My TEDx Talk at Occidental College: Harnessing the Power of Otherness

On April 21st, I gave my third TEDx Talk at Occidental College in L.A. My first was at University of California, San Diego and my second in Taipei at a marketing conference. Now I can say I’m a three-timer TEDx speaker.Although I’ve done lots of public speaking over the last six years, TED Talks are always the most nerve-racking because: (1) you have a strict time limit; (2) the talk should encompass the conference’s theme (in this case at TEDxOccidental 2018, the theme was “Shifting Ecosystems of Power” (wha…?!); and (3) obviously, because of the parameter of #2, the talk will likely consist of all-new material. On top of these, the talks are recorded and made available online for all to view.I must say, though, that this one was, in my opinion (and the hubs’s), my best TEDx Talk yet. Third time’s a charm. In thinking about the challenging theme of “Shifting Ecosystems of Power,” I came up with the idea of how power dynamics are changing in today’s world, and I wanted to touch upon the power of being different, or an “other,” a subject matter of which I believe is important, especially in this age of seemingly growing intolerance coinciding with largely varying demographics and identities.I thought I did a pretty good job. Watch my talk above, and let me know what you think.