A local historian tells how David Bustill Bowser, a civil war era artist, activist, and free person of color in Philadelphia, prompts us to reflect on this nation's founding principles, and invites us to consider what each of us want for this nation today. He offers an unfamiliar perspective on the Emancipation Proclamation, which led to the raising of United States Colored Troops at Camp William Penn in Philadelphia. He also speaks about the celebrations held in Philadelphia to commemorate Emancipation in Maryland. Dave Harrower is the Assistant Director of Facilities Management - Planning & Design, at Haverford College, and works on project planning, coordination and implementation, especially for capital projects and accessibility upgrades. He has a BA in History from Hobart College, and a Master of Architecture and a Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Registered Architect, with experience in Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse projects. Outside of architecture, Dave has served on the Cheltenham Township Historical Commission, volunteers at the Camp William Penn Museum in La Mott, PA, and has co-authored a book, "A Spectacle for Men and Angels: a Documentary Narrative of Camp William Penn and the Recruiting of Colored Regiments in Pennsylvania." 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 is Chinese propaganda and why should we care? Often disregarded as fake news not worth our time, Chinese propaganda takes on a new understanding in this TEDx talk. Zhao Gu Gammage uses Chinese Cold War propaganda posters to explain Chinese foreign policy towards Africa and the Middle East, a hot topic in today's geopolitics. Zhao Gu Gammage will spend the next year at Tsinghua University in Beijing, studying Mandarin at the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Study. She graduated from Haverford College in 2025 with a major in East Asian Languages and Cultures and minors in Chinese language, Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, and International Studies. She is the 2025 recipient of the Hu Shih Prize, given for dedication to the study of Chinese, and her thesis "Constructing China-MENA Relations in Chinese Cold War Propaganda Posters" was awarded "Outstanding Speaker" at the Greater Philadelphia Asian Studies Conference. 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 TEDx talk, Ariana Solecki explores how interior design can significantly influence mental well-being, using personal experiences and interviews to illustrate the emotional impact of space. By examining factors of design like lighting, color, and room accessories, Ariana highlights the importance of designing environments that nurture healing, calmness, and connection. Her talk ultimately draws on the biophilia hypothesis to argue that reconnecting with nature—even indoors—can help combat the psychological toll of modern, enclosed living.Ariana Solecki is a senior Psychology major and captain of the varsity squash team at Haverford College. She also has a strong passion for interior design. After graduation, Ariana will be volunteering at an equine therapy center before beginning her Master’s in Social Work at New York University this fall. 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 if uncertainty isn’t something to fear, but something to embrace? Amrit Kallar weaves together history, personal struggle, and the unexpected power of fiction to explore how living in the unknown can lead to clarity and purpose. From the battlefield of Austerlitz to the tech offices of San Francisco, Amrit challenges us to see uncertainty not as chaos, but as a creative force. Amrit is a Business Operations professional who has worked with global technology companies, driving strategic projects and large growth initiatives. A chemical engineer from Indian Institute of Technology and an MBA from UCI Paul Merage School of Business with a stellar academic record, she has always loved reading and writing fiction. When she’s not driving her daughters to golf on busy freeways, and sometimes even while doing so, Amrit contemplates deeply, and often restlessly, about the world we live in and about the next book she will read. Her debut novel, Gilded Spirits, will be released in Fall 2025. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and twin daughters. 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 if the greatest strength in medicine, and in life, is learning to live with uncertainty? In this talk, Aneri Patel shares her journey from a hospital bed in Ahmedabad to a research fellowship in oncology, revealing how uncertainty shaped her purpose, her career, and her humanity. Blending science, personal experience, and the metaphor of Schrödinger’s Cat, she invites us to embrace the unknown not as a void, but as the birthplace of healing, presence, and transformation. Aneri Bhargav Patel is a fourth-year medical student at the UC Davis School of Medicine, currently completing a research fellowship in Oncodermatology at UC Irvine. She has developed learning resources for the medical curriculum relating to microbiology and mentored several students navigating the path from community college to medical school. Aneri was elected to the Gold Humanism Honor Society for her commitment to compassionate care and humanism in medicine. Her research interests include cancer immunotherapy, dermatologic toxicities, and AI in medicine, with work presented at medical conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Outside the clinic and lab, she finds joy in glass painting, photographing nature, and using improv to make medical education more engaging. 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

Most people are roundtrip travelers, but a select few of us are not. In this talk, Resham Parikh shares lessons from a life led by one-way plane tickets, where uncertainty is the only constant. Through her travels, she explores how even when we return to the same places, we arrive as different people, seeing a world that has changed along with us. Resham Parikh is a UC Irvine alumna (class of 2011) and a Communications Manager in New York, where she helps scientific researchers share their discoveries with the world. She has a BA in international studies and a master's degree in gender studies from the London School of Economics. When Resham isn’t traveling, she’s usually at home in Brooklyn drinking more matcha tea than she should admit. She believes life is short, and we should live it completely, courageously, and authentically. 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