In her heartfelt talk, Françoise Jacob shares how her love for the natural world began underwater, among towering kelp forests and fragile marine life. Through awe and heartbreak, from ocean magic to ghost nets, she discovered the urgency of protecting biodiversity. Françoise invites us to rethink nature not as something distant or decorative, but as a vital system that sustains our lives. Drawing on decades of experience around the world, she invites us to shift our mindset, reconnect with nature, and recognize biodiversity not as a luxury, but as a foundation for life and resilience. Françoise was appointed United Nations Resident Coordinator in Armenia in April 2024. With 30 years of experience in humanitarian and development work, she previously served as UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia and as UNOPS Representative to the EU in Brussels. She has held leadership roles across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East with UNOPS, UNRWA, ECHO, NGOs, and the private sector. A strong advocate for climate action, biodiversity, and human rights, she also brings expertise in peacebuilding and governance. Françoise holds an MBA from ESSEC Business School and is a certified yoga teacher and avid mountaineer. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

This talk explores how modern life subtly conditions us to follow patterns—first in school, then at work—leading us into a survival mindset driven by routine and expectation. Over time, this leads to a gradual loss of awareness, where our actions become automatic rather than intentional. Drawing on personal insight, statistics, and ancient Eastern philosophies, Krish reflects on how we've become disconnected from conscious living. He invites us to pause, reflect, and rediscover a deeper sense of awareness—the key to living beyond survival. Born to an American father and Indian mother, and raised in the UAE with a British education, Krish Thomas Guyer is currently pursuing the IB diploma. He believes life goes far beyond academics and work. Driven by curiosity, Krish is exploring how our consciousness shapes the way we experience life. Today, he shares his belief that no scientific proof can match the power of living consciously. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In this independently organized TEDx talk, multidisciplinary artist Asiyah Martin explores the intersection of creativity, recovery, and access, sharing her personal journey of overcoming substance dependency as a young Black artist. Through experience, Martin highlights the critical role that creative expression plays in the recovery process and the barriers that many artists, particularly artists of color, face in accessing both substance abuse treatment and creative spaces.By weaving personal storytelling with compelling statistics, Martin sheds light on the lack of representation of Black individuals in recovery spaces and the urgent need for rehabilitation programs that integrate artistic healing, sharing how returning to dance and pursuing her MFA became a key component of her long-term sobriety. In this talk, Martin not only inspires but also advocates for more accessible recovery options that recognize the power of creativity in healing. Asiyah Martin is a multidisciplinary artist from Houston, Texas, celebrated for weaving dance, film, and spoken word into powerful, expressive works. She holds a BA in Dance Studies and is currently pursuing her MFA in Dance, set to graduate in May 2025. As a choreographer, Asiyah values musicality, fluidity, and exploring the many ways that dancers can be in relationship within her work. Before returning to academia, she worked as a freelance video producer, crafting content for organizations such as Pure Movement Dance Company, Kilgore College, and KNowBox Dance. Asiyah has led dance film workshops at institutions including the Texas Dance Educators Association, Katy High School, Missouri State University, and Texas Woman’s University. A passionate sobriety advocate for young Black creatives, she has been invited to speak on platforms such as the Sober Black Girls Club, TWU Smart Talks, and at local fundraising events supporting substance abuse awareness. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Imagine your happiest life. Are you married to the perfect spouse? Are you excelling in your career? Are you traveling the world? When most people think about happiness, it’s these types of images that come to mind. Fantasies of bliss, excitement, and perfection. Now imagine these dreams never came true, and that your life was ok, but far from what you thought would make you happy. As a psychiatrist, Dr. Gregory Scott Brown has worked with thousands of patients who are chasing their idea of what happiness should be. More often than not, it’s an impractical fantasy that they just can’t seem to access. Like his patients, and perhaps like you, he's been there. That’s until he realized that there’s a lot we get wrong about happiness. First, we put too much value in it. Studies have shown that overvaluing happiness – by assuming that the only way to experience it is when life is perfect – causes you to feel less happy. Second, we pay too much attention to so-called hedonic happiness, the kind of happiness you experience on your wedding day or after getting a big promotion. Eudaimonic happiness, on the other hand, priorities the experience of finding joy in purpose and community. Third, we undermine the importance of fulfillment – that’s when you accept who you are, are grateful for what you have, and are optimistic about the future. If you want to access true happiness in your life, it’s time to focus on what will bring you true and lasting joy – fulfillment. Gregory Scott Brown, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist, author, and educator. A nationally-recognized leader in mental health advocacy, Dr. Brown writes and speaks about mental health in a way that is informative, relatable, and fun. His first book, The Self-Healing Mind: An Essential Five-Step Practice for Overcoming Anxiety and Depression, and Revitalizing Your Life, outlines evidence-based self-care strategies for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. For five years, Dr. Brown co-hosted the popular Instagram Live series, Friday Sessions, that welcomed over one hundred prominent guests who are changing the way we think about and talk about mental health. Dr. Brown is a committed educator and he serves as a faculty member at the University of Houston College of Medicine where he teaches psychiatry courses to medical students. His work has been featured in several major media outlets including the Washington Post, the PBS News Hour, and NPR. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Space travel is becoming a reality for ordinary people, but will it spark a utopian future or fall prey to greed and exploitation? One thing’s certain: humanity’s next frontier could include the first baby born beyond Earth. Chris Impey is a University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona. He has over 450 publications on education, observational cosmology, galaxies, and quasars, and his research has been supported by $20 million in NASA and NSF grants. He has won eleven teaching awards and has taught four online classes with over 420,000 enrolled and 8 million minutes of video lectures watched. Chris Impey is a past Vice President of the American Astronomical Society, and he has won its career Education Prize. He’s also been NSF Distinguished Teaching Scholar, Carnegie Council’s Arizona Professor of the Year, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor. He has written 120 popular articles on cosmology, astrobiology and education, two textbooks, a novel called Shadow World, and eleven popular science books. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

If the vast majority of us will become a caregiver to someone we love with cancer, realizing how we can help is imperative. Driven by his sister’s death to brain cancer, Josh Bedingfield details what he realized during and after his sister’s death; that drugs and chemotherapy aren’t the only thing that can fight cancer. Through moments with brain cancer, tensions in family, and cycling across the continent, “I Need You Right Now” show’s how social support can fight cancer, and how cancer patients truly need us now. Cancer Advocate & Public Relations Specialist Josh is deeply passionate about bettering cancer patients and family outcomes, inspired by his late sister’s journey with Midline Diffuse Glioma, an aggressive and rare form of brain cancer. Josh has worked to improve cancer outcomes through advocacy, fundraising, digital media, and cycling. He is currently a senior public relations undergraduate at UT Austin from Reading, MA.Josh fundraised $60,000 to cycle 4,000 miles from Austin, TX to Anchorage, AK for cancer research and support services with Texas 4000 for Cancer. During his time with Texas 4000, he created and implemented a new community engagement program, which inspired patients, caregivers, and families to tell their stories with cancer; enabling stronger adaptation of cancer prevention and better adjustment to cancer change in the Cancer Belt, Southeast, Midwest, Northern Rockies, and Alaska. His work and story have been featured in media outlets across North America, including the Austin American-Statesman, Axios, WhiteCourt Star, KPLC, and Moody College. Josh also has conducted cancer history research as a Normandy Scholar, documented his Texas 4000 journey with 38 videos on social media, and is a member of the Friar Society. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx