Ben Davenport volunteered in prison with his church group, and it changed his life. Listen to his story. Ben J. Davenport, Jr., is the Chairman and CEO of First Piedmont Corporation, a regional waste management and disposal company.Ben is a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research and Go Va. He also serves and chairs the Board of the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education and serves on the boards of Hargrave Military Academy and the Future of the Piedmont. Ben is a former Virginia Tech Rector and former Virginia Game Commission chair.He and his wife, Betty, are natives of Chatham, VA, and members of Chatham Baptist Church. Ben graduated from Hargrave Military Academy and Virginia Tech and served in the US Coast Guard. 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

Jeremiah's journey from justice offender to justice defender has been nothing short of miraculous. Prepare to be inspired. Coming from a broken family, Jeremiah turned to the streets for love and joined a gang at 13. He did not have an education or job skills before entering prison at 19. Jeremiah lost all his closest friends and a younger brother to gun violence, so he decided to denounce his former lifestyle and now uses his influence to reform criminal organizations from the inside out.A social justice visionary who advocates ways to build redemptive and equitable prison reform policies that bridge the gap from corrections to community, Jeremiah believes in restorative justice as a path to greater public safety. He has been developing a gang-intervention module called EMBODY, for which he is seeking accreditation and implementation in the VA DOC to mitigate gang violence through public safety awareness, treatment, and education/job provision. While incarcerated, Jeremiah has earned a GED; plumbing, masonry, and culinary trade skills; a biblical seminary degree; and paralegal certification. 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

Grief is often shrouded in silence and discomfort. In this talk, grief coach and researcher Dr. Chinasa Elue redefines our understanding of grief and loss. Sharing her deeply personal story of losing her mother, Dr. Elue invites us to explore grief in its many forms, from death to the loss of friendships and jobs. She introduces the concept of “grief-conscious communication,” a transformative approach that encourages us to speak openly about and support one another through grief. Chinasa Elue, Ph.D., is a professor, speaker, grief coach, and CEO and Founder of True Titans Consulting Group. Dr. Elue provides strategic coaching and consulting to organizations moving forward to make impactful changes during uncertainty with empathy and care. She is Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Higher Education at Kennesaw State University. Her research focuses on grief leadership, trauma-informed leadership practices in organizational settings, and the health and well-being of historically marginalized and underrepresented populations. Dr. Elue is host of the Grieving in Color Podcast, which explores ways we navigate our experiences with grief and loss and is a place where we find courage to intentionally heal in our daily lives. Her work has been published in numerous academic journals and featured in the Harvard Institute of Coaching, USA Today, DiversityInc, Better Homes & Gardens, and VoyageATL. 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

Bradford Harris explores ways we can dismantle structures that create inequity in the tech, gaming, and esports industries, from changing hiring practices to fostering inclusive cultures that celebrate and amplify Black voices. He shares examples of how we can create pathways for the next generation of Black innovators and how that diversity will drive innovation. Bradford Harris is an experienced education technology consultant with over 14 years of experience transforming education through technology. He is currently a doctoral candidate in the Instructional Design and Systems Technology program at Sam Houston State University. He creates innovative learning solutions and champions technology to enhance learning. Committed to digital literacy, fluency, and inclusivity, Bradford integrates esports, STEM, and digital learning to prepare educators and students for the future workplace. He’s known for his strategic initiatives in promoting diversity and engaging learners. Offering services from professional development to curriculum design, Bradford aims to prepare a community of educators and learners for future challenges. Connect with him at link.space/@edtechtinker for innovative educational strategies. 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

In his TEDxUNS talk, Angelo Wijaya explores Indonesia’s potential to achieve developed nation status by 2045, emphasizing the need for strategic planning and collective action. While highlighting economic progress, including a GDP of $1.3 trillion and a declining poverty rate, he notes that the current growth rate of 4.9% is insufficient to meet the ambitious 8% target. He outlines four critical factors for success: cultivating high-skilled talent, integrating into global supply chains, leveraging advanced technology, and securing substantial capital investment. Stressing the urgency of sustainable development, he warns of climate change's impact and calls for innovation and responsible resource management to ensure long-term resilience. Angelo Wijaya is a distinguished professional specializing in International Political Economy, with a degree from Universitas Gadjah Mada. He was named UGM's Student of the Year in 2018 and ranked third nationally. Angelo began his career at the World Bank, working with the environment team, before transitioning to the International Finance Corporation to focus on ESG issues. Currently, he serves as a public sector consultant. Angelo has represented Indonesia at major international forums, including the Y20 Summit 2021, G7 Youth Summit 2023, and the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum 2024. He was also recognized as a Top 3 Indonesian Young Thought-Leader on Environment by WRI. 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

Invisible students are those who fly under the radar, whose needs and circumstances often go unnoticed. Dr. Bart Stykes shares insights from his current research on one invisible student group: the student parent – a college student who has at least one child under 18. Drawing on his research, he argues that seeing the invisible student is the essential first step in equipping them to succeed. Bart Stykes, Ph.D., is Interim Chair and Associate Professor in Sociology at Sam Houston State University. His research explores parent-child relationships, family dynamics, gender, and well-being. He believes that impactful research transforms communities to affect positive change. As a first-generation college student, Dr. Stykes experienced insecurities, such as feeling like an outsider on the university campus, which instilled a passion to disrupt universities’ natural tendencies to reproduce inequalities across students. Dr. Stykes was eager to join the SHSU faculty because of the institution’s reputation for admitting and retaining historically underrepresented students. Sam Houston State University’s identity is wedded to meeting students where they are and empowering them to succeed to promote upward mobility. Yet, over the years, Dr. Stykes came to realize that some underrepresented students receive considerable support while others – like student parents – remain invisible 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