irvin is the founder of Brothers Empowered to Teach (BE2T), a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the representation of Black male educators in public schools. Through innovative programming, mentorship, and paid fellowships, BE2T has successfully placed 174 men in classrooms in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The organization's approach includes character development, masculinity discussions, and professional skills training to create well-rounded educators. BE2T's work has been recognized and supported by initiatives like the Jrue & Lauren Social Impact Fund, and the organization actively engages with young Black men through events like the Universities of Louisiana Black Male Summit. By empowering Black men to become impactful educators and role models, BE2T is making significant strides in addressing the under-representation of men of color in the teaching profession and fostering a more diverse and inclusive educational environment. // Education innovator // program development, education, writing, cities, pedagogy, job skills training, curriculum development, inequity, fundraising, pitching, racism, teachers, facilitation, public speaking, marketing, children, teacher development, k-12, communication, development // Los Angeles|USA|New Orleans|New York|California|United States|Louisiana|Baton Rouge

Los Angeles|USA|New Orleans|New York|California|United States|Louisiana|Baton Rouge

United States

Hugs for Ghana; Howard University Hospital; Yale University; Boston University; Seattle Children's; National Student Response Network; Washington State University; The White House; Nth Dimensions; TikTok; The Urban Institute; Kamiak High School; Providence Health & Services; Kumon; Nordstrom; Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentoring Program; The Johns Hopkins University; The Institute for Responsible Citizenship

Joel Bervell is a Ghanaian-American medical student, science communicator, and host of The Dose Podcast with The Commonwealth Fund. He graduated from Yale University with a BA in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology and completed a Masters in Medical Science at Boston University. Currently a medical student at Washington State University, Joel is known as the 'Medical Mythbuster' online, where he addresses health disparities through education on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. He has spoken at various prestigious institutions and has a significant social media following. Joel is also involved in non-profit work, co-founding Hugs for, which empowers high school global leaders and has organized trips and fundraised extensively. Additionally, he has received numerous awards and recognitions for his work in healthcare and social media activism. // Joel is a medical student, host of The Dose podcast with The Commonwealth Fund, and a social media medical educator currently studying at Washington State University, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and a graduate of Yale University ('17) where he studied Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology. Known online as the "Medical Mythbuster," Joel is committed to fighting health disparities in medicine through education and regularly shares topics about racial disparities/ biases in healthcare and other industries on his TikTok and Instagram (@joelbervell) where his platforms have over 850,000+ combined followers and 150 million + impressions. Joel has spoken on national media outlets including Good Morning America, National Public Radio, Yahoo News, Business Insider, and Mashable and has published work in prestigious academic journals such as the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. He has been invited to speak on panels at SXSW, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Google, Congressional Black Caucus, Barclays Bank, Clinton Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and more. Joel is a participant in the White House Office of Public Engagement’s Healthcare Leaders in Social Media Roundtable, has worked with the Surgeon General’s Office, collaborated with the World Health Organization’s Digital Communications Team to combat the spread of health misinformation on social media and sits on The Atlantic's Health Equity Council. Joel was named by TikTok as the top 2021 “Voice for Change,” featured by TikTok as one of 10 “Changemakers” on their inaugural Discover List, named as one of ten recipients of the 50K MACRO x TikTok Black Creatives Grant, is a part of Meta’s 2022 We The Culture Class, and was a nominee for the AdColor Awards. The Smithsonian Channel/ Harpo Productions chose him as a 2022 “Cyclebreaker” and he has been recognized as a Scientific American ‘Revolutionary,’ 2023 Anthem Award Gold Winner, and 2022 National Minority Quality Forum “40 under 40 Leader in Minority Health. He is the recipient of the National Medical Association’s Emerging Scholar Award, the highest academic honor presented to a student by the National Medical Association. Learn more about him at www.joelbervell.com and follow his work on Tiktok (@joelbervell) and Instagram (@joelbervell). // Hugs for Ghana is an entirely student-led 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to empowering global student leaders to giving material and financial donations to underprivileged children world wide. - Spearheaded grassroots fundraising efforts. To date over $250,000 worth of material and monetary donations collected and delivered. - Impacted over 175,000 youth across Ghana, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, and the United States- Established multiple branches of Hugs for Ghana in 10 states and over 150 volunteers.- Regularly a speaker at conferences for social entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and managing a start-up.Visit www.hugsforghana.org to learn more about our projects. // The Institute for Responsible Citizenship (www.theinstitute.net) is an intensive leadership program for America’s best and brightest African American male college students. Its mission is to prepare men to be exemplary citizens and leaders. The Institute inspires men to pursue extraordinary career success not simply for their personal benefit, but as platforms from which they can serve others.In my role I coordinated the day to day operations of an 8-week summer internship program that recruited college students from around the United States. I organized private meetings with members of Congress, State Department officials, business leaders, lawyers, physicians and more. // Manage Phase 3 clinical trials including a PCORI study evaluating surgical vs. antibiotic treatments for appendicitis. - Screened and recruited subjects for various studies to determine their eligibility for inclusion in clinical trials- Consented patients interested in participating in research and conducted patient scheduling and follow-up - Coordinated with research sponsors, physicians, and other sites for multi-center studies- Maintained IRB protocol, patient eligibility and quality control to ensure preparation for audits // - Shadowed surgeries of various musculoskeletal conditions on the inpatient floor, emergency room and urgent care center. - Observed residency rotations with current Howard University medical students and residents- Attended panels led by doctors about up and coming procedures in orthopedics // • Urban Institute Associate in the Health Policy Center // • Developing strong people and problem solving skills while resolving customer issues• Creating my own “business” by connecting with customers and consistently working with them• Utilizing time management to effectively accomplish tasks in a fast paced work environment• Consistently meeting and surpassing sales goals, sales per hour ratings, and department goals• Maintaining an awareness of the merchandise available for customers to purchase• Working with a team of people to meet overall department goals // Seattle Children's Hospital is a premier child health care and pediatric center and is recognized as one of the leading US hospitals for children.• Work directly with Seattle Children’s patients and their families, fostering a peaceful environment• Facilitate communication with patients, while engaging in fun activities with families and children • Show creativity and flexibility in responding to children’s needs, being dependable and willing • Assisting Seattle Children’s staff with medical programs and providing feedback on patients and programs • Provide opportunities for developmentally appropriate socialization to minimize the impact of hospitalization // Kumon is the world’s largest after-school math and reading program. • Assign work based on progress and develop a creative environment to foster fun learning• Coordinate schedules of several students, and multitask to meet expectations• Answer queries regarding assignments and grading, and resolve concerns to maintain client satisfaction • Predict the appropriate homework load and level of assignments based on student work patterns and trends• Constantly communicate with children’s parents regarding needs of the child based on home development // Invited participant to a White House roundtable with the Office of Public Engagement. // - Selected as one of 100 TikTok content creators from over 5000 creators for the inaugural TikTok for Black Creatives program - Member of the World Health Organization's "Operation Fides", a collection of medical social media influencers combatting COVID-19 misinformation - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion SimLEARN member with the VA Hospital systems. // The National Student Response Network (NSRN) is a grassroots effort - led by health professions students, for health professions students. NSRN aims to field the volunteer needs of hospitals and public health departments and match them with nearby health professions students who are eager to help their communities. // Oversaw and distributed an annual budget of $75,000 for paychecks, field trips, and enrichment activities - Prepared workshops and implemented academic and social curriculum at two New Haven middle school sites.- Managed and led a core team of 25 mentors while actively addressing and solving any student, parent, or teacher concerns.- Maintained a strong relationship with Yale University to ensure the continued existence of the foundation grant. // The National Student Response Network (NSRN) is a grassroots effort - led by health professions students, for health professions students. NSRN aims to field the volunteer needs of hospitals and public health departments and match them with nearby health professions students who are eager to help their communities. // Selected as one of 100 TikTok content creators from over 5000 creators for the inaugural TikTok for Black Creatives program. // Due to COVID-19, my Nth Dimensions experience was completely virtual. I completed my internship with Dr. Eileen Crawford at the University of Michigan. My research project was a case study titled 'Acute versus Chronic Lesser Tuberosity Fractures in Two Adolescent Hockey Players', and considered differences in treatment, diagnosis, and surgical outcomes for patients with a rare lesser tuberosity fractures. // Due to COVID-19, my Nth Dimensions experience was completely virtual. I completed my internship with Dr. Eileen Crawford at the University of Michigan. My research project was a case study titled 'Acute versus Chronic Lesser Tuberosity Fractures in Two Adolescent Hockey Players', and considered differences in treatment, diagnosis, and surgical outcomes for patients with a rare lesser tuberosity fractures. // Hugs for Ghana; Howard University Hospital; Yale University; Boston University; Seattle Children's; National Student Response Network; Washington State University; The White House; Nth Dimensions; TikTok; The Urban Institute; Kamiak High School; Providence Health & Services; Kumon; Nordstrom; Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentoring Program; The Johns Hopkins University; The Institute for Responsible Citizenship // Joel Bervell is a medical student and social media medical educator known as the "Medical Mythbuster." With a background in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology from Yale University, Joel is committed to addressing health disparities in medicine through education. He shares insights on racial disparities and biases in healthcare to his large following on TikTok and Instagram. Joel has been featured on national media outlets and has published work in prestigious academic journals. He actively participates in various initiatives such as combating health misinformation on social media and sits on The Atlantic's Health Equity Council. Joel's dedication to healthcare equity and education is evident through his impactful work and numerous accolades in the field. // Using social media to equip communities of color with information about health equity. My question is: Can social media reduce health disparities? // Joel Bervell is a Ghanaian-American medical student, science communicator, and host of The Dose Podcast with The Commonwealth Fund. With a background in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology from Yale University and a Masters in Medical Science from Boston University, Joel is recognized as the 'Medical Mythbuster' for his efforts in addressing health disparities through education on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. He is actively involved in combating health misinformation on social media and serves on The Atlantic's Health Equity Council. Joel's work focuses on sharing insights on racial disparities and biases in healthcare, contributing to the empowerment of communities of color with essential health information. Through his impactful advocacy and dedication to healthcare equity, Joel has garnered significant recognition and accolades in the field. // Medical MythBuster // Joel Bervell is a Ghanaian-American medical student, science communicator, and host of The Dose Podcast with The Commonwealth Fund. With a background in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology from Yale University and a Masters in Medical Science from Boston University, Joel is recognized as the 'Medical Mythbuster' for his efforts in addressing health disparities through education on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. He is actively involved in combating health misinformation on social media and serves on The Atlantic's Health Equity Council. Joel's work focuses on sharing insights on racial disparities and biases in healthcare, contributing to the empowerment of communities of color with essential health information. Through his impactful advocacy and dedication to healthcare equity, Joel has garnered significant recognition and accolades in the field. // Medical MythBuster // social determinants of health, grassroots, education, entrepreneurship, led, public health, medicine, urban, health equity, finance, research, inclusion, activism, race, social media, volunteerism, policy, instagram, covid, misinformation, youth, teachers, children, racial disparities, science, food, communication // Oregon|USA|Washington D.C.|Washington|United States|Portland

