How education helped me rewrite my life | Ashweetha Shetty

There’s no greater freedom than finding your purpose, says education advocate Ashweetha Shetty. Born to a poor family in rural India, Shetty didn’t let the social norms of her community stifle her dreams and silence her voice. In this personal talk, she shares how she found self-worth through education — and how she’s working to empower other rural youth to…

How to teach kids to talk about taboo topics | Liz Kleinrock

When one of Liz Kleinrock’s fourth-grade students said the unthinkable at the start of a class on race, she knew it was far too important a teachable moment to miss. But where to start? Learn how Kleinrock teaches kids to discuss taboo topics without fear — because the best way to start solving social problems is to talk about them….

What is the meaning of work? | Roy Bahat and Bryn Freedman

Roy Bahat was worried. His company invests in new technology like AI to make businesses more efficient — but, he wondered, what was AI doing to the people whose jobs might change, go away or become less fulfilling? The question sent him on a two-year research odyssey to discover what motivates people, and why we work. In this conversation with…

The age of genetic wonder | Juan Enriquez

Gene-editing tools like CRISPR enable us to program life at its most fundamental level. But this raises some pressing questions: If we can generate new species from scratch, what should we build? Should we redesign humanity as we know it? Juan Enriquez forecasts the possible futures of genetic editing, exploring the immense uncertainty and opportunity of this next frontier. Source:…

A love story about the power of art as organizing | Aja Monet and phillip agnew

In a lyrical talk full of radical imagination, poet Aja Monet and community organizer phillip agnew share the story of how they fell in love and what they’ve learned about the powerful connection between great social movements and meaningful art. Journey to Smoke Signals Studio in Miami, their home and community art space where they’re creating a refuge for neighbors…

3 ways to practice civility | Steven Petrow

What does it mean to be civil? Journalist Steven Petrow looks for answers in the original meaning of the word, showing why civility shouldn’t be dismissed as conversation-stifling political correctness or censorship. Learn three ways we can each work to be more civil — and start talking about our differences with respect. Source: https://www.ted.com/talks/steven_petrow_3_ways_to_practice_civility?rss…

How doctors can help low-income patients (and still make a profit) | P.J. Parmar

Modern American health care is defined by its high costs, high overhead and inaccessibility — especially for low-income patients. What if we could redesign the system to serve the poor and still have doctors make money? In an eye-opening (and surprisingly funny) talk, physician P.J. Parmar shares the story of the clinic he founded in Colorado, where he serves only…

Why noise is bad for your health — and what you can do about it | Mathias Basner

Silence is a rare commodity these days. There’s traffic, construction, air-conditioning, your neighbor’s lawnmower … and all this unwanted sound can have a surprising impact on your health, says noise researcher Mathias Basner. Discover the science behind how noise affects your health and sleep — and how you can get more of the benefits of the sound of silence. Source:…

How women in Pakistan are creating political change | Shad Begum

Activist Shad Begum has spent her life empowering women to live up to their full potential. In a personal talk, she shares her determined struggle to improve the lives of women in her deeply religious and conservative community in northwest Pakistan — and calls for women around the world to find their political voice. “We must stand up for our…