What do you do when your body gives out but your spirit refuses to quit?In this powerful and deeply personal talk, Paralympic medalist Jamal Hill shares his journey from being paralyzed at age ten to standing on the world stage as one of Team USA’s top swimmers. Diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular condition that left him with almost no nerve function in his legs, Jamal had every reason to give up. Instead, he found a new kind of power, energy born from stillness, faith, and self-belief.Through humor, vulnerability, and grit, Jamal reminds us that true strength isn’t about speed, medals, or proving our worth. It’s about choosing to believe when everything says you can’t and learning to create energy even when you’re running on empty.Watch this talk to rediscover what’s possible when belief outlasts exhaustion and purpose becomes the fuel that keeps you moving. Jamal Hill is a Paralympic swimmer, social entrepreneur, and advocate dedicated to breaking barriers in aquatics, accessibility, and community development. Born and raised in Inglewood, California, Jamal’s journey is one of resilience, determination, and impact. Living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a neuromuscular condition, he defied expectations to become a bronze medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and a two-time Team USA Paralympian, now training for LA28. Beyond the pool, Jamal is the founder of the Swim Up Hill Foundation, a global initiative dedicated to teaching one million people annually how to swim by 2028. His work extends into social enterprise and public service, driving innovation at the intersection of aquatics, non-profits, and technology. His efforts have led to partnerships with organizations like the United Nations, LA County, and global brands, focusing on accessibility, water safety, and education. Jamal is also the founder of Swim Up Hill Consulting, where he provides expert guidance on aquatics business, accessibility, and community impact. Through consulting, advocacy, and content creation, he amplifies aquatic sports, water safety, and sustainable solutions for organizations worldwide. Now, as a TEDx Inglewood 2025 speaker, Jamal is bringing his story full circle, sharing how the energy we harness—physically, emotionally, and mentally—shapes our ability to overcome challenges and drive change. From humble beginnings in Inglewood to the global stage, his story embodies the city’s spirit: one of resilience, ambition, and transformation. 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

A story of perseverance, lessons, and self-discovery. This talk takes us through the ups and downs of one individual’s journey. It reminds us that our experiences, no matter how difficult, can become the foundation for who we are meant to be. Rakesh Kurapati is the Founder of Fast Tracks Car Care, a venture dedicated to delivering innovative and reliable automotive solutions. With his entrepreneurial vision, he has built a brand that stands for quality, trust, and customer-focused service in the automobile industry. 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

Being best in the world requires three things; arrogance, humility and perseverance. You also need talent and luck, but without the first three, no one will ever know your name. Dr. AnnMaria Rousey De Mars is a small business owner, serial entrepreneur and was the first American to win the world judo championships.She is president of 7 Generation Games, a tech startup she co-founded. Dr. De Mars has a doctorate specializing in Applied Statistics and Psychometrics, was a professor for seven years, then left academia to found a statistical consulting company. She was one of Forbes 40 Women to Watch over 40, an AARP Purpose Prize Fellow and the first woman president of a national judo organization. In 2022, she was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the California State Athletic Commission. She has been the lead developer on 14 games to teach mathematics, authored scientific articles in academic journals on topics ranging from factor analysis to needs of rural educators in schools serving Indigenous students, and wrote a book on matwork techniques for judo and MMA fighters. She has four children and nine grandchildren. 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

What does music from 2,500 years ago sound like? Until recently, no one knew.Tarun Sekar, shares how a simple question "Why do we only see Western instruments , where are our own ancient Indian instruments ?"led him on an obsessive journey to resurrect the Yazh, an ancient Tamil harp lost to history for over two millennia. With no working instrument to study, no recordings to guide him, and only fragments of poetry from Sangam literature, Tarun spent a year piecing together clues from ancient texts. His curiosity refused to let him quit & he succeeded in bringing back a sound unlike any Guitar or Veena, a voice from India's forgotten musical past coming alive again. Tarun proves that small curiosities can unbury centuries of silence. His work challenges us to ask: What melodies & wisdom from our own heritage are we ignoring? Can Entrepreneurship be our way to explore our world & build what matters? The Artist who brought Back 2500-Year-Old lost music Instrument 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

NOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker’s personal approach to and understanding of the nervous system and emotional regulation. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/tedx_content_guidelines.pdfWhen a child lashes out, what if it isn’t defiance—but survival? In this powerful TEDx talk, veteran educator David explores how children’s “misbehavior” often hides a single question: Am I safe with you? Drawing on neuroscience and decades of experience, he introduces the CALM method—Center, Affirm, Lead, Meet—as a roadmap for connection instead of control. His message is clear: when adults choose calm over chaos, we don’t just change behavior—we transform lives. If you’d like to contact Dr. David A. Palmer directly, please visit www.drdavidapalmer.comDr. David A. Palmer, Ed.D., is an educator with over 30 years of experience in classroom and school administration, as well as the father of six adopted neurodivergent children. Through his trauma-informed, nervous-system-centered approach, he empowers overwhelmed parents and teachers to shift from compliance to connection, transforming the way we respond to fostering emotional regulation and resilience in children and teens. 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 talk, researcher and writer, Dr Alice Ashcroft, explores how the subtle language pattern of "hedging" (those small words like "I think," "maybe," and "sort of") shapes our professional and personal lives in ways we rarely notice. Drawing from her research in gendered language and technology, she reveals how hedging isn't linguistic filler but a tool that reflects power dynamics, gender expectations, and the double bind many women face: speak directly and face social penalties, or hedge and undermine your own authority. Through examples from software design meetings to childhood memories, she demonstrates how understanding hedging can transform it from an unconscious habit into a strategic choice.Rather than advocating for the elimination of hedging language, Dr Alice Ashcroft, reframes it as a skill to be refined and deployed intentionally. She introduces practical tools like "The Button Example" and "The Power of Why" to help audiences recognise when hedging serves them and when it doesn't. The talk challenges conventional wisdom about confident communication, arguing that mastering intentional hedging isn't about speaking more like men or removing uncertainty from our language, it's about making conscious choices about how we use language to navigate systems that weren't designed with everyone's voices in mind. The result is a fresh perspective on communication that empowers people to maintain their authentic voices while claiming the space and authority they deserve.Dr Alice Ashcroft is a researcher and consultant who analyses the impact of identity and gendered language in software design and technology use. Alice has been published in peer-reviewed academic publications, and her PhD, titled “Design, Innovation and Software: The Impact of Gender and Language”, focused on how gender affects communication and teamwork in software design and innovation workshops. Their work highlights the need for more inclusive practices that give everyone a voice, helping to improve creativity and collaboration in the design process.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