Scars are what make you powerful | Catherine Hampel | TEDxSan Diego Studio
What if your scars aren’t flaws to hide, but proof of your power? In this talk, Catherine Hampel dismantles the myth of perfection and shows how the marks of survival become your greatest weapon. Are you ready to wear your own scars? www.linkedin.com/in/catherinehampel#TEDxSanDiego #TEDx #ScarPower #WearYourScars #Resilience #Cancer #BRCAGene, #Genetics Catherine is a healthcare leader, connector, and storyteller with 20+ years of experience transforming complex systems in academic medicine. As Chief Administrative Officer for UCLA Psychiatry and a 2024 Presidential Leadership Scholar, she brings heart and strategy to every space she leads.She's held senior leadership roles at UCLA, UCSD, and UPMC, taught health policy and management at UCLA, Pitt, and Cal State San Marcos. She has degrees from Carnegie Mellon and UCLA, where she also completed an administrative fellowship.Her PLS project, Connecting Minds, is a peer support initiative for college-aged students navigating loneliness, trauma, or loss. Rooted in lived experience, it fosters healing, connection, and self-encouragement.A Pittsburgh native turned California girl, she enjoys weightlifting, running, and is a proud mom of two. She believes commitment isn't always about what you stand to gain, but sometimes what you're prepared to lose. 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
More from TED
- 9:02What If AI Becomes Our Bridge to the Beyond? | Safi Ullah Khan Suddais | TEDxUniversity of PeshawarAs Artificial Intelligence continues to evolve, it raises profound questions about its role in understanding the mysteries of existence, consciousness, and the unknown. This thought-provoking talk explores the possibility of AI becoming a tool to connect us with "the beyond"—whether that means unlocking the secrets of the universe, bridging the divide between life and death, or accessing realms of knowledge and understanding previously thought unreachable. Could AI help us communicate with loved ones we've lost, decode the nature of consciousness, or even help humanity grapple with existential questions about our place in the cosmos? Through a blend of cutting-edge technology, philosophy, and spirituality, this discussion challenges us to imagine a future where AI serves as not just a tool, but a guide to the infinite possibilities of the beyond. Safi Ullah Khan Suddais is a final-year student of BS International Relations at the University of Peshawar, currently serving as the President of the International Relations Students Association (IRSA). Previously, he held the position of Content Editor at MOSAIC. As the Campus Director for the Millennium Fellowship Program (Class of 2024), Safi has been instrumental in promoting youth engagement on global issues at the University of Peshawar. Additionally, he works as a Research Assistant at the China Program, Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad, contributing to publications and policy seminars on emerging technologies and international diplomacy. 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
- 3:08Stepping Up | Maitha Almarzouqi | TEDxYouth@AKISGEMSMaitha Almarzooqi goes over the steps that caused her to overcome her system of attention avoidance and reach new levels of self-confidence and ability as she stepped outside her comfort zone in small but meaningful ways over and over again. Emirati speaker 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
- 13:10If Justice Was Not a Distant Dream? | Umar Khan Utmanzai | TEDxUniversity of PeshawarWhat if justice weren’t a distant ideal but a practical, everyday reality? This talk reimagines law, policy, and social systems as living, accessible infrastructures that elevate fairness for all—not just the privileged few. We’ll explore turning principles into action through data-driven accountability, community-led reform, and humane institutions that heal, restore, and empower. From rethinking policing and courts to redesigning education, housing, and healthcare, this talk illuminates practical pathways to close the gap between aspiration and experience—so justice can be felt here, now, by everyone. Umar Khan Utmanzai is a High Court lawyer and social activist based in Peshawar, Pakistan. He founded the Citizen's Rights & Advocacy Forum (CRAF), focusing on human rights, digital freedom, and justice. Umar has led impactful cases on constitutional rights, cyber harassment, and gender-based violence, and has represented Pakistan at global forums like the UN Internet Governance Forum. He has also led large-scale relief efforts, spending over PKR 40 million to support students, widows, and the homeless. Umar has received notable recognition, including the Global Youth Peace Ambassador Medal and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Achiever Award. 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
- 15:32Exploranation: the future of visual communication and learning | Konrad Schönborn | TEDxNorrköpingProcessing and interacting with visual information helps us explain, explore and make sense of the world. Exploranation is an emerging communication paradigm that combines explanatory and exploratory visualization – by intersecting science communication, data visualization, and interactivity. Konrad Schönborn, professor of visual learning and communication, describes how exploranation offers new opportunities for learning and public engagement with science. Konrad is passionate about the impact of visualization on learning. His doctoral journey provided a unique opportunity to examine relationships between human learning and the visual representation of scientific knowledge.Entering Linköping University (LiU) granted him life-changing exposure to cutting-edge visualization research – visual information that is dynamic, multimodal, and immersive. Such world-class environments provide novel avenues to investigate visualization for learning and communicating science and knowledge across the STEM disciplines. At the same time, as scientific leader of the National Graduate School in Science and Technology Education (FontD), he has had the chance to contribute to the emergence of science and technology education research in Sweden.In working close together with colleagues at the Visual Learning and Communication (VLC) research group at LiU, Visualization Center C in Norrköping, across LiU faculties, nationally in Sweden, and around the world, his research has included investigating students’ and citizens’ interpretation and interaction with visualizations of the bio-microcosmos, the nanoworld, and abstract properties of the macroscale. The future vision is to pursue new inroads into how visualization can harness learners’ and citizens’ meaningful exploration and explanation of science. 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
- 19:47What If Collective Identities Didn’t Exist? | Dr. Dervesh Khan Afridi | TEDxUniversity of PeshawarWhat if the labels we use to group people—nation, race, religion, tribe, gender, and other collective identities—were unnecessary or obsolete? This talk investigates a world where belonging isn’t constrained by inherited categories, and where shared humanity, experiences, and values replace fixed identities as the primary lens for understanding one another. We’ll explore the science of identity, the social functions those groups serve, and the practical implications for cooperation, conflict, and policy. Through stories, research, and visioning exercises, we’ll consider how to foster inclusion, collaboration, and equity in a richly diverse world that transcends traditional boundaries. A passionate writer of philosophy of non violence. 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
- 7:25What if your dreams were real and your fear was fake? | Shezal Misbah | TEDxUniversity of PeshawarImagine a world where the visions that ignite your curiosity and the goals that fuel your nights are the true measure of possibility — while the doubts that hold you back are illusions you can learn to outgrow. This talk explores how reframing fear as a learned, removable habit and treating dreams as practical, testable blueprints can transform creativity, risk-taking, and personal growth. Through stories, neuroscience, and actionable mindset shifts, you'll leave with tools to amplify your dreams and quiet the false alarms that keep you small. Shezal Misbah is a final-year International Relations student from Peshawar, currently juggling an elite ISPR internship, the globally recognized SheFi crypto leadership program, and the highly competitive Aspire Leaders Program by Harvard faculty. Known for blending diplomacy, tech, and storytelling, Shezal is on a mission to reshape how young women from underrepresented regions imagine the future – starting with their own. Her vision reflects a rebellion into a powerful call to dream dangerously. 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