Beyond the Mold: Rethinking Education and Gender Norms | Amna Niazi | TEDxISL Pine Youth
Amna Niazi, an ambitious advocate for education reform and gender equality, is redefining
success beyond societal norms. Growing up in a culture where rigid traditions often dictate a
woman’s future, she found her escape in education, research, and the culinary arts. She argues
that rigid curricula stifle creativity and force students into predefined molds of success, limiting
individual potential. Amna also believes that early marriages and limited opportunities suppress
talent, denying women the chance to explore their passions. Through her work, she challenges
deep-rooted expectations, urging a shift toward a system that encourages innovation, critical
thinking, and personal growth.
Growing up in the 1980s as the third daughter of a conservative Pathan household meant that Amina Niazi experienced limited autonomy. With every breath, she felt suffocated, noticing the sighs and disgust of those around her because she was a girl and not a boy.
However, an opportunity knocked down her barred door in the form of college. Here, she learned to raise her voice against prejudice through competitive debate competitions. Despite this, she was unable to get rid of her traumatic past which followed her like a shadow at all times.
The turning point for her came while vacationing in the streets of Italy, where taking a cooking class became the key to the puzzle she had struggled with her whole life. She fell in love with cooking and, through it, with herself. Today, she explores the hidden cuisines of Pakistan. Through her platform, she knocks at the barred doors and is the aroma of the freshly baked bread guiding others to love themselves. 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
- 10:54An NBA star's advice on being a top teammate | Shane Battier | TEDxMDCShane Battier may have only held the ball for 2% of his playing time, but it was his actions during the other 98% that truly defined his greatness. This video explores how our contributions — while away from the spotlight — exemplify the essence of true greatness, in sports, in business, and in life. Shane Battier, a two-time NBA Champion with the Miami Heat (2012, 2013) and NCAA Champion with Duke (2001), is celebrated as one of basketball's most successful, albeit atypical, players in history for using his leadership, lockdown defense and intellect to win championships at every level. Dubbed the "No-Stats All-Star" by Michael Lewis in The New York Times Magazine, Battier pioneered the use of analytics in basketball, earning accolades such as consensus National Player of the Year and Final Four MVP (2001), NBA All-Defensive Team honors (2008, 2009), and NBA Teammate of the Year (2014). Off the court, he served as the Miami Heat's VP of analytics and basketball development and sits on boards like YEXT, Garnett Station, and ARB. Battier now works as an advisor, speaker and investor, sharing insights on how data and analytics can identify strengths, address weaknesses and unlock potential to build high-performing cultures across industries. 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
- 11:57RF satellites as decision intelligence for a new era | Ankit Bhateja | TEDxSIUNashikThe world is facing unprecedented challenges as geopolitical turmoil and climate change drive rising economic and human toll. With extreme weather events, security risks, and economic instability on the rise, the need for resilience-driven solutions has never been greater. In this TEDx talk, we explore how technology and innovation can mitigate these risks.From RF based SIGINT & GEOINT satellites to AI-driven forecasting & decision Intelligence, this talk highlights how strategic interventions can help us prepare for an uncertain future and pave a way for better asset monitoring and situational awareness with the use of Space Technology. This talk also discusses the impact of these crises through striking statistics and real-world examples of how we can build a more secure world. Founder of Xovian Aerospace, who has made significant contributions in the areas of product design, commercialization, and policy development for dual-use technologies. Furthermore, he has actively contributed to shaping policy frameworks and dual-use applications at various national and international platforms.Mr. Bhateja’s remarkable journey includes, developing affordable space hardware products empowering over 18,000 customers across the Asia-Pacific region. He leads an innovative startup deploying a radio-based nano-satellite infrastructure for real-time Geospatial and Signals Intelligence. 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
- 11:25How I train for extreme endurance challenges | Collin Zwickel | TEDxBrentwoodCollegeSchoolCollin shares his journey from avoiding discomfort to embracing extreme endurance challenges, including running 18.5 hours from Vancouver to Whistler and his upcoming goal of completing seven marathons across seven continents in seven days on November 15th. Through powerful stories of resilience, he reveals how finding a deeper purpose and setting non-negotiable commitments can push us beyond our limits and unlock our true potential. Collin Zwickel is an accