We have all heard that “your network is your net worth,” but what if true networking isn’t simply about gathering contacts—it’s about creating connections? In this talk, Shruti Sunil reveals how one simple conversation over coffee transformed her perspective on networking, showing that genuine relationships are what truly open doors to growth and success. Shruti Sunil is a dynamic junior at Alpharetta High School with passion for leadership and building meaningful, lasting connections.
Whether she is diving in to challenging projects, contributing to her community, or taking the stage, Shruti embraces every opportunity to connect, collaborate, and create an impact. She’s a firm believer in the idea that -Opportunities don’t happen—you create them, often through the people you meet. Shruti, an artist since age five, uses dance and music to uplift others. Through nonprofits Third Eye Dancers, Inc. and Voice of Soul, she has been part of fundraisers that unite creativity with purpose. As a proud TEDx Cumming Youth speaker, Shruti is thrilled to share her voice and vision on a platform that empowers ideas to inspire others to turn their passion into purpose. 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
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- 15:56What keeps an AI expert up at night? | Kevin Chaplin | TEDxArlington HeightsKevin Chaplin, AI strategist, uproots how AI can dissolve our shared definition of truth and what humans can do to stop it. Chaplin reveals it’s not robots or job loss that keeps him from sleeping. 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.Production By: Peaceful Luck Media Graphics By: Lauren Schultz Kevin Chaplin is a generative AI strategist, technologist, and advocate for inclusive innovation. With over 20 years in technology consulting, he built and led a 150-person data and analytics team in Chicago, guiding organizations through complex digital transformations. As co-founder and now COO of Headquarters for AI, Kevin now helps companies navigate the generative AI landscape with a focus on literacy, governance, and scalable strategy. His work bridges cutting-edge innovation with real-world impact. Named one of Crain’s 2023 Notable Leaders in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Kevin is equally passionate about building a more equitable tech industry, mentoring future leaders, and championing access to opportunity. 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
- 13:16What Happens When Invisible Care Disappears? | Dr. Ngozi Ezike | TEDxArlington HeightsDr. Ngozi Ezike, health system executive, makes it clear - when the safety net fails, we all fall. Ezike rallies us to see the net is fraying, and how we can’t afford not to see the impact. 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.Production By: Peaceful Luck Media Graphics By: Lauren Schultz Dr. Ngozi Ezike currently serves as President and CEO of Sinai Chicago, Illinois’ largest private safety net health system. There she has focused on advancing health equity through innovation and investment, including in state-of-the-art technology allowing Sinai caregivers to work better and faster, providing better care and service for the people they serve.Previously, she was the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), where she valiantly navigated the state through the most difficult waves of the Covid-19 pandemic.Dr. Ezike is a board-certified internist and pediatrician as well as a nationally recognized public health leader. She holds degrees from Harvard University and the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and a business management certificate from Harvard Business School. 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
- 13:02What’s Holding You Back from an Unlikely Friendship? | Dhilan Stanley | TEDxArlington HeightsDhilan Stanley, student and volunteer, reveals that breaking the barriers to unusual friendships expands our experiences and allows for personal growth. Stanley’s unlikely friendship with a 100-year-old Holocaust survivor challenges you to connect beyond the familiar. 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.Production By: Peaceful Luck Media Graphics By: Lauren Schultz Dhilan Stanley is a sophomore at Barrington High School who is passionate about history, math, and connecting ideas that shape the world. He serves as captain of the junior varsity Scholastic Bowl team, plays on the junior varsity tennis team, and participates on the Fed Challenge team.Outside of school, Dhilan is an enthusiastic volunteer who has spent the past several years engaged in public education and community outreach at a local museum. Dhilan believes deeply in the power of service, building bridges across boundaries, and the quiet impact of showing up with curiosity and kindness. 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
- 10:43Are you a bad volunteer? | Angela Blake | TEDxArlington HeightsAngela Blake, social worker, rallies us to consider - If you had to leave your ego behind, how would you volunteer? Blake digs deep into how we often get in the way of the work and how we show up for the mission matters. 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/tedxProduction By: Peaceful Luck Media Graphics By: Lauren Schultz Angela Blake is the Assistant Director of Guest Services at St. Margaret’s House, a low-barrier day center serving women and children experiencing economic injustice. For nearly 15 years, she has worked as a social worker with children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities, young adults with autism, and families experiencing homelessness. Angela volunteers with Housing is a Human Right Action Group, a grassroots coalition that brings together municipal and state officials, activists, educators, organizers, and public servants to find solutions to homelessness, including tenant rights, safe housing conditions, and dialogue between tenants and landlords. She has also facilitated the Queer Youth of Color group at her hometown LGBTQ Center and served with Living Matthew 25, a Lenten community collaboration, leading a film series for the past three years.In fall 2023, Angela participated in “Better Homes: The Play,” an award-nominated production. 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
- 12:08Can You Tell Someone Else's Story? | Peter Decherney | TEDxPennWhat happens when an artist steps out of their own shadow to tell someone else’s story? Through the lens of film and photography, Peter Decherney casts a light on the otherwise obscured Jewish communities across Africa. His art challenges the notion that creativity must be autobiographical, revealing instead the beauty–and controversy–of becoming the vessel for other peoples’ voices. Peter Decherney is an award-winning fine art photographer, filmmaker, and author. He holds the Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Endowed Term Chair in the Humanities at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is Professor of Cinema & Media Studies and Director of the Penn Global Documentary Institute. Peter is the author or editor of seven books. He has also written for The New York Times, Forbes, and Inside Higher Ed, among many other publications. His photographs of global Jewish communities have been exhibited in museums, galleries, and universities, and his first book of photography is forthcoming. Peter’s films focus on migration and the political role of artists. He is an award-winning teacher, whose open online course on the history of Hollywood has enrolled more than 80,000 learners. He also holds a secondary appointment at the Annenberg School for Communication and an affiliation with the Penn Law Center for Technology, Innovation, and Competition. 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
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