Expanding Perceptions on Diversity TED Talks Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html Brené Brown studies human connection ‐‐ our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk at TEDxHouston, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. Aimee Mullins: The opportunity of adversity http://www.ted.com/talks/aimee_mullins_the_opportunity_of_adversity.html?quote=648 The thesaurus might equate "disabled" with synonyms like "useless" and "mutilated," but ground‐
breaking runner Aimee Mullins is out to redefine the word. Defying these associations, she shows how adversity ‐‐ in her case, being born without shinbones ‐‐ actually opens the door for human potential. A record‐breaker at the Paralympic Games in 1996, Aimee Mullins has built a career as a model, actor and advocate for women, sports and the next generation of prosthetics. Evelyn Glennie shows how to listen http://www.ted.com/talks/evelyn_glennie_shows_how_to_listen.html?quote=1540 Why you should listen to her:
Evelyn Glennie's music challenges the listener to ask where music comes from: Is it more than simply a translation from score to instrument to audience? How can a musician who has almost no hearing play with such sensitivity and compassion? The Grammy‐winning percussionist and composer became almost completely deaf by the age of 12, but her hearing loss brought her a deeper understanding of and connection to the music she loves. She's the subject of the documentary Touch the Sound, which explores this unconventional and intriguing approach to percussion. Ken Robinson: Changing education paradigms http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms.html Why don't we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it's because we've been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies ‐‐ far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity ‐‐ are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. "We are educating people out of their creativity," Robinson says. It's a message with deep resonance. Robinson's TEDTalk has been distributed widely around the Web since its release in June 2006. The most popular words framing blog posts on his talk? "Everyone should watch this." A visionary cultural leader, Sir Ken led the British government's 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education, a massive inquiry into the significance of creativity in the educational system and the economy, and was knighted in 2003 for his achievements. His latest book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, a deep look at human creativity and education, was published in January 2009. Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html Sir Ken Robinson makes the case for a radical shift from standardized schools to personalized learning ‐‐ creating conditions where kids' natural talents can flourish. Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence. Spencer Wells builds a family tree for humanity http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/spencer_wells_is_building_a_family_tree_for_all_humanity.html All humans share some common bits of DNA, passed down to us from our African ancestors. Geneticist Spencer Wells talks about how his Genographic Project will use this shared DNA to figure out how we are ‐‐ in all our diversity ‐‐ truly connected. Spencer Wells studies human diversity ‐‐ the process by which humanity, which springs from a single common source, has become so astonishingly diverse and widespread. Wade Davis: Dreams from endangered cultures http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/wade_davis_on_endangered_cultures.html With stunning photos and stories, National Geographic Explorer Wade Davis celebrates the extraordinary diversity of the world's indigenous cultures, which are disappearing from the planet at an alarming rate. A National Geographic Explorer‐in‐Residence, he has been described as “a rare combination of scientist, scholar, poet and passionate defender of all of life’s diversity.” Rebecca Onie: What if our healthcare system kept us healthy http://www.ted.com/talks/rebecca_onie_what_if_our_healthcare_system_kept_us_healthy.html Rebecca Onie asks audacious questions: What if waiting rooms were a place to improve daily health care? What if doctors could prescribe food, housing and heat in the winter? At TEDMED she describes Health Leads, an organization that does just that ‐‐ and does it by building a volunteer base as elite and dedicated as a college sports team. Rebecca Onie is the founder of Health Leads, a program that connects patients to basic care and resources, such as food and housing, that are the root cause of many health problems.