Oregon|USA|Washington D.C.|Washington|United States|Portland

United States

L.L. Dunn Law Firm, PLLC; University of Maryland Baltimore; University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Practitioner Teacher Program

Laura L. Dunn, J.D., is a nationally recognized civil and victims rights lawyer specializing in Title IX campus sexual assault cases. With decades of experience, Dunn serves as an expert witness and consultant on high-profile cases, advocating for victims and whistleblowers. She has received numerous accolades and recognitions for her work, including the U.S. Department of Justice Special Courage Award and a TED Fellowship. Dunn is also a published legal scholar and offers training and presentations on campus sexual assault, victims' rights, Title IX, and related topics. Through her firm, L.L. Dunn Law Firm, she continues to advance victims' rights and accountability in cases of sexual violence and misconduct. // Accomplished and dedicated professional with over 10 years of experience as a lawyer and social entrepreneur. Contributor to team success through advanced skills in litigation, policy, and media. Comfortable adapting to change, identifying creative solutions to unexpected problems, and committed to continuous improvement, and building a collaborative team environment. // L.L. Dunn Law Firm, PLLC; University of Maryland Baltimore; University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Practitioner Teacher Program // Laura Dunn is an accomplished professional with over a decade of experience as a lawyer and social entrepreneur. With expertise in litigation, policy, and media, she has been a valuable contributor to team success. Laura excels in adapting to change, problem-solving, and fostering a collaborative team environment. Committed to continuous improvement, she brings a wealth of experience to her work. // Increasing the prospect of justice for survivors of campus sexual violence // Laura L. Dunn, J.D., is a highly respected civil and victims' rights lawyer renowned for her specialization in Title IX campus sexual assault cases. With extensive experience spanning decades, Dunn is sought after as an expert witness and consultant in high-profile cases, advocating passionately for victims and whistleblowers. Her notable achievements include receiving prestigious awards such as the U.S. Department of Justice Special Courage Award and a TED Fellowship. Dunn is also a published legal scholar and conducts training sessions and presentations on critical issues like campus sexual assault, victims' rights, and Title IX. Through her firm, L.L. Dunn Law Firm, she continues to champion victims' rights and promote accountability in cases of sexual violence and misconduct, significantly contributing to increasing the prospect of justice for survivors of campus sexual violence. // Victims' rights attorney // Laura L. Dunn, Esq., advances victims' rights through select legislative and policy efforts as well as direct representation of survivors in campus, criminal and civil systems at the L.L. Dunn Law Firm, PLLC. As a nationally-recognized victim-turned-victims’ rights attorney and social entrepreneur, her work has been featured by National Public Radio, PEOPLE Magazine, Forbes, the National Law Journal, the New York Times, and many more. Dunn is a published legal scholar, an adjunct at Maryland Law, a member of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence and its Criminal Justice Section's Task Force on College Due Process, a liaison to the American Law Institute’s Model Penal Code on Sexual Assault and its Student Sexual Misconduct Project, an accomplished litigator who helped win the first-ever recognition of a federal victim-advocate privilege, and an expert witness and consultant on various campus-based gender violence lawsuits nationwide. Dunn has trained countless campus community members, advocates and attorneys on Title IX and the Clery through the Federal Bar Association, the National Association of Women Judges, the College Republican National Committee, the Democratic Attorneys General Association, the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics, Harvard Law, Stanford University, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the Texas Municipal Police Association, the Arkansas Bar Association, the National Association of Victim Rights Attorneys, and many more. While a student at Maryland Law, Dunn interned at the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women and the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, and worked as a law clerk for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. She also worked with Congress to pass the 2013 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act and developed its implementing regulations under the Clery Act through the U.S. Department of Education, which she also worked with on the Obama-era Title IX guidance. For this advocacy, Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy have publicly recognized Dunn. Upon graduation, Dunn founded the survivor-led and DC-based legal organization, SurvJustice. It is still the only national nonprofit representing victims of campus sexual violence in hearings across the country. For her work, Dunn has received a 2015 Echoing Green Global Fellowship, the 2016 Benjamin Cardin Public Service Award, the 2017 Special Courage Award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime, and a 2018 TED Fellowship, along with other honors and recognitions over the years. // To make accountability the norm after gender violence in the United States, we need to change tactics, says victims' rights attorney and TED Fellow Laura L. Dunn. Instead of going institution by institution, fighting for reform, we need to go to the Constitution and finally pass the Equal Rights Amendment, which would require states to address gender inequality and violence. By ushering in sweeping change, Dunn says, "our legal system can become a system of justice, and #MeToo can finally become 'no more.'" // Laura L. Dunn, J.D., is a highly respected civil and victims' rights lawyer renowned for her specialization in Title IX campus sexual assault cases. With extensive experience spanning decades, Dunn is sought after as an expert witness and consultant in high-profile cases, advocating passionately for victims and whistleblowers. Her notable achievements include receiving prestigious awards such as the U.S. Department of Justice Special Courage Award and a TED Fellowship. Dunn is also a published legal scholar and conducts training sessions and presentations on critical issues like campus sexual assault, victims' rights, and Title IX. Through her firm, L.L. Dunn Law Firm, she continues to champion victims' rights and promote accountability in cases of sexual violence and misconduct, significantly contributing to increasing the prospect of justice for survivors of campus sexual violence. // Victims' rights attorney // advocate, violence, gender based violence, education, victim rights, job skills training, gender inequality, attorney, survivor, research, design, title ix, rights, legislation, volunteerism, policy, women, public policy, gender, advocacy, politics, civil rights, litigation, inequality, law, campus sexual assault, victim, accountability, justice // Washington, D.C.|USA|New York|Washington|United States

