What happens when life rewrites your story? After a sudden accident changed everything, Barbara van Bergen chose resilience over defeat, rising to become a Paralympic champion and redefining what’s possible. Her talk is a powerful call to shift our mindsets and discover strength in the face of reinvention. Barbara van Bergen is a 4 times Paralympian who turned adversity into triumph. After a life-changing motorcycle accident which left her in a wheelchair, Barbara found renewed purpose through sport. While in rehabilitation, she discovered wheelchair basketball, quickly rising to become an elite athlete and winning multiple medals at the Paralympic Games. Not stopping there, Barbara transitioned to sit-skiing, where she continued to excel and inspire. Her journey is a testament to the transformative power of sport, resilience, and the will to never give up. 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

Ever wanted to read someone else’s mind AND make them disappear? All it takes is a little magic and the help of a thousand friends. Daniel Martin has quickly become one of the most sought after performers and presenters in the world. His high-energy presentations are a thrilling fusion of Incredible Sleight of Hand and Playful Sleight of Mind that has broken box office attendance for theaters, corporations, and events worldwide.Daniel hosts the breakout hit travel show Tricks & Travels as well as his bespoke residency show Drinks & Deceptions hosted in Michigan. He has been awarded “Best Variety Artist” and “Best Male Performer” as well as the coveted “Entertainer of the Year” award.In addition, he has been recognized in his industry as the highest rated/best reviewed touring artist in the US two years consecutively!His awarding winning magic has been featured on the BBC “NOW YOU SEE IT”, NETFLIX, CBS, NBC, Discovery and by millions of people live and online.Daniel is hailed by his peers as one of the most creative artists and presenters working today with some of the biggest names in the corporate, event marketing world and entertainment world frequently choosing Daniel to consult on their own presentations and TV projects such as hit shows; Scam School and Magic for Humans. 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 his TED talk, Kentel Weaver brings together the stories of various allies, who offered him opportunities that became substantial turning points in his reintegration journey. People often frown upon recidivism rates that remain high, with the assumption that incarcerated individuals have all the society’s resources accessible to them upon reentry, yet that’s simply a falsehood. He hopes to highlight the importance of opportunity for formerly incarcerated individuals, so that “success” for formerly incarcerated people should go beyond being attributed to pure “chance” or “luck”. Kentel Weaver is a Tufts University Civic Studies major who started his journey of higher education in MCI Concord in 2019 through the Tufts University Prison Initiative of Tisch College degree program. He went to prison when he was 16, was sentenced to life in prison at the age of 18, and spent the next 19 years of his life in prison until he was released in November of 2022 at the age of 35. He’s been home for two years and is now finishing completing his bachelors degree in Civic Studies at Tufts. He works for the Transformational Prison Project which is grounded in Restorative Justice practices. As a full time circle keeper he goes inside DYS facilities to hold restorative justice circles with the inner city youth. 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

Funny how a few pieces of paper or digits on a screen can feel so personal. This video dives into why money gets under our skin, how it became tangled with our sense of self, and what that says about a world where value isn’t just about worth — it’s about identity. The Emotional Side of Money 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

Could your office be quietly holding you back? This talk breaks down the science of design—showing how aesthetics, layout, and lighting shape not just productivity, but power. It’s time to rethink the rooms we work in. Dr. Bukky Akinsanmi Oyedeji is a strategy scholar who studies the relationship between human capital, workplace design, and firm performance. Her research focuses on how complementary firm resources – including physical work environments – affect the value created by a worker, in both established firms and start-ups. Dr. Oyedeji’s work combines architectural and urban design methodologies with econometric approaches to understand how human assets, workflow processes and spatial layouts affect human interaction and firm performance. Her research has been supported by the Strategy Research Foundation, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development population dynamics program as well as other research grants. Her findings are published in academic journals including Academy of Management Journal and Journal of Management as well as practitioner outlets in management and architecture. 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 single piece of debris—no bigger than a marble—could disrupt satellites, threaten global infrastructure, and spark a cascading crisis in orbit. With striking visuals and grounded urgency, this talk challenges us to take collective responsibility for protecting the future of space. Andrea Antonello is Head of Robotics at ClearSpace Today, leading the development of advanced robotic systems for sustainable space on-orbiting servicing. With 15+ years of experience in robotics, Andrea has worked in both academia and industry, driving innovation in automation and space systems. With a background in Aerospace Engineering (BSc, MSc, PhD) and an MBA from the University of Iowa, Andrea has contributed to cutting-edge robotics research and development. Previously, as Engineering Manager at Automata, Andrea led a team transforming automation in life sciences. Now focused on space robotics, Andrea is passionate about developing innovative solutions for a more sustainable future beyond Earth. 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