In this candid and compelling TEDx talk, marketing trailblazer Rekha Rao, Founder & CEO of OON, unpacks a journey rooted in childlike obsession, challenged by conventional expectations, and shaped by unwavering self-belief. From cutting out ads at age 10 to building the world’s first women-led integrated marketing collective, Rekha’s story is one of courage, creativity, and relentless curiosity. She shares how early dreams often collide with societal norms—and why asking “why not?” instead of just “why” can rewire your life’s trajectory.Rekha’s path wasn’t linear. She faced academic setbacks, career detours, and dismissive mentors. Yet each stumble became a stepping stone. Whether navigating the high-stakes world of advertising, shifting into client-facing roles without prior experience, or pulling off a national campaign derailed by tragedy, Rekha learned to lead through resilience, not rules. Her talk is filled with practical wisdom: start small (even with a scrapbook), embrace redirections, and let your work—not politics—speak for you.At its heart, this talk is a powerful call for young dreamers and professionals alike: You don’t need to fit the mold to make a mark. You just need the audacity to ask: “Why not me?” Rekha Rao is the Founder and CEO of OON—the world’s first women’s collective providing integrated marketing communications solutions. With a powerhouse background in brand storytelling, reputation management, crisis response, and strategic content, she has led award-winning campaigns across global, regional, and local markets. Under her leadership, OON has earned 125+ accolades, becoming a force in shaping narratives that matter. Rekha’s mission goes beyond marketing—she’s creating space for women to lead, collaborate, and redefine the communications landscape with creativity, empathy, and 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
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- 14:38Superhuman Intelligence: Meet AI with Our Deepest Humanity | Srinija Srinivasan | TEDxPaloAltoSalonNOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker’s personal views and understanding of consciousness, divinity, and artificial intelligence, which some viewers may find objectionable. 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.pdfSrinija Srinivasan explores how we can meet superhuman intelligence not with fear or rivalry, but with presence, values, and deep self-awareness. With clarity and curiosity, she invites us to reflect on the human qualities that no machine can replicate, and why nurturing them may be our greatest responsibility in the age of AI. Born in India and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, Srinija Srinivasan has followed a lifelong curiosity about consciousness, wondering from a young age what possibilities can arise from believing divinity is in ourselves and all around us. She studied artificial intelligence at Stanford and then worked at the Cyc Project, a large-scale AI effort to build an immense database of commonsense knowledge.In 1995, she joined Yahoo! as their fifth employee and self-titled Ontological Yahoo, where she continued over 15 years as Vice President, Editor-in-Chief. She simultaneously chaired the board of non-profit SFJAZZ, leading her to co-found Loove, a Brooklyn-based music venture exploring how commerce and technology can be guided by artistic values rather than letting our culture be led by market values.She has recently cofounded Jubilee College, a two-year school in Dunsmuir, CA where students will be equally rooted in physical work, rigorous liberal arts study, and contemplative practice.Srinija is a board member of the On Being Project and a former vice chair of Stanford University's Board of Trustees. She lives in Palo Alto, CA and Brooklyn, NY. 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
- 12:50Museums must give back what they stole — here’s why | Dorota Blumczynska | TEDxWinnipegWhat does it mean to hold stolen history? Museum CEO Dorota delivers a powerful call for accountability and transformation within the cultural sector. Drawing from her experience at the Manitoba Museum, she exposes the legacy of colonialism that still lives in museum vaults—through artifacts taken without consent, displayed without context, and separated from the communities they belong to.With clarity and conviction, Dorota urges institutions to go beyond symbolic gestures: to return sacred objects, share authority with Indigenous communities, and become true allies in truth and reconciliation. This talk invites us to reimagine museums not as neutral spaces, but as platforms for justice, healing, and co-creation. Dorota Blumczynska, CEO of the Manitoba Museum and Vice-President of the Canadian Museums Association, advocates for museums as spaces of truth, reconciliation, and social justice. She shares her vision for transforming museums to foster healing and understanding. 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
