In her TEDx talk, special needs teacher Ashley Parker shares how teaching inclusion starts with modeling empathy and respect from a young age. She explains how simple, everyday interactions can help children understand and embrace differences. Drawing from her classroom experiences, Ashley shows how inclusive education benefits all students, not just those with special needs. Her message is clear: when we teach kids to value every voice, we build a kinder, more understanding world. Ashley Parker is an Intervention aide at the school. In this role, she provides support to students who need extra assistance with educational and life skills. She has been in this career field for 10 years, with 6 of those years spent in the Olentangy school district. Ashley is fortunate to have not only graduated from Liberty High School but also to have returned as a teacher. Throughout the years, she has gained valuable insights both as a student and as a teacher, and she is excited to share what she has learned. 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
More from TED
- 7:41Every second of your life matters — here’s why | Bryce Boshell | TEDxSaintAndrewsSchoolIn this talk, Bryce Boshell hopes to convey the importance and value that “fractions of seconds” hold in people’s lives. Bryce is a sophomore at Saint Andrew’s School and has attended since his freshman year. He is Florida-born and Florida-raised. Bryce spends time playing basketball, writing, and exploring, whether it be in a city or the countryside. After an abrupt idea on “fractions of seconds” struck him in class, Bryce decided to articulate himself on the TEDx stage and be a part of the organization. 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
- 5:47Practice: The Secret to Transformation | Krishna Lolla | TEDxRiverfield Country Day SchoolFrom losing his first chess tournament to becoming one of Oklahoma’s top young players, Krishna Lolla reveals the power of practice and the science behind it. Through stories of setbacks, growth, and determination in both chess and cricket, Krishna shows how persistence, passion, and smart strategy can turn effort into excellence. Krishna Lolla is the eldest son of Venu Lolla and Smitha Etlapur. Krishna is a fifth-grade student at Riverfield Country Day School. In his free time, he likes to play cricket and chess and loves playing with his little brother.For this year's TEDx event, Krishna is speaking about the power of practice, exploring how it works, and sharing personal stories of how it has changed his life. He is enthusiastic about speaking to the audience to share his ideas and stories about practice. 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
- 11:215 ways for leaders to navigate change | Rajeev Kapur | TEDxU O PacificRajeev Kapur, a global leader in the technology industry and an award-winning entrepreneur who has driven the success of numerous multimillion-dollar companies. Rajeev will guide us through the evolving landscape of Artificial Intelligence, calling on leaders to adopt a model that emphasizes empathy, gratitude, and community, transforming the fear of change into a catalyst for human potential in the age of A.I. Rajeev has over 30 years of leadership experience, including building a $1B+ business at Dell and leading its China and South Asia divisions to record growth. He has served as President/CEO of three mid-size companies, achieving three exits. His success stems from fostering winning cultures, innovation, and high-performance teams. In 2021 and 2022, he was a finalist for Entrepreneur and Innovator of the Year by the Orange County Business Journal, and in 2024, he was a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.A YPO member for 18 years, Rajeev holds a Global MBA from USC and dual AI certifications from MIT. He sits on three AI boards and is a bestselling author of Chase Greatness and AI Made Simple. A sought-after keynote speaker on AI and leadership, he also coaches executives at Samsung, Amazon, and Hugo Boss. Additionally, he is a three-time screenplay writer and frequent CNBC contributor. 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
- 15:03The text message that changed my understanding of DEI | Deborah Biddle | TEDxU O PacificDeborah Biddle, a respected diversity and inclusion professional with over 30 years of experience across corporate, non-profit, and small business sectors. Through candid reflection, Deborah will share her transformative journey toward authentic inclusion, urging us to reconstruct systems that genuinely celebrate every individual. Deborah Biddle is a highly respected diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultant, coach, speaker, and trainer with over 30 years of experience across corporate, non-profit, and small business sectors. As the founder of The People Company Consulting Group, Deborah helps organizations build inclusive cultures, rethink strategies, and make impactful decisions. Known for her calm, thoughtful approach and passion for belonging, she has transformed how organizations and individuals approach DEI. 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
- 12:25Transform failure into your catalyst for success | Cory Charles | TEDxU O PacificCory Charles, a transformational growth architect dedicated to empowering leaders and teams to redefine their understanding of success. Drawing from his exhilarating experiences, Cory will challenge us to reframe our perception of failure—not as a setback, but as a catalyst for growth and resilience on the journey to realizing our greatest potential. Standing still in today’s world makes you a sitting duck. Disruption’s inevitable, but why let others disrupt you? Cory "Kxng" Charles, the Transformational Growth Architect, has spent years empowering leaders and teams to redefine success. Through his Leap, Fail, Grow! (LFG!) approach and The SuperHero Mindset, he turns audacious ideas into impactful realities. Cory's worked with clients like Taylor Morrison, CarMax and NASCAR, proving that with the right mindset, growth is limitless. His philosophy? Choice separates heroes from villains- victors from victims, and the belief that we all have the power to rewrite our stories. 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
- 12:23Manifesting an Economic Engine for Social Good | Alfredo Mathew III | TEDxWest Valley CollegeIn this urgent talk, educator and entrepreneur Alfredo Mathew III proposes a new model where we live in a society that is optimized for the success and well-being of the many instead of the few. He calls for a regenerative economy built on shared prosperity, sovereign wealth, and last-mile capital solutions. If you loved watching his TEDx, join the movement to support this bold idea: alfredomathew.com Alfredo Mathew III is on a mission to make entrepreneurship accessible and worthwhile in every community. An experienced teacher, non-profit leader, and business owner, for the past 25 years he has worked at the intersection of education, workforce, and entrepreneurship. A native New Yorker and Anglo-Rican, Alfredo co-founded ESO Ventures Inc, an entrepreneurial support organization, which has incubated over 500 Black and Brown businesses, deployed $5.2 million in capital, and secured $22 million in public and philanthropic contracts to support equitable entrepreneurship in California. He is now the Founder and CEO of SPCC ONE, the world’s first special purpose community corporation focused on consolidating small businesses to compete against monopolies and access multi-million dollar contracts and growth capital to accelerate the green economy in California and beyond. 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