Washington, D.C.|USA|New York|Washington|United States

Georgia

The organization focuses on documenting and shedding light on various social issues and conflicts in Georgia. They cover topics such as the lives of Chechen refugees in the Pankisi Gorge region, the impact of the pandemic on individuals and families, the plight of disabled children in remote regions, the dark history of black market baby trade, harsh working conditions in the Chiatura City mines, early marriages in Georgia, civil unrest in Kiev, the ethnic tensions in Samtskhe Javakheti, and the challenges faced by those living near the occupied borderlines of breakaway regions. Through photography and storytelling, the organization aims to raise awareness and give a voice to those affected by these issues. // Georgian photojournalist Daro Sulakauri, supported by CatchLight, has launched Shifting Borders, an interactive map and visual archive showcasing the lives of Georgian locals near the Russian occupation border. Through her work, Sulakauri captures the daily struggles and uncertainties faced by these communities, offering a glimpse into the impact of the ongoing conflict. Her storytelling delves into the experiences of individuals like Nina and Tengo, highlighting the challenges and dangers they encounter living near the border. Sulakauri's project sheds light on the complexities of the situation, illustrating the human stories behind geopolitical tensions in the region. // My on-going mission is to explore the limits of the camera, to constantly strive for new solutions and ultimately to create images that inspire, provoke thought, evoke emotions. I believe the result of my work can change something in people’s lives; change society's attitude and guide citizens on a path toward a better way. Using mixed media, I dedicate my work to coverage of a variety of social issues in the South Caucasus region. // Georgian photojournalist Daro Sulakauri is dedicated to documenting social issues and conflicts in Georgia, particularly focusing on the lives of marginalized communities near the Russian occupation border. Through her project "Shifting Borders," supported by CatchLight, Sulakauri creates an interactive map and visual archive that illuminates the daily struggles and uncertainties faced by locals in these regions. Her work captures the human stories behind geopolitical tensions, offering a poignant glimpse into the impact of ongoing conflicts on individuals like Nina and Tengo. Sulakauri's storytelling through photography aims to raise awareness, provoke thought, and evoke emotions, ultimately striving to inspire positive societal change in the South Caucasus region. // Photojournalist // Georgian photojournalist Daro Sulakauri is dedicated to documenting social issues and conflicts in Georgia, particularly focusing on the lives of marginalized communities near the Russian occupation border. Through her project "Shifting Borders," supported by CatchLight, Sulakauri creates an interactive map and visual archive that illuminates the daily struggles and uncertainties faced by locals in these regions. Her work captures the human stories behind geopolitical tensions, offering a poignant glimpse into the impact of ongoing conflicts on individuals like Nina and Tengo. Sulakauri's storytelling through photography aims to raise awareness, provoke thought, and evoke emotions, ultimately striving to inspire positive societal change in the South Caucasus region. // Photojournalist // children, visual art., photojournalism, refugees, unrest, conflicts and war, migration, advocacy campaigns, advocacy, documenting occupation, war, pandemic, investigative journalism, campaigns, conflict photography, mining // Georgia|Tbilisi

Georgia|Tbilisi

India

Photojournalist // Smita Sharma is an award winning photojournalist and visual storyteller based in Delhi, India, reporting on critical human rights and social justice issues in her own community as well as around the globe on assignments for Human Rights Watch, TIME, National Geographic Magazine, and other publications. From documenting the effect of pregnancy on girl’s education in Kenya to child marriage in Nepal, and sex-trafficking in South Asia, Sharma is committed to representing people with dignity and telling underrepresented stories with impact. Smita is a International Women's Media Foundation reporting fellow. She is the recipient of Amnesty International Media Award for humanistic photography and One World Media Award for her short film “Rebel with a Cause”. Smita’s work has been published in various places and exhibited and shown globally including at the UN Headquarters in New York. // In some parts of the world, girls are as likely to be married off or trafficked as they are to be educated. Photojournalist and TED Fellow Smita Sharma thoughtfully depicts overlooked girls and young women, while making sure not to disrupt the lives of her subjects in the process. Her work shows what might otherwise remain hidden -- the first step to changing the story. // Smita Sharma is an award winning photojournalist and visual storyteller based in Delhi, India, reporting on critical human rights and social justice issues in her own community as well as around the globe on assignments for Human Rights Watch, TIME, National Geographic Magazine, and other publications. From documenting the effect of pregnancy on girl’s education in Kenya to child marriage in Nepal, and sex-trafficking in South Asia, Sharma is committed to representing people with dignity and telling underrepresented stories with impact. Smita is a International Women's Media Foundation reporting fellow. She is the recipient of Amnesty International Media Award for humanistic photography and One World Media Award for her short film “Rebel with a Cause”. Smita’s work has been published in various places and exhibited and shown globally including at the UN Headquarters in New York. // Photojournalist // children, girls, violence, gender based violence, human rights, ethics, rights, education, gender, underrepresented, women's rights, gender violence, social justice, justice, women, ethical photography, visual storyteller // Delhi|India

Delhi|India

United States

Theater artist // Daniel Alexander Jones exemplifies the artist as energy worker. Daniel’s wildflower body of original work includes plays, performance pieces, recorded music, concerts, music theatre events, essays, and long-form improvisations. Energy is his true medium and provides the current for his formal fluency. Jones creates multi-dimensional experiences where the bodies, minds, emotions, voices, and spirits conjoin, shimmer, and heal. PEN America named Daniel the 2021 Laura Pels Foundation Awardee in Theatre. Jones’s critically-acclaimed pieces include Black Light (Public Theater, Greenwich House Theatre); Duat (Soho Rep); An Integrator’s Manual (La MaMa, etc. and Fusebox Festival); Bright Now Beyond (Salvage Vanguard Theatre); and Radiate (Soho Rep and National Tour). Jones has recorded five albums of original songs as his alter-ego, Jomama Jones. Daniel is enlivened by collaborative process and maintains a fierce tribe of artist-collaborators. His roots reach deep into Black American and Queer Theatre and Performance traditions; Jones is recognized as a key voice in the development of Theatrical Jazz and has made a significant contribution to Black Experimental Theatre and Performance. Jones explores ideas of the Afromystical (awakening awareness of the numinous in the everyday through ritualized performance) in all his work. He has also been a pioneer in the exploration and articulation of identities and experiences that move beyond caging binaries and transcend limited civic, cultural, and political imaginings. Moved by silenced histories of sovereignty and agency, and emboldened by acts of survival and transcendence, Jones creates his own distinctive dramaturgy. For over twenty-five years of professional practice, Jones has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the rigorous work of civic healing through vulnerable presence, truth telling, and collective critical engagement with possibility. Jones directed world-premieres of new plays and performance pieces by E. Patrick Johnson, Erik Ehn, Renita Martin, and Shay Youngblood, among others. He is a company member of Penumbra Theatre Company in St. Paul; an associate company member of Pillsbury House Theatre in Minneapolis; an alumnus of New Dramatists, and was a company member of Frontera@Hyde Park Theatre in Austin. Jones is a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow, a 2019 recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award. He was awarded a Doris Duke Artist Award, an Alpert Award in the Arts, a USA Artist Fellowship, an Arts Matters grant, an inaugural Creative Capital Grant, a McKnight National Residency and Commission, a Howard Foundation Fellowship, a NEA/TCG Playwriting Residency, a Jerome Fellowship, and a Many Voices Playwriting Fellowship. Jones was lead artist on five projects awarded support by the MAP Fund. Daniel has been a Mellon Creative Research Fellow at the University of Washington, a Hume Fellow at Occidental College, was a Fellow at the Hemispheric Institute at NYU, and has been in residence at a number of colleges and universities across the country including most recently, Reed College and Hampshire College. Jones received a Bistro Award for Outstanding Performance Artistry for Jomama Jones in 2019, and a Franky Award from the Prelude Festival in recognition of long-term, extraordinary impact on contemporary theatre and performance. Daniel Alexander Jones did his undergraduate study at Vassar College in Africana Studies with a focus on literature and the arts, and graduate study at Brown University in Theatre. He is a widely respected, innovative educator, who has taught across the United States, and held faculty positions at Goddard College, The University of Texas at Austin, and Fordham University, where he is currently an Associate Professor of Theatre. // "Some call me a soul sonic superstar," says Jomama Jones, the alter ego of TED Fellow and theater artist Daniel Alexander Jones. In this stunning talk and performance, Jomama Jones invites us to consider how coming undone can be the first step toward transformation. It's a powerful story of community, growth and renewal -- and how breaking apart can mean breaking open. // Daniel Alexander Jones exemplifies the artist as energy worker. Daniel’s wildflower body of original work includes plays, performance pieces, recorded music, concerts, music theatre events, essays, and long-form improvisations. Energy is his true medium and provides the current for his formal fluency. Jones creates multi-dimensional experiences where the bodies, minds, emotions, voices, and spirits conjoin, shimmer, and heal. PEN America named Daniel the 2021 Laura Pels Foundation Awardee in Theatre. Jones’s critically-acclaimed pieces include Black Light (Public Theater, Greenwich House Theatre); Duat (Soho Rep); An Integrator’s Manual (La MaMa, etc. and Fusebox Festival); Bright Now Beyond (Salvage Vanguard Theatre); and Radiate (Soho Rep and National Tour). Jones has recorded five albums of original songs as his alter-ego, Jomama Jones. Daniel is enlivened by collaborative process and maintains a fierce tribe of artist-collaborators. His roots reach deep into Black American and Queer Theatre and Performance traditions; Jones is recognized as a key voice in the development of Theatrical Jazz and has made a significant contribution to Black Experimental Theatre and Performance. Jones explores ideas of the Afromystical (awakening awareness of the numinous in the everyday through ritualized performance) in all his work. He has also been a pioneer in the exploration and articulation of identities and experiences that move beyond caging binaries and transcend limited civic, cultural, and political imaginings. Moved by silenced histories of sovereignty and agency, and emboldened by acts of survival and transcendence, Jones creates his own distinctive dramaturgy. For over twenty-five years of professional practice, Jones has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the rigorous work of civic healing through vulnerable presence, truth telling, and collective critical engagement with possibility. Jones directed world-premieres of new plays and performance pieces by E. Patrick Johnson, Erik Ehn, Renita Martin, and Shay Youngblood, among others. He is a company member of Penumbra Theatre Company in St. Paul; an associate company member of Pillsbury House Theatre in Minneapolis; an alumnus of New Dramatists, and was a company member of Frontera@Hyde Park Theatre in Austin. Jones is a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow, a 2019 recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award. He was awarded a Doris Duke Artist Award, an Alpert Award in the Arts, a USA Artist Fellowship, an Arts Matters grant, an inaugural Creative Capital Grant, a McKnight National Residency and Commission, a Howard Foundation Fellowship, a NEA/TCG Playwriting Residency, a Jerome Fellowship, and a Many Voices Playwriting Fellowship. Jones was lead artist on five projects awarded support by the MAP Fund. Daniel has been a Mellon Creative Research Fellow at the University of Washington, a Hume Fellow at Occidental College, was a Fellow at the Hemispheric Institute at NYU, and has been in residence at a number of colleges and universities across the country including most recently, Reed College and Hampshire College. Jones received a Bistro Award for Outstanding Performance Artistry for Jomama Jones in 2019, and a Franky Award from the Prelude Festival in recognition of long-term, extraordinary impact on contemporary theatre and performance. Daniel Alexander Jones did his undergraduate study at Vassar College in Africana Studies with a focus on literature and the arts, and graduate study at Brown University in Theatre. He is a widely respected, innovative educator, who has taught across the United States, and held faculty positions at Goddard College, The University of Texas at Austin, and Fordham University, where he is currently an Associate Professor of Theatre. // Theater artist // research, music, theatre, teaching, black american theatre., performance, community building, writing, vulnerability // United States|New York

