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
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- 16:36How Gen Z can build financial confidence | Mercedes Gaztambide | TEDxTorontoMetUMercedes Gaztambide is a reporter at CBC Toronto. She graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Journalism and began her media career through a work-study position producing student recruitment content. That role sparked her interest in on-camera storytelling and led to opportunities in both digital and broadcast media.In 2020, she became blogTO’s first TikTok host and producer, helping grow the outlet’s reach with original, youth-focused content. She later joined CBC to host and edit the reboot of Street Cents, a financial literacy show for teens. She has hosted live award shows, co-hosted CBC Marketplace, earned a Webby nomination, won a Kidscreen Award, and worked as a producer at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.Mercedes combines storytelling, education, and authentic connection to inspire the next generation of journalists and creatives. She hopes to empower others to embrace curiosity, take risks, and tell stories that matter. Mercedes Gaztambide is a reporter at CBC Toronto. She graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Journalism and began her media career through a work-study position producing student recruitment content. That role sparked her interest in on-camera storytelling and led to opportunities in both digital and broadcast media.In 2020, she became blogTO’s first TikTok host and producer, helping grow the outlet’s reach with original, youth-focused content. She later joined CBC to host and edit the reboot of Street Cents, a financial literacy show for teens. She has hosted live award shows, co-hosted CBC Marketplace, earned a Webby nomination, won a Kidscreen Award, and worked as a producer at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.Mercedes combines storytelling, education, and authentic connection to inspire the next generation of journalists and creatives. She hopes to empower others to embrace curiosity, take risks, and tell stories that matter. 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
- 10:47Pixels and Perspectives: Finding Meaning in the Details | Daniyal Harris | TEDxIBAWhat if the smallest, most overlooked moments in your life held the key to who you're meant to become? In this talk, Daniyal Haris explores how life’s tiniest “pixels”—the hardships, rejections, and quiet victories—can come together to form a meaningful picture. Drawing from his journey as a filmmaker and student, Daniyal argues that it's not about fitting into someone else’s frame—it's about building your own image, one pixel at a time. This talk is a reminder that no one else defines your potential, and sometimes, the clearest perspective comes from the blurriest beginnings. [Filmmaker - Storyteller]An IBA student with a filmmaker's soul, Daniyal Harris crafts stories that blur the line between memory and magic. His nostalgic style of filmmaking doesn't just tell a story - it transports you into it. 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
