Rhona Segarra explores how we can adapt religious practices to combat loneliness and foster belonging in an increasingly secular world. Highlighting the decline of religious participation and the rise of loneliness, she proposes three actionable ideas: Step Forward by creating meaningful rites of passage to celebrate life milestones; Step Outward by organizing in-person gatherings that build community; and Step Together by cultivating inclusive spaces where everyone feels they belong. Drawing from personal experiences and heartwarming anecdotes, the talk emphasizes that connection and belonging are essential human needs. Viewers will gain practical ideas to strengthen their relationships, enrich their lives, and foster community in a disconnected world.Rhona Segarra is a Unity minister dedicated to offering ideas for calm, connected, and contented living. Rhona is also a wedding officiant and teacher who encourages warmth, heart, patience, and humour in every conversation. Her focus is to share practical, empowering ideas which will add to the joy and peace of our lives and to the lives of those around us. Rhona is passionate about people and relationships, and regularly hears comments in her work such as “I don’t go to church anymore, but I enjoyed the feeling of belonging when I was there. THAT’S what I miss.”Rhona notes that in a culture of decreasing religious participation and increasing isolation, there is an opportunity to adapt religious traditions and apply them in secular communities to ease loneliness. She believes that tools found in religious communities can help to build a sense of belonging in non-religious communities. Rhona’s mission is to fill the world with love…one heart at a time.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

They spoke about the importance of being able to tell your story the right way, tailored to the right audience Against all the odds, she moved to the UK, secured a work visa, and built her career, eventually becoming a marketing leader in the fintech industry. TechTalk was born—to inspire, and equip job seekers, especially women, immigrants, and those from underrepresented backgrounds, to land their dream jobs through interactive workshops, CV and LinkedIn reviews, and career coaching. TechTalk’s mission is to make tech careers accessible to everyone, helping job seekers navigate the market with confidence. In under a year, TechTalk’s community has grown over 200,000 members, reaching over 100M job seekers and helping over 200 people across five countries secure roles at leading companies like American Express, MastercardJoana started her career in Brazil, where building an international career felt nearly impossible—especially without sponsorship. But against all odds, she made it happen. She moved to the UK, secured a work visa, and carved out a path in the fintech industry, eventually becoming a marketing leader. Having faced the challenges of job searching as an immigrant firsthand, she co-founded TechTalk to help others do the same.TechTalk’s mission is to make tech careers accessible to everyone, equipping job seekers—especially women, immigrants, and those from underrepresented backgrounds—with the tools to land their dream jobs. In under a year, TechTalk’s community has grown from 5,000 to over 200,000 members, reaching over 100 million job seekers and helping over 200 people across five countries secure roles at companies like American Express, Mastercard, Adobe, and Salesforce. 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

Filmmaker Ryan Cunningham explores how storytelling and humor can reshape our understanding of neurodivergence, and the urgent need for authentic neurodivergent representation in media. Drawing from personal experiences as a parent of an autistic child and navigating life with ADHD, she reveals how comedy can bridge understanding and challenge stereotypes. She highlights the power of authentic representation in comedy—showing how diverse voices not only make us laugh but also foster empathy, inclusion, and deeper human connection. Ryan Cunningham is a queer writer/director and Emmy & Peabody award-winning producer in film, television, and theater. Directing credits include the hit off-Broadway show Sugar Daddy and the upcoming award-winning feature Lone Wolves. TV Producing credits include Broad City, Search Party, and Inside Amy Schumer. She lives in Brooklyn with her daughter, who likes to build elaborate installations around their apartment. Ryan is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, a former professor in the Film/Animation/Video department and a Trustee on RISD’s Board. 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

Valerie’s talk weaves her travels and use of plein air painting as a tool to look deeply, asserting that paying attention gives us the power to empathize with the landscapes around us, a vital tool to conserve our commons and the living beings who depend on them. In a critical time of environmental stress and mass displacement, Mirra’s talk illuminates how reclaiming our connection to land is key to experiencing the world as home, as worthy of saving, and as repairable, so long as we have eyes to see it. Valerie Mirra is an immigrant, traveler, and avid outdoorswoman. Valerie has maintained a devoted plein air practice around the world, including Europe, Central America, the Middle East, and the United States from Louisiana to Alaska. Her figurative paintings, centering on animal and plant adaptation in the wake of natural disaster, are created directly from images produced through this research based practice. Here, she finds the opportunity to look closely into the environment, experiencing its simultaneous vulnerability and resilience. 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

Angelo's talk addresses concerns of Indigenous Intellectual Property and Artificial Intelligence for Native American communities, in particular, the Navajo Nation and how this tribal nation can engage it from a cultural and philosophical context. Dr. Angelo Baca (Diné/Hopi) is an assistant professor at the Rhode Island School of Design in History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences with a focus on Indigenous and Native American Studies. His work encompasses sacred lands protection, repatriation, and food sovereignty reflecting his commitment to collaborative research with Indigenous communities on equal and respectful terms and a long-standing dedication to both Western and Indigenous knowledge. Additionally, he serves on the Reconciliation on Derogatory Placenames and the Bears Ears National Monument Committees appointed by Secretary Deb Haaland. He strives to empower local and traditional knowledge keepers of Indigenous communities in the stewardship of their own cultural practices and landscapes. 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

Michelle’s TED Talk is about family traditions, foraging for so-called weeds, making believe, making messes, being stubborn, and finding hidden color in the everyday. Michelle is a Senior Lecturer at Rhode Island School of Design in the Theory & History of Art & Design. An anthropologist/archaeologist (PhD Brown University), textile artist/designer, and naturalist specializing in global traditional, Indigenous, and historic ways of making. Michelle's work in textiles involves every stage of the production chain using small-scale traditional and Indigenous approaches, from sourcing and preparing pigments and fibers to spinning, dyeing, felting, weaving, knitting, and finishing. Michelle’s textile studio/workshop is called Hedge Witch Labs. 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