NOTE FROM TED: Please do not look to this talk for medical advice. This talk only represents the speaker's personal views and understanding of mental health, technology, and evolutionary biology. We've flagged this talk because it falls outside the content guidelines TED gives TEDx organizers. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/tedx_content_guidelines.pdfWhat if our toughest challenges held the seeds of our greatest strengths? In this inspiring and thought-provoking talk, Julia Krankl reframes today’s rising mental health struggles as an opportunity for resilience, connection, and growth—calling on us to replace stigma with compassion and understanding, and to rebuild the communities we all need to thrive. (This talk is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.) Julia Krankl is a Harvard and UCLA-trained psychiatrist, trauma resilience specialist and the author of The 21st Minute, with proceeds supporting mental health nonprofits. 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

Life's only certainty is change. From serving as a Special Forces soldier in Afghanistan to caring for patients as a nurse and founding a tech company, Michael Wang's story is a testament to the transformative power of introspection. Through pivotal life moments, he discovered that true impact lies not in changing the world at large but in transforming one person's world. Michael's journey underscores the profound possibilities that arise when we focus on meaningful, personal connections, revealing that small, deliberate actions can create ripples of change that extend far beyond our immediate reach. Life's only certainty is change. From serving as a Special Forces soldier in Afghanistan to caring for patients as a nurse and founding a tech company, Michael Wang's story is a testament to the transformative power of introspection. Through pivotal life moments, he discovered that true impact lies not in changing the world at large but in transforming one person's world. Michael's journey underscores the profound possibilities that arise when we focus on meaningful, personal connections—revealing that small, deliberate actions can create ripples of change that extend far beyond our immediate reach. 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

Kris Engskov, former Starbucks executive and founder of Rippl, shares his powerful journey from corporate leadership to tackling the urgent challenges of dementia care. Inspired by his parents' struggles in the long-term care system and his experiences during the COVID-19 crisis in assisted living, Kris sheds light on the staggering prevalence and costs of dementia, affecting 1 in 3 of us over our lifetimes. He highlights the devastating cycle of emergency room visits for dementia patients and the critical need for specialized care. Kris calls for destigmatizing dementia, investing in innovative care models, and building a trained workforce to support aging Baby Boomers. Through Rippl's accessible, virtual, specialized care initiatives, Kris advocates for a national movement to transform dementia care, offering dignity and support to patients and caregivers with urgency and hope. Kris Engskov, former Starbucks executive and founder of Rippl, shares his powerful journey from corporate leadership to tackling the urgent challenges of dementia care. Inspired by his parents' struggles in the long-term care system and his experiences during the COVID-19 crisis in assisted living, Kris sheds light on the staggering prevalence and costs of dementia—affecting 1 in 3 of us over our lifetimes. He highlights the devastating cycle of emergency room visits for dementia patients and the critical need for specialized care. Kris calls for destigmatizing dementia, investing in innovative care models, and building a trained workforce to support aging Baby Boomers. Through Rippl's accessible, virtual, specialized care initiatives, Kris advocates for a national movement to transform dementia care, offering dignity and support to patients and caregivers with urgency and hope. 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

Time dictates our lives, often feeling oppressive, inaccessible, and unforgiving. But what if the problem isn't us, but the way we visualize time? In her thought-provoking talk, Gresshaa, a product designer at Microsoft, challenges conventional design perspectives by exploring the intersections of UX design, physics, time, and cultural influences. She invites the audience on a sensory journey to reimagine how we perceive and interact with time. By examining how design shapes our experience of time, Gresshaa offers fresh insights into making time more accessible and empowering us to take control of it, rather than feeling controlled by it. Time dictates our lives—often feeling oppressive, inaccessible, and unforgiving. But what if the problem isn't us, but the way we visualize time? In her thought-provoking talk, Gresshaa, a product designer at Microsoft, challenges conventional design perspectives by exploring the intersections of UX design, physics, time, and cultural influences. She invites the audience on a sensory journey to reimagine how we perceive and interact with time. By examining how design shapes our experience of time, Gresshaa offers fresh insights into making time more accessible and empowering us to take control of it, rather than feeling controlled by it. 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

Connections and opportunities, not disruption, drive innovation. Doc Wilson champions a "together is better" mindset, demonstrating how equity serves as the foundation for community-driven progress. Drawing inspiration from historical and contemporary examples like the Black Panther's free breakfast program and Atlanta's The Village Market, Doc illustrates how equity transforms innovation from exclusive disruption into inclusive empowerment. By dismantling tokenism, scarcity mindsets, and power-hoarding, equity fosters opportunities at the roots rather than merely wealth at the top. Doc challenges the audience to "Do More Than Nothing" by supporting local changemakers, amplifying diverse voices, and redefining what success looks like. Connections and opportunities—not disruption—drive innovation. Doc Wilson champions a "together is better" mindset, demonstrating how equity serves as the foundation for community-driven progress. Drawing inspiration from historical and contemporary examples like the Black Panther's free breakfast program and Atlanta's The Village Market, Doc illustrates how equity transforms innovation from exclusive disruption into inclusive empowerment. By dismantling tokenism, scarcity mindsets, and power-hoarding, equity fosters opportunities at the roots rather than merely wealth at the top. Doc challenges the audience to "Do More Than Nothing" by supporting local changemakers, amplifying diverse voices, and redefining what success looks like. 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

This talk explores how targeted changes in your speaking can significantly enhance your academic performance. We'll delve into strategies for enriching your vocabulary, refining your communication style, and mastering the art of articulation. With 17 years of practice, current interdisciplinary highschooler Abel Lopez became a functional human being. He doesn’t actually know what “interdisciplinary” means, but as he writes it, the reader not only realizes that this is a third-person autobiography, but that Abel is potentially linguistically incompetent. 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