Thinking Small: Community-Oriented Responses to Urban Issues | Noah Tang | TEDxNormal
What if the key to stronger, more resilient communities isn’t a billion-dollar project, but a small act—done today, by someone like you? In this inspiring talk, high school teacher and community advocate Noah Tang argues that real change begins with “thinking small.” From filling housing gaps to picking up trash, from rebuilding a neighbor’s porch to launching local food ventures, he shares how grassroots actions can solve real problems when mega-projects fall short. Drawing from the Strong Towns movement, he shows how everyday people can shape the places they live—through observation, action, and repetition. I am a high school social studies teacher and community organizer who focuses on bottom-up solutions to crises facing our community and its built environment. As the President of the Bloomington Revivalists: Strong Towns BloNo, we have focused our efforts on rebuilding neighborhood bonds, picking up trash, showing the importance of the traditional downtown built form, and fostering better pedestrian connections with public art. 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
- 13:08Microagressions Under a Microscope | Elisha Dalmeida | TEDxJenks YouthMy Ted Talk this year will be on micro aggressions, which can be defined as “subtle discrimination.” I chose this topic because often times we fail to realize that some of the things we say or do can be harmful or micro-aggressive, so that’s what I want to educate on! After high school, I’ll be attending Lafayette College to major in political science! Hello! My name is Elisha Dalmeida and I’m currently a senior at Jenks High School! I was a TedX speaker last year and am proud to be one again this year. I’m involved in speech & debate, theatre, mock trial, pre med, and a handful of other activities. 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
- 10:56Wired: How Complaining Shapes Your Brain — And How To Break It | Addison Falat | TEDxJenks YouthMy Ted Talk aims to highlight the behind-the-scenes effects of complaining. While most everyone understands that complaining is “bad”, few realize the true depth of its negative impact. The difference between my life before and after researching this topic have been drastic, and I hope to inspire others to reevaluate the way they view their words and thoughts as well!! Addison Falat is a junior at Jenks High School. She is a part of the Jenks Trojanaires, as well as Student Council, the National Honor Society, Tri-M, and the International Scholars Program. Outside of school, she is also involved with the National Charity League, serving on the national board, and she works for The Pearl House. Her TED Talk aims to highlight the behind-the-scenes effects of complaining. While most everyone understands that complaining is “bad”, few realize the true depth of its negative impact. The difference between her life before and after researching this topic has been drastic, and she hopes to inspire others to reevaluate the way they view their words and thoughts as well! 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