United States|New York

United States

New York University; WaitWhat

The Holladay Brothers, Hays and Ryan, are multimedia artists and composers known for creating innovative music experiences that focus on the act of discovery. Their projects, ranging from sound and video installations to mobile apps, blend art and technology to redefine how people interact with sound. They have received critical acclaim for their location-aware compositions, where music is mapped to physical landscapes using GPS technology. The duo has collaborated with various organizations and institutions worldwide, creating unique works for different locations and events. Their work has been featured in prestigious media outlets and their live shows incorporate a mix of old and new elements, such as antique lamps synchronized with music. Additionally, they have contributed to television shows and podcasts with their scoring and sound design work. // WaitWhat is a media organization co-founded by individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The team includes individuals who have worked in various sectors such as public defense, Capitol Hill, private sector, digital media, and entertainment. They have collectively been involved in launching successful projects, leading content and marketing teams, and forming strategic partnerships. The organization is known for producing podcasts like Masters of Scale, Meditative Story, and Spark & Fire, as well as creating engaging content across different platforms. The team members bring a wealth of experience in areas such as audio engineering, production, storytelling, event management, and strategic partnerships, contributing to the organization's success in creating high-quality and impactful content. // New York University; WaitWhat // These days, my focus is to write, to compose, to produce and to create the best work I can without thinking how it finds any audience or changes the world, if I'm being honest. // Ryan Holladay, along with his brother Hays, is a multimedia artist and composer recognized for their innovative approach to creating music experiences centered around exploration and discovery. Their diverse projects span from immersive sound and video installations to interactive mobile apps, seamlessly blending art with cutting-edge technology. The duo is particularly acclaimed for their groundbreaking use of GPS technology to map music to physical landscapes, offering audiences a unique and location-aware sonic experience. Their collaborations with global organizations and institutions have garnered widespread attention, with their live performances featuring a captivating fusion of traditional and modern elements, such as synchronizing antique lamps with music. Furthermore, their contributions to television shows and podcasts showcase their exceptional talent in scoring and sound design, solidifying their reputation as boundary-pushing creators in the realm of multimedia art and music. // Musical artist // American artist and co-founder of BLUEBRAIN, a music and technology duo creating site-specific sound installations, interactive concerts and GPS-based compositions for sites across the country. // Brothers Hays and Ryan Holladay create innovative music experiences that celebrate the act of discovery. With a shared background in composition and music production, their projects span a range of fields and disciplines and frequently invite user interaction, blurring the lines between performer and participant. From sound and video installations to mobile apps, their expansive body of work represents an intricate blend of art and technology that reimagines how we interact with and experience sound. The duo received early praise for their location-aware composition: music created and mapped to a physical landscape, released as mobile apps, using GPS to dynamically alter the music as the listener explores their surroundings. Their first production, “The National Mall,” a location-aware album mapped to the eponymous park in Washington, DC, was described by the Washington Post as “magical…like using GPS to navigate a dream” and was included in their list of the year’s top albums (a first for an app). They’ve since gone on to create similar works for New York’s Central Park, SXSW Interactive in Austin, Texas, and other sites around the world, partnering with groups like IBM and the US State Department in the process. As a Senior TED Fellow, Ryan spoke about the project at the annual TED Conference in a talk that has been viewed more than a million times. In 2013, they served as visiting artists at Stanford University’s Experimental Media Art Department where they began work on their forthcoming location-aware composition spanning the entirety of the Pacific Coast Highway in the US. Hays and Ryan continue to break new ground with the latest iteration of their live show, which showcases an interplay of old and new, utilizing an array of antique lamps retrofitted with LED bulbs, networked and synchronized with the music to create a duet of light and sound. Last year, they created new commissions for Dolby’s headquarters, the Hirshhorn Museum of Art and Disney’s Magic Kingdom, among others. Their scoring and sound design work can be heard in television shows like ESPN’s 30 for 30 series and on podcasts such as Sincerely X, Constitutional and Reid Hoffman’s Masters of Scale. The Holladay Brothers have spoken at universities and institutions worldwide and have been featured in numerous media outlets including The New York Times, BBC World Service, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, WIRED and Fast Company. Follow us on Instagram: @holladaybrothers // Musicians Ryan and Hays Holladay blur the boundaries of sight and sound, creating a visual experience where music becomes the performer, rather than the performance with captivating colorful explosions that react to their music's slightest beats and tones. // In this lovely talk, TED Fellow Ryan Holladay shares his experiment with "location-aware music." This programming and musical feat involves hundreds of geotagged segments of sounds that only play when a listener is physically nearby, creating a magical sense of presence. // Ryan Holladay, along with his brother Hays, is a multimedia artist and composer recognized for their innovative approach to creating music experiences centered around exploration and discovery. Their diverse projects span from immersive sound and video installations to interactive mobile apps, seamlessly blending art with cutting-edge technology. The duo is particularly acclaimed for their groundbreaking use of GPS technology to map music to physical landscapes, offering audiences a unique and location-aware sonic experience. Their collaborations with global organizations and institutions have garnered widespread attention, with their live performances featuring a captivating fusion of traditional and modern elements, such as synchronizing antique lamps with music. Furthermore, their contributions to television shows and podcasts showcase their exceptional talent in scoring and sound design, solidifying their reputation as boundary-pushing creators in the realm of multimedia art and music. // Musical artist // technology, music, design, scoring, soundtrack, led, podcast, mobile applications, fire, coastal, sound // Los Angeles|USA|New York|California|United States

