What if pretending wasn’t just for kids? In this bold, electrifying TEDx talk, drag performer and therapist Journee LaFond (they/she) invites you to rediscover the transformative power of play. From their mother’s beauty rituals to meeting a drag queen who shattered their world open, Journee weaves personal storytelling with social science to challenge everything you think you know about identity, performance, and becoming. This isn’t just about wigs and sequins—it’s about liberation. It’s about showing up as your fullest self. It’s about you. If you’ve ever wanted to break free, to grow, or to live more honestly—this talk just might change how you see yourself forever. Journee (they/she) is a social worker, voiceover actor, drag performer, model, event organizer, and restorative justice advocate. Passionate about creating spaces for historically marginalized communities, they are dedicated to redefining mental health, Queerness, and what it means to be a Person of the Global Majority. As their drag persona, Onyx Reigns, Journee was honored to be canonized by the Boston Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as the Saint of the Onyx Journey. Journee works to create safe spaces for Queer folx and People of Color in New Hampshire, aiming to eradicate stigma and promote equity for marginalized groups. They live in Southern New Hampshire with their spouse and two children. 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

When Elsa Sanlara joined Mexico’s National Taekwondo Team at just 17, she thought she was training for medals. But the lessons that shaped her most weren’t about winning—they were about becoming. In this powerful TEDx talk, Elsa shares how elite athletic training prepared her for something even harder: adapting as an immigrant, challenging stereotypes, and finding her place in unfamiliar environments. With humor, humility, and hard-earned wisdom, Elsa explores what it means to redefine success—and where true strength really comes from. Her story is a reminder that some of the toughest battles aren’t fought in the ring—and the biggest victories don’t come with medals. Elsa is a former Mexican National Taekwondo Team member, bringing the discipline and perseverance of her sport to life’s challenges. With years of experience leading HR and Operations teams, she has transformed workplace cultures, creating environments where people thrive. Her book, Repeat Offender, explores grief and resilience, while her column in La Jornada Morelos reflects on the immigrant experience and the healing power of laughter. Through her Instagram, Elsa shares relatable struggles with humor, inspiring others to embrace change and rewrite their own stories. 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 do championship sports teams, rebel heroes, and high-performing nonprofits all have in common? It’s not a superstar—it’s the team. In this energizing and insightful TEDx talk, organizational psychologist Dr. Vanessa Druskat reveals the emotional intelligence habits that help teams collaborate, innovate, and thrive. Drawing on personal stories—including her childhood in Kenya—and decades of observing team dynamics in action, Druskat shares three powerful, learnable habits that every team needs: build belonging, encourage constructive debate, and seek outside insight. Through science-backed strategies and relatable humor, she helps us understand how small changes in behavior can build resilient, high-performing teams. Whether you're leading a staff meeting or tackling global challenges, this talk will shift how you think about teamwork—and why the “superstar” myth might be holding us all back. Vanessa is a leading expert on team leadership and a pioneer of the team emotional intelligence (Team EI) model. Unlike traditional team development models that focus on fixing people, Vanessa teaches leaders how to build social systems that address the emotional needs of team members, fostering authentic collaboration and innovation. An award-winning researcher and teacher, Vanessa advises teams at some of the world’s top organizations. She has taught at the University of New Hampshire for 22 years and lives in Durham. Her forthcoming book, The Emotionally Intelligent Team, will be published by Harvard Business School Press in July 2025. 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

The next global crisis won’t come from a battlefield - it will strike through a line of code. In this eye-opening TEDx talk, Sanjana Rathi unpacks the urgent need for cyber diplomacy in a world where ransomware shuts down hospitals, ships lose their GPS at sea, and cars are hijacked from miles away.With experience spanning cybersecurity, law, and international relations, she reveals how outdated systems are failing ordinary people - like a dock worker in Durban - and why the future demands a new kind of diplomat: one who can speak the languages of code and country."This is not a tech problem. It’s a human problem. And it’s time we evolve to meet it." Sanjana Rathi is the founder of The CyberDiplomat, operating at the intersection of cybersecurity and international relations. With degrees from LSE and Tel Aviv University, she merges technical expertise and strategic insight to tackle global cyber threats. A certified drone pilot and artist, she brings creativity to complex digital 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

Olhar longe é olhar cedo. Esta regra da astronomia dá corpo a uma conversa sobre questões que hoje se levantam para o futuro das artes em Portugal. A partir das perspetivas de vários outros criadores, Raimundo Cosme lança uma reflexão acerca dos desafios para o amanhã. Ator, criador e codiretor da Plataforma285. Licenciado em Teatro pela ESAD.CR (prémio Alumni Carreira 2021, IPLeiria). Frequenta o Doutoramento em Artes Performativas e Imagem em Movimento, das Belas Artes da UL. Em teatro trabalhou com Cão Solteiro, Teatro do vestido, Diogo Dória, Carlota Lagido, André e. Teodósio, Vasco Araújo, André Godinho, José Eduardo Rocha, José Carlos Plaza, entre outros. Em 2011 fundou a Companhia Plataforma285, onde trabalha como ator, dramaturgo e codiretor artístico. Como criador trabalhou ainda em “The Institute Of Global Solitude”, uma colaboração com a companhia grega de teatro Blitz. Em cinema, trabalhou com André Godinho, Manuel Pureza, Gonçalo Galvão Telles, Jorge Paixão da Costa, Bruno Gascon, Marguerite de Hillerin, Félix Dutilloy-Liégeois, Ben von Grafenstein e Eduardo Brito. 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

Az gören bir çocuk olarak başladığı hayat yolculuğunda, beynine görmeyi öğreten, kendi deneyiminden yola çıkarak makinelerin de görmeyi öğrenebileceğini keşfeden ve bugün milyonlarca insanın hayatını değiştiren teknolojilere imza atan sıra dışı bir zihin: Zülal.Arizona State University’de nörobilim eğitimi alan, Microsoft ve NVIDIA iş birlikleriyle dünya çapında ödüller kazanan Zülal, bu ilham verici konuşmasında biyolojik görmeden yapay görmeye uzanan kişisel ve bilimsel yolculuğunu paylaşıyor.Görmenin yalnızca gözle değil, beyinle ve cesaretle de mümkün olduğunu anlatan bu konuşma, teknolojinin insan deneyimiyle nasıl şekillenebileceğini gözler önüne seriyor.Zülal Tannur, NeuroVision AI Tech ve alt şirketi FROM YOUR EYES’ın kurucusu ve CEO’sudur. Biyolojik görmeyi taklit eden yapay görme çözümleri geliştirmek amacıyla kurduğu FROM YOUR EYES, Microsoft Imagine Cup Dünya Şampiyonu olmuş ve Microsoft CEO’su Satya Nadella’dan mentorluk kazanmıştır. NeuroVision AI Tech, Microsoft partneri olarak global yapay görme teknolojilerinde öncüdür. Zülal, Microsoft’un teknoloji elçisi olarak yetiştirdiği ilk görme engelli birey olup, 2020’de Microsoft tarafından “Teknolojiye Yön Veren Kadın Lider”, Google tarafından ise “Women TechMaker” olarak onurlandırılmıştır. Akademik eğitimine Boğaziçi Üniversitesi’nde başlayıp, Arizona State University’de nörobilim ve bilişsel bilimler alanında devam etmektedir. 2024’te Global Recognition Awards’ta En Kapsayıcı Lider seçilen Zülal, TOYP ödülünü alarak dünya çapında tanınmıştır. 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