2024 Talks
Closing Narrative Gaps & Amplifying Women’s Voices via Stories - Sophia Ufy Ukor
In this compelling talk, Sophia Ufy Ukor, shares her personal journey and explores the transformative power of inclusive storytelling. Highlighting her inspiration, her grandmother, and her own battles with underrepresentation, she unpacks the profound impact of documenting and sharing women's stories.
Through the lens of 'Disruptors,' a ground breaking initiative showcasing women who challenge the status quo, she illustrates how inclusive narratives not only celebrate unsung heroes but also bridge historical gaps. She argues that these stories can reshape society, promote gender equality, and inspire future generations. The talk emphasizes the need to provide platforms for diverse voices, thereby enriching our collective understanding and fostering a more equitable world.
Watch this TEDx talk to discover how inclusive storytelling can be a catalyst for societal change and why amplifying women's voices is a moral imperative and practical necessity. Sophia Ufy Ukor is the founder of Violet Simon, a media company that amplifies women's voices through storytelling, fostering inclusion and representation, equitable equality and a safe space where women's voices are heard.
How women can grow bolder AND older - Sharon Sinclair-Williams
A serial lifetime procrastinator, side tracked by menopause & very late ADHD journey, Sharon shares in her TEDx talk her insights on living boldly and embracing the idea that there is no such thing as an expiry date.
In this TEDx talk, Sharon uses her voice to advocate for positive ageing. Sharon is working to create awareness for a greener internet and a more sustainable future for us all.
Misandry Myths - Chloe Laws
In this TEDx Talk, Chloe Laws examines the term misandry and its new-found popularity, unpicking why misandry being levelled with misogyny is a false and dangerous whataboutism:
“When we look at all the evidence, the truth is that women do not hate men the way men hate women. Misandry is not the same as misogyny because the oppressed cannot oppress the oppressor. Women do not have the social standing or power for misandry to be a threat. At worst, misandry hurts some feelings. Misogyny, on the other hand, kills women daily.”
Why are queer people fleeing their nation states? - Drew Dalton
This talk will examine how queerphobia is a 'push' factor for people seeking asylum and supposed 'safety' in the United Kingdom. However, what then happens when queer people who seek asylum arrive in the United Kingdom? What challenges do they face? This talk elevates the often forgotten voices of queer people who seek asylum and it charts how governments, institutions, and other factors, have fostered a stigmatising and harmful rhetoric about asylum.
It asks how this impacts at a local level for queer people seeking asylum in the North East of England. This talk will get to the heart of the matter of ‘queer flight’ across the globe, the issues that they face in their new host countries, and challenges all of us to think about how we can make queer people seeking asylum feel more welcome and included.
A simple guide to everyday climate action - Tamma Carel
In this powerful TEDx talk, Tamma shares her journey from her early years in South Africa to her impactful work in the UK, revealing how her unique background shaped her deep understanding of sustainability and the climate crisis. Her story emphasises the urgency of reducing our consumption to protect the interconnected ecosystems that sustain life on Earth.
Tamma explores how the climate crisis demands a collective commitment to change, highlighting the essential role that nature plays in our survival and the dangerous consequences of overconsumption. Drawing on personal insights and sustainability principles, she explains why we must act now to give our planet the time and space it needs to heal—not only for our benefit but for the future of all generations.
Through a “Nature First” approach, Tamma advocates for placing the needs of nature and the health of our planet at the core of every decision we make. She shows how each of us has the power to make an impact through simple, daily actions like consuming less, reusing more, supporting biodiversity, and holding organisations accountable. Together, these efforts create a ripple effect, moving us toward a balanced, thriving Earth. Watch now to learn how you can be part of the change, contribute to a sustainable future, and join a global movement for climate action. Every action for the environment counts — let’s start by listening to what nature is telling us.
Why alcohol belongs in the mental health conversation - Millie Gooch
Have you ever considered the role that alcohol might be playing when it comes to your mental health? Have you ever woken up with hangover anxiety or no memory of your night? In this powerful and deeply personal TEDx talk, Millie Gooch, shares her journey of battling mental health challenges and the role alcohol played in that struggle.
Alcohol is often glamorised or trivialised in our culture, but as Millie explains, it’s a drug with real, often devastating consequences, especially for those already grappling with mental health issues. Citing sobering statistics, Millie emphasises the urgent need for a shift in how we talk about alcohol and mental health.
This talk is a call to re-examine our assumptions about alcohol use, mental health, and sobriety. It’s a message for everyone—whether you drink or not—because we all know someone affected by these issues. Join Millie as she advocates for more compassionate and honest conversations that could save lives.
Rediscovering self-love, not self-care - Ruby Dhal
Ruby Dhal uncovers the relationship between self-love and healing in a culture where chanting 'I love me' to the mirror everyday and drinking your 2 litres after a gym workout are portrayed as enough to practise self-love.
Self-love isn’t just grabbing a caramel latte and having a candlelit bubble bath. Self-love isn’t just chanting positive affirmations to yourself. Self-love isn’t just an indoor movie date with your best friend and a tub of Ben and Jerry’s or a long walk with your dog to the park. Self-love isn’t just ‘a book and me in a café’, or a relaxing spa day. It is more than that.
But because most of us don’t search for that ‘more’ we’re restricted to this empty practice of self-love that does all the stuff it needs to on the outside —without fixing anything on the inside. We continue to do all the self-care stuff with the hope that one day it will feel good. That one day we will be truly happy. That one day we will reach a tender place in our healing. We continue to paint our walls without thinking about our collapsing infrastructure.