Los Angeles|USA|New York|California|United States

Brazil

Sandbox; MIT Alumni Association; Google; Deutsche Bank; Colegio Etapa; Enkla Editora; BeDream; Lemon, Inc.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Sloan School of Management; Estad√£o PME; EXAME.com; Grupo Bandeirantes de Televis√£o; Microsoft; R√°dio CBN; Ooyala; FazINOVA

Bel Pesce is a passionate entrepreneur and author of four bestselling books about simple… // Writer and author of 4 books: The Brazilian girl from Silicon valley, Superheroes wanted, The Brazilian girl from Silicon Valley 2 and The best version of You takes you further. All books are available for free in Portuguese, English and Arabic and became bestsellers, with more than 100,000 books sold. // Founded in 2015, Enkla is a multiplatform publisher with books that talk about complex subjects in a simple and accessible way. All books have free versions and special materials for schools, universities and companies. There are 14 publications, of which 5 have become bestsellers. We have content in Portuguese, English, Spanish and Arabic. // BeDream is an open, free platform that connects people who have passed through a certain experience with those who seek mentoring in that experience. Mentors share open learning, thus generating collaborative mentoring. We select themes, and make project calls. // Founded in 2013, FazINOVA is a company with the aim of keeping people up to date in an ever-changing world. We create online and offline content and courses so that people and companies can transform information into action and find solutions to their challenges. There are several programs and free content available on our platform, for the whole world to access, at any time. We democratize the access to knowledge around cultures, new professions and behavioral subjects. We have developed our own methodology in which we accelerate our students in cycles of learning, documentation and sharing, improving them in their behavioral skills. There are more than 200 thousand students around the world, and our platform is available in Portuguese, English and Arabic. // Bel Pesce has signed articles on the Entrepreneur's Blog, a space hosted within the PME (Small and Medium Enterprises) section of the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo. Estadão PME is a multi-platform unit aimed at the small and medium-sized entrepreneur, whose purpose is to help them through editorial content and training. // From 2014 until the end of 2016, Bel Pesce played the role of columnist on the CBN radio in "Bel's little notebook". On the board, the anchor Mílton Jung talks with the entrepreneur about topics such as inspiration, leadership, teamwork and how to turn dreams into reality. In all, there were more than 350 radio appearances in programs exhibited on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:45 am. Today, the program continues in a different format on Bel's social networks and on her YouTube channel. // Bel Pesce was a presenter on "Brasil Empreendedor" section in TV Bandeirantes Show Business program, presented by João Doria Jr., current mayor of São Paulo, in the early hours of Sunday. At the opportunity, the entrepreneur conveyed her corporate learning by sharing all her experience. For 20 years on air, Show Business has already broadcast more than 4,800 interviews with businessmen from various economic segments, ministers, heads of state, association leaders and personalities. // Bel Pesce wrote for the magazine Exame PME, focused on themes and subjects especially for small and medium companies (SMEs). In the "Cantinho da Bel" section, Bel talked about subjects like behavior in the daily life of an entrepreneur, relationship among partners, importance of the mistake, the value of networking, as well as answering reader's questions. // Sandbox is the foremost global community of extraordinary young achievers below 30. We identify exceptional people worldwide that already have an impressive impact at a very young age, no matter in what field or industry. Sandbox exists to help young doers build a family of like-minded peers, and spread the tools to build big, amazing things and to change the world. // Lemon Wallet allows you to store a digital copy of all of your cards—ID, insurance, loyalty and payment cards—so you always have a backup in case your wallet is misplaced, lost or stolen. Lemon Wallet digitizes your cards in a smarter way with interactive balance updates, personalized offers and a simple way to communicate with brands and merchants. // • Manage online video platform product, with a focus on analytics, monetization and cross-platform distribution• Drive the direction of the company, being involved in each step of the planning, development and release process• Define near and long term Product Roadmap, and put together Project Requirement Documents outlining each product release• Work closely with partners to understand broader business opportunities• Ability to multi-task and be in charge of dozens of projects at the same timeProjects include: • Open Player Framework: allows third-party integration with the Ooyala Player • Over-the-top: support for video in Roku, Boxee and IP-enabled TVs // Developed a tool that help find bottlenecks in the machine translation code. The tool puts together CPU, RAM and disk usage information, along with periodic code profiles. // • Worked in the Mortgage-Backed Securities desk developing new structures and algorithms to maximize expected profits• Worked in the Latin American Options desk developing a multi-million dollar ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund) tracking product // • As a Product Manager Intern, Bel was part of a project to develop software that uses a webcam to track users’ actions. The main goal was to create a Multi-Touch interface that would let people interact with computers by only using a webcam and colored objects. The project also included a Software Developer Kit (SDK) that would allow other users to create their own Multi-Touch applications. Bel was part of the day-to-day of the project, documented the SDK, produced a demo to show the power of the SDK, recorded walkthrough videos to teach how to use the SDK.• Touchless is now released in Codeplex – in 5 days, it became the third most downloaded project out of more than 6000 Awards: • People’s Choice – Best Project of Microsoft Productivity Science Fair (competing against 50 other Microsoft projects)• Microsoft Business Division President’s Choice – Runner-Up // • Contacted MIT alumni in an effort to increase donations for Institute improvements. Raised more than $100,000 dollars. // • Development of software for Smartphones • Fully experienced Program Manager, Developer and Tester roles during the project:- Program Manager: organize the project as a whole – write specifications, negotiate features, drive meetings, research technologies, design project website - Developer: Write clean and efficient code, making use of the newest technologies to improve coding solutions - Tester: Create smart test cases and debug the software // No meu canal do YouTube, criei a série De ponta cabeça, em que faço uma desconstrução dos convidados para entender qual foi sua trajetória até a profissão ou carreira que construiu. // Sempre que possível, me comprometo a comemorar a chegada de um novo dia com meus seguidores através de lives no Instagram e no Facebook. Simplifico e compartilho alguns conteúdos que eu tenha visto recentemente no formato de Top 10 aprendizados que aquele conteúdo me trouxe. Faço um quadro chamado #BelReage, em que provo alguma comida ou bebida pela primeira vez. Mando um #go para marcas, produtos ou experiências que tenho admiração e compartilho curiosidades, como palavras que só existem em determinados idiomas. Juntos, fazemos uma contagem regressiva para a meia-noite, o início de um novo dia, e comemoramos com uma indicação de uma música, e com o compartilhamento de momentos de gratidão do dia. Para fechar, temos um momento #BelResponde e também um momento Ajudanca, onde respondo perguntas e ofereço meu feedback a projetos. // No podcast Caderninho da Bel, compartilho trechos dos meus livros, reflexões e aprendizados em formato de áudio. Durante diversas semanas o podcast esteve em número 1 de mais ouvidos no Brasil, e hoje acumula mais de 1,5 milhões de reproduções. // Sandbox; MIT Alumni Association; Google; Deutsche Bank; Colegio Etapa; Enkla Editora; BeDream; Lemon, Inc.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Sloan School of Management; Estadão PME; EXAME.com; Grupo Bandeirantes de Televisão; Microsoft; Rádio CBN; Ooyala; FazINOVA // Bel Pesce Mattos is a versatile entrepreneur, author, and speaker known for her impactful work in the fields of publishing, mentoring, and education. As the founder of Enkla, she has created a multiplatform publishing company that simplifies complex subjects for a wide audience. Through BeDream, Bel facilitates collaborative mentoring experiences, connecting individuals seeking guidance with experienced mentors. Additionally, her company FazINOVA offers online and offline courses to empower individuals and companies in navigating a rapidly changing world. Bel's diverse expertise extends to media, where she has contributed as a columnist, radio host, and TV presenter, sharing insights on entrepreneurship and leadership. Her innovative projects and dedication to knowledge-sharing have made a significant impact on a global scale. // My work is about looking at ways in which people, brands, companies and governments can make the best use of their creative, social, cultural and financial potentials, and how to inspire reinvention as a source of greater satisfaction. Through my company FazINOVA, we have created over 200 products and services, from content to experiences to technologies to physical spaces, that become a laboratory so that people and businesses can experience with new and better ways of working, living and relating. Dozens of millions of people globally have interacted with our courses, books, apps, platforms, documentaries, reality shows and much more. We are now working with academia, the private sector and the public sector to create a new index that will be able to be used in several settings, from companies to countries, called the Satisfaction Index. // Bel Pesce Mattos is a dynamic entrepreneur, author, and speaker with a strong focus on simplifying complex subjects for a broad audience. Through her ventures Enkla, BeDream, and FazINOVA, she has made significant contributions to publishing, mentoring, and education. Bel's innovative approach to knowledge-sharing has impacted millions globally through a diverse range of products and services, including courses, books, apps, and documentaries. Her work extends to creating collaborative mentoring experiences and empowering individuals and companies to navigate a rapidly changing world. Bel's dedication to inspiring reinvention and maximizing creative, social, and financial potentials has positioned her as a thought leader in entrepreneurship and leadership. // Entrepreneur + innovator // Bel Pesce, 26-year-old computer scientist from MIT, is considered one of “100 most influential people” in Brazil and also “30 under 30” according to Forbes. Recently, she was also named one of the “10 most admired leaders in Brazil” in a research that included votes from over 50 000 young people in Brazil. She is the founder of FazINOVA.com.br, a talent development school with over 70 000 students. Prior to that, Bel worked at start-ups in Silicon Valley such as Lemon Wallet and Ooyala, and worked in bigger companies such as Google and Microsoft. She has a very unique combination of technical and business skills. On the side, she has written three bestsellers, that altogether were downloaded over 3 million times and sold over 70 000 copies. // Bel Pesce, 27-year-old computer scientist from MIT, is considered one of “100 most influential people” in Brazil and also “30 under 30” according to Forbes. Recently, she was also named one of the “10 most admired leaders in Brazil” in a research that included votes from over 50 000 young people in Brazil. She is the founder of FazINOVA.com.br, a talent development school with over 100 000 students. Prior to that, Bel worked at start-ups in Silicon Valley such as Lemon Wallet and Ooyala, and worked in bigger companies such as Google and Microsoft. She has a very unique combination of technical and business skills. On the side, she has written three bestsellers, that altogether were downloaded over 3 million times and sold over 100 000 copies. // All of us want to invent that game-changing product, launch that successful company, write that best-selling book. And yet so few of us actually do it. TED Fellow and Brazilian entrepreneur Bel Pesce breaks down five easy-to-believe myths that ensure your dream projects will never come to fruition. // Bel Pesce Mattos is a dynamic entrepreneur, author, and speaker with a strong focus on simplifying complex subjects for a broad audience. Through her ventures Enkla, BeDream, and FazINOVA, she has made significant contributions to publishing, mentoring, and education. Bel's innovative approach to knowledge-sharing has impacted millions globally through a diverse range of products and services, including courses, books, apps, and documentaries. Her work extends to creating collaborative mentoring experiences and empowering individuals and companies to navigate a rapidly changing world. Bel's dedication to inspiring reinvention and maximizing creative, social, and financial potentials has positioned her as a thought leader in entrepreneurship and leadership. // Entrepreneur + innovator // research, technology, big data, innovation, insurance, design, science, entrepreneurship, education, human behavior, reinvention, software, data, job skills training, connection, finance // Brazil|São Paulo|State of São Paulo

Brazil|S√£o Paulo|State of S√£o Paulo

Poland

ChatGPT I have dedicated the last eighteen years to developing journalism in my home country, Kyrgyzstan. Despite achieving significant successes, independent media now face unprecedented pressure from the authorities. One major challenge is the lack of access to resources and networks. I am seeking solutions to channel more resources into the media sector and support civil society as a whole. // Bektour Iskender is a dedicated individual who has spent nearly two decades working to advance journalism in Kyrgyzstan. Despite facing challenges such as government pressure and limited resources, Bektour remains committed to supporting independent media and civil society in the country. His focus lies in finding ways to increase resources and networks within the media sector to ensure its sustainability and growth. Through his work, Bektour Iskender aims to foster a vibrant and resilient media landscape in Kyrgyzstan. // Independent news publisher // Bektour Iskender is a co-founder of Kloop, one of the leading news websites in Kyrgyzstan. The most amazing thing about Kloop is that its authors are very young journalists, usually aged 14 to 25. Despite their age, they cover all the serious issues, including politics, human rights and corruption. (And not only bad stuff, of course, they cover sports and culture too.) This is a unique case for the whole world, when teenagers run one of the leading news outlets in a country. Bektour was behind launching Kloop's newsroom, served as the editor-in-chief of the website until 2014, and founded Kloop Journalism School, where are all these talented kids are being trained. // Organized crime operates across national borders -- to keep up, investigative journalists need to do the same. TED Fellow Bektour Iskender gives the inside scoop on his efforts to unveil secret, insidious operations in his home country of Kyrgyzstan, and how he worked with a team of journalists to uncover corruption and spark a national movement. He shares three key insights on how global networks of investigative journalists protect the world not just from smugglers and thieves but from dictators and warmongers. // Bektour Iskender is a dedicated individual who has spent nearly two decades working to advance journalism in Kyrgyzstan. Despite facing challenges such as government pressure and limited resources, Bektour remains committed to supporting independent media and civil society in the country. His focus lies in finding ways to increase resources and networks within the media sector to ensure its sustainability and growth. Through his work, Bektour Iskender aims to foster a vibrant and resilient media landscape in Kyrgyzstan. // Independent news publisher // journalism investigation, photography, human rights, rights, youth, journalism investigations, journalism, social media, media development, media management, politics, online journalism, fundraising, foreign reporting, youth journalism // Netherlands|Kyrgyzstan|Masovian Voivodeship|Warsaw|Ukraine|Bishkek|Kyiv|Poland|Amsterdam

Netherlands|Kyrgyzstan|Masovian Voivodeship|Warsaw|Ukraine|Bishkek|Kyiv|Poland|Amsterdam

United States

I am trying to empower diverse stakeholders to help protect and preserve our shared cultural heritage // Sarah Parcak is an archaeologist and space archaeologist known for her pioneering work in using satellite imagery to uncover and protect archaeological sites around the world. Through her research, she has revolutionized the field by developing innovative methods to identify hidden sites and track looting activities. Parcak's expertise lies in leveraging technology to study ancient civilizations and address contemporary challenges facing cultural heritage preservation. She is dedicated to empowering diverse stakeholders to contribute to the safeguarding of our global cultural legacy. // Space archeologist // Sarah Parcak is from Bangor, Maine. She holds degrees from Yale (BA) and Cambridge University (M.Phil and PhD), is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (an elected position), and a 2012 TED fellow. Sarah serves as the founding director of the Laboratory for Global Observation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is also the CEO of SpectralGlobe technologies (www.spectralglobe.com), a company which specializes in using remote sensing technologies to provide innovative landscape solutions. Sarah and her longtime sweetheart, Egyptologist Greg Mumford, work together on the Surveys and Excavation Projects in Egypt (www.deltasinai.com), which includes archaeological projects in the Delta, Sinai, and pyramid fields regions of Egypt. Sarah has written the first textbook on the field of satellite archaeology, called Satellite Remote Sensing for Archaeology, and has published numerous peer reviewed scientific papers. She is regularly invited to give papers at national and international conferences and symposia. She is also interviewed regularly for national print media (Science, Nature, National Geographic, CNN, BBC). Her research has been features in a major international BBC-Discovery Chanel Documentary, Egypt: What Lies Beneath,”, and she is currently working with BBC-Discovery on another program using satellite imagery to map the Roman Empire. Sarah has worked with NASA, the U.S. State Dept., and has collaborators across the globe. She has given 150 talks to a range of audiences across the globe. Sarah is an avid fan of “football,” as she played varsity football (aka “soccer”) for Yale and Cambridge, winning her varsity blue and leading Cambridge to a 4-0 defeat of Oxford in the Varsity Match in 2005 with 2 goals and 2 assists. She enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling, and learning bluegrass guitar. // Sarah Parcak uses satellites orbiting hundreds of miles above Earth to uncover hidden ancient treasures buried beneath our feet. There's a lot to discover; in the Egyptian Delta alone, Parcak estimates we've excavated less than a thousandth of one percent of what's out there. Now, with the 2016 TED Prize and an infectious enthusiasm for archaeology, she's developed an online platform called GlobalXplorer that enables anyone with an internet connection to discover unknown sites and protect what remains of our shared human inheritance. // Around the world, hundreds of thousands of lost ancient sites lie buried and hidden from view. Satellite archaeologist Sarah Parcak is determined to find them before looters do. With the 2016 TED Prize, Parcak is building an online citizen-science tool called GlobalXplorer that will train an army of volunteer explorers to find and protect the world's hidden heritage. In this talk, she offers a preview of the first place they'll look: Peru -- the home of Machu Picchu, the Nazca lines and other archaeological wonders waiting to be discovered. // In this short talk, TED Fellow Sarah Parcak introduces the field of "space archaeology" -- using satellite images to search for clues to the lost sites of past civilizations. // Sarah Parcak is an archaeologist and space archaeologist known for her pioneering work in using satellite imagery to uncover and protect archaeological sites around the world. Through her research, she has revolutionized the field by developing innovative methods to identify hidden sites and track looting activities. Parcak's expertise lies in leveraging technology to study ancient civilizations and address contemporary challenges facing cultural heritage preservation. She is dedicated to empowering diverse stakeholders to contribute to the safeguarding of our global cultural legacy. // Space archeologist // technology, geospatial information, remote sensing and geospatial information, egyptology, geospatial analysis, research, volunteerism, satellite, archaeology, cultural heritage, remote sensing, documentary, nature, cooking, explorer, ancient history, remote-sensing, science, anthropology // Alabama|USA|Birmingham|United States|Egypt|Cairo

Alabama|USA|Birmingham|United States|Egypt|Cairo

Pakistan

Filmmaker + historian // Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is an Academy Award and Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker. Her films include SAVING FACE, TRANSGENDERS: PAKISTAN’S OPEN SECRET AND PAKISTAN’S TALIBAN GENERATION, which aired on PBS, Channel 4, CBC, SBS and Arte and was the recipient of the Alfred I Dupont Award as well as The Association for International Broadcasting award. Sharmeen has made over a dozen-multi award winning films in over 10 countries around the world and is the first non-American to be awarded the Livingston Award for best international reporting. In 2007, Sharmeen helped found The Citizens Archive of Pakistan; a non-profit, volunteer organization formed to foster and promote community-wide interest in the culture and history of Pakistan. At a time when Pakistan’s youth finds itself caught between religious and state ideology, the organization works with thousands of underprivileged children inculcating critical thinking skills and instilling a sense of pride in them about their history and identity. // Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is the only female director to have been awarded two Academy Awards by the age of 37. Since 2001, she has made over two dozen multi award films in over 16 countries around the world. Her films includeStudent Athlete, Girl in the river, Song of Lahore, Saving Face, Peace Keepers and Transgenders: Pakistan’s Open Secret. In 2012, Time Magazine included Sharmeen in their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. That same year the Pakistan Government awarded her with highest civil honor “Hilal -e–Imtiaz ”. In 2013, the Canadian government awarded her a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in the field of documentary films and the World Economic Forum honored her with a Crystal Award at their annual summit in Davos. In 2017 the International Center for Journalists awarded her the Knight International Journalism Award for her work that led to legislative change. In 2017, Sharmeen was the first artist to co-chair the “World Economic Forum”at Davos. Sharmeen holds a Bachelors degree from Smith college and two masters degrees from Stanford University. // Film has the power to change the way we think about ourselves and our culture. Documentarian and TED Fellow Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy uses it to fight violence against women, turning her camera on the tradition of honor killings in Pakistan. In a stirring talk, she shares how she took her Oscar-winning film on the road in a mobile cinema, visiting small towns and villages across Pakistan -- and shifting the dynamics between women, men and society, one screening at a time. // Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy takes on a terrifying question: How does the Taliban convince children to become suicide bombers? Propaganda footage from a training camp is intercut with her interviews of young camp graduates. A shocking vision. // Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is the only female director to have been awarded two Academy Awards by the age of 37. Since 2001, she has made over two dozen multi award films in over 16 countries around the world. Her films includeStudent Athlete, Girl in the river, Song of Lahore, Saving Face, Peace Keepers and Transgenders: Pakistan’s Open Secret. In 2012, Time Magazine included Sharmeen in their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. That same year the Pakistan Government awarded her with highest civil honor “Hilal -e–Imtiaz ”. In 2013, the Canadian government awarded her a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in the field of documentary films and the World Economic Forum honored her with a Crystal Award at their annual summit in Davos. In 2017 the International Center for Journalists awarded her the Knight International Journalism Award for her work that led to legislative change. In 2017, Sharmeen was the first artist to co-chair the “World Economic Forum”at Davos. Sharmeen holds a Bachelors degree from Smith college and two masters degrees from Stanford University. // Filmmaker + historian // children, rivers and lakes, diamond, violence, rural, rural villages, youth, volunteerism, led, documentary, government, job skills training, women // Karachi|Sindh|Pakistan

Karachi|Sindh|Pakistan

United States

Pediatrician + social entrepreneur // Lucy Marcil, MD, MPH is a pediatrician helping families tackle financial problems to decrease stress and improve child health. Insufficient and unpredictable income, debt, high cost of living, and lack of job opportunities and childcare keep families from building wealth to create a better future for their kids. Lucy and fellow pediatrician Michael Hole, MD, MBA developed StreetCred to help families file taxes and get the Earned Income Tax Credit, the US’s largest anti-poverty program, in the doctor’s waiting room. Now, StreetCred is piloting providing families with a bundle of services to create financial stability. Lucy sees patients at Boston Medical Center; her patients provide insights into solutions for the challenges they face. Lucy's interest in innovation for health and social change has also led her to HIV and maternal-child health systems work in Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, and Bangladesh. // More than 90 percent of children in the US see a doctor at least once a year, which means countless hours spent in waiting rooms for parents. What if those hours could be used for something productive -- like saving money? Through her organization StreetCred, pediatrician and TED Fellow Lucy Marcil is offering free tax prep to parents right in the waiting room, reimagining what a doctor's visit can look like and helping to lift families out of poverty. Learn more about how free tax prep and guidance could be the best poverty prescription we have in the US. // Lucy Marcil, MD, MPH is a pediatrician helping families tackle financial problems to decrease stress and improve child health. Insufficient and unpredictable income, debt, high cost of living, and lack of job opportunities and childcare keep families from building wealth to create a better future for their kids. Lucy and fellow pediatrician Michael Hole, MD, MBA developed StreetCred to help families file taxes and get the Earned Income Tax Credit, the US’s largest anti-poverty program, in the doctor’s waiting room. Now, StreetCred is piloting providing families with a bundle of services to create financial stability. Lucy sees patients at Boston Medical Center; her patients provide insights into solutions for the challenges they face. Lucy's interest in innovation for health and social change has also led her to HIV and maternal-child health systems work in Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, and Bangladesh. // Pediatrician + social entrepreneur // children, finance, health systems, social innovation, child health, led, taxes, poverty, financial stress, jobs, income // Boston|Massachusetts|United States|USA

Boston|Massachusetts|United States|USA

South Africa

Zimbabwe

University of Oxford; kAZA Carnivore Conservation Coalition; PANTHERA; University of Zimbabwe; Wildlife Conservation Action; The African Leadership University

Wildlife Conservation Action (WCA), founded in 2019, focuses on promoting human-wildlife coexistence in critical wildlife areas in Zimbabwe. The organization integrates indigenous knowledge and scientific expertise to address pressing threats faced by key species like lions and elephants due to habitat loss and conflict with humans. WCA conducts research to understand wildlife behavior, raise community awareness, and advise on fortifying livestock enclosures. Their projects aim to reduce human-wildlife conflict, increase community benefits from living alongside wildlife, and empower local communities with sustainable livelihoods. Through initiatives like the Nyaminyami and Mbire Human-wildlife Coexistence Projects, WCA works on HWC mitigation and monitoring, providing predator-proof cattle bomas, and collaborating // Conservationist and Scientist interested in the bigger picture of Wildlife Conservation. I am passionate about empowering and bringing indigenous communities and conservationists at the forefront of conservation efforts. I am also passionate about inspiring and building the capacity of the next generation of conservation leaders. I have been working in wildlife conservation since 2009 and have been involved in finding and applying innovative ways to tackle threats facing wildlife and wildlife areas and increase biological diversity. I am also working to promote human-wildlife coexistence and socio-economic development of communities living adjacent to wildlife areas. My research has mainly been focused on the ecology and conservation of large carnivores especially African lions. I am also interested in Protected Area Management, Community Development and Community Based Natural Resources Management, Role of Conservancies and Ranches in conservation, International Wildlife Trade and Human Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence. I have a DPhil in Zoology from the University of Oxford. Find out more about me here www.moreangelsmbizah.com // • Coordinating and supporting the activities of the Sebungwe Focal Working Group. • Being a conduit between the KAZA Carnivore Coalition Steering Committee and Focal Working Group members and assisting with the implementation of the consensus driven 5 year KAZA Carnivore Conservation Strategy. • Completing the rapid assessment of lion and other large carnivore abundance and distribution across the Sebungwe Landscape. • Identifying human-carnivore conflict hotspots across the Sebungwe and also identifying suitable mitigation schemes and the tools and approaches to reduce conflict to maintain habitat, connectivity pathways and reduce hotspot population sinks. • Supporting Panthera in camera trap and spoor surveys conducted at long-term leopard monitoring sites within the Sebungwe area. • Assessing the feasibility of the Gache-Gache corridor and other critical corridors in connecting wildlife populations in the mid and lower Zambezi Valley to the rest of the KAZA populations. • Supporting the Zambezi Society and Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to implement the spatial monitoring and reporting tool SMART to monitor the effectiveness of their law enforcement efforts and develop an adaptive management approach to the deployment of their law enforcement resource. • Assisting the Zambezi Society with inventorying needed law enforcement capacity for Charara SA // -Carrying our spoor surveys in the whole of Hwange National Park twice per year-Collecting carnivore (lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog) faecal samples in the park and carrying out dietary analysis-Tracking lions and studying lion behavior and pride compositions -Investigating lion kill sites and recording kill species and habitat characteristics at kill sites -Monitoring conflict lions via satellite and participating in human wildlife conflict mitigation // • Coordinating and supporting the activities of the Sebungwe Focal Working Group. • Being a conduit between the KAZA Carnivore Coalition Steering Committee and Focal Working Group members and assisting with the implementation of the consensus driven 5 year KAZA Carnivore Conservation Strategy. • Completing the rapid assessment of lion and other large carnivore abundance and distribution across the Sebungwe Landscape. • Identifying human-carnivore conflict hotspots across the Sebungwe and also identifying suitable mitigation schemes and the tools and approaches to reduce conflict to maintain habitat, connectivity pathways and reduce hotspot population sinks.• Supporting Panthera in camera trap and spoor surveys conducted at long-term leopard monitoring sites within the Sebungwe area. • Assessing the feasibility of the Gache-Gache corridor and other critical corridors in connecting wildlife populations in the mid and lower Zambezi Valley to the rest of the KAZA populations. • Supporting the Zambezi Society and Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to implement the spatial monitoring and reporting tool SMART to monitor the effectiveness of their law enforcement efforts and develop an adaptive management approach to the deployment of their law enforcement resource.• Assisting the Zambezi Society with inventorying needed law enforcement capacity for Charara SA // A conservation organisation using large carnivores, especially lions as flagship species to conserve biodiversity and promote human-wildlife coexistence // Working on various aspects of conservation including Protected Areas Management, Community development and Community based natural resources management, Role of Conservancies and Ranches in conservation, International wildlife trade and Poaching and Human wildlife conflict and ecology and conservation of large carnivores. // Giving tutorials, talks and seminars to the Undergraduates at ALU Rwanda and the Conservation Leadership MBA student. Inspiring and motivating the next generation of African leaders. // University of Oxford; kAZA Carnivore Conservation Coalition; PANTHERA; University of Zimbabwe; Wildlife Conservation Action; The African Leadership University // Moreangels Mbizah is a Conservationist and Scientist with a strong focus on Wildlife Conservation. With a DPhil in Zoology from the University of Oxford, Moreangels has been actively involved in wildlife conservation since 2009. Their work revolves around finding innovative solutions to address threats facing wildlife and biodiversity, particularly large carnivores like African lions. Moreangels is dedicated to promoting human-wildlife coexistence, community development, and sustainable natural resource management. They have extensive experience in coordinating conservation activities, conducting research on carnivore ecology, and implementing strategies to mitigate human-carnivore conflicts. Moreangels is also passionate about inspiring and mentoring the next generation of conservation leaders. // My work is around community-led conservation and finding ways for people and wildlife to coexist for improved community livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. I am also working towards inclusion, justice and equity around conservation issues. // Moreangels Mbizah is a dedicated Conservationist and Scientist specializing in Wildlife Conservation. Holding a DPhil in Zoology from the University of Oxford, Moreangels has been actively engaged in conservation efforts since 2009. Their work primarily focuses on addressing threats to wildlife and biodiversity, with a particular emphasis on large carnivores such as African lions. Moreangels is committed to promoting human-wildlife coexistence, community development, and sustainable natural resource management. They have a wealth of experience in coordinating conservation projects, conducting research on carnivore ecology, and implementing strategies to mitigate human-carnivore conflicts. Moreangels is also deeply passionate about fostering the next generation of conservation leaders and advocating for inclusion, justice, and equity in conservation initiatives. // Lion conservationist // Conservation biologist developing innovative community-based conservation methods to protect lions and their habitat. // I am a Conservationist and Scientist interested in the bigger picture of Wildlife Conservation. I am passionate about empowering and bringing indigenous communities and conservationists at the forefront of conservation efforts. I am also passionate about inspiring and building the capacity of the next generation of African conservation leaders. I have been working in wildlife conservation since 2009 and have been involved in finding and applying innovative ways to tackle threats facing wildlife and wildlife areas and increase biological diversity. I am also working to promote human-wildlife coexistence and socio-economic development of communities living adjacent to wildlife areas. My research has mainly been focused on the ecology and conservation of large carnivores especially African lions. I am also interested in Protected Area Management, Community Development and Community Based Natural Resources Management, Role of Conservancies and Ranches in conservation, International Wildlife Trade and Human Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence. I am also founder of the Indigenous Conservationists Alliance www.indigenousconservationists.org which seeks to bring together all indigenous conservationists under a single platform to connect, share ideas, collaborate, be inspired, motivate, and be accessible to potential partners and funders. // Conservationist and TED Fellow Moreangels Mbizah studied the famous Cecil the lion until he was shot by a trophy hunter in 2015. She wonders how things could've gone differently, asking: "What if the community that lived next to Cecil was involved in protecting him?" In a quick talk, Mbizah shares the state of conservation in her home of Zimbabwe -- and why she thinks that communities living with wildlife are the ones best positioned to help them. // Moreangels Mbizah is a dedicated Conservationist and Scientist specializing in Wildlife Conservation. Holding a DPhil in Zoology from the University of Oxford, Moreangels has been actively engaged in conservation efforts since 2009. Their work primarily focuses on addressing threats to wildlife and biodiversity, with a particular emphasis on large carnivores such as African lions. Moreangels is committed to promoting human-wildlife coexistence, community development, and sustainable natural resource management. They have a wealth of experience in coordinating conservation projects, conducting research on carnivore ecology, and implementing strategies to mitigate human-carnivore conflicts. Moreangels is also deeply passionate about fostering the next generation of conservation leaders and advocating for inclusion, justice, and equity in conservation initiatives. // Lion conservationist // human-wildlife conflict, biodiversity, data, habitat, geospatial analysis, research, communities, inclusion, indigenous knowledge, climate, natural protected areas, natural resources, conservation leaders, species, wildlife protection, monitoring, conservation advocacy, resource management, satellite, livelihoods, mitigation, parks, wildlife, data analysis, climate change, community development, ranching, advocacy, natural resource management, conservation, livestock, community-based conservation, science, indigenous, environmental conservation, sustainable livelihoods, law, biological conservation, international wildlife trade, habitat loss, local communities, justice, ecology, resources management // Harare|Zimbabwe|Harare Province

Harare|Zimbabwe|Harare Province

Kenya

Filmmaker + cultural innovator // Jim Chuchu is an artist and musician living and working in Nairobi, Kenya. He forms 1/4 of alt-pop outfit Just a Band. // African artifacts shown in museums worldwide are often not borrowed, but stolen -- and TED Fellow Jim Chuchu is on a mission to get them back. Learn the sordid history behind how many of the collections in the West came to be, Chuchu's extensive work tracking and restoring Kenya's cultural heritage and what these efforts can mean for the wider African continent. An urgent call for institutions to reconsider the morality of the objects they "own" and their significance to the communities from which they were taken. // Jim Chuchu is an artist and musician living and working in Nairobi, Kenya. He forms 1/4 of alt-pop outfit Just a Band. // Filmmaker + cultural innovator // Nairobi County|Kenya|Nairobi

Nairobi County|Kenya|Nairobi