It’s widely recognized that children’s books play a role in gender socialization. To understand what messages are currently being conveyed, this study examined gender portrayals in award winning picture books from 2018-2022. An analysis of frequency data showed that more books featured female protagonists engaged in nurturing behaviors and male protagonists engaged in leadership behaviors, than other gender categories (gender nonconforming and gender indeterminate). Adult males were depicted with occupations more frequently than other genders and in a greater variety of roles. Continued inequalities in gender portrayals may be limiting for children’s development and society at large. Dr. Hale is a faculty member in the Department of English and College Readiness at Washtenaw Community College. She earned an M.A. in English from Indiana University (2023), an Ed.D. from Eastern Michigan University (2010) and a M.A. in Higher Education from the University of Michigan (2003). 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

Caregivers are the backbone of our healthcare system, yet they remain undertrained, under-resourced, and overlooked. In this talk. Stephanie explore why caregiving must be recognized as a formal part of medicine—and how reimagining its role through education, policy, and support can improve outcomes for both patients and caregivers alike. Stephanie Armas is a medical student at Rush Medical College whose journey into medicine has been profoundly shaped by her experience as a long-term caregiver for loved ones with Alzheimer’s. Through that role, she witnessed the toll caregiving takes, not only physically and emotionally, but also in how unseen and unsupported caregivers often are within the healthcare system. Stephanie is a passionate advocate for elevating caregiving as a recognized and resourced component of healthcare. She believes it’s time to invest in caregiver education, policy reform, and structural support—because without caregivers, healthcare cannot truly work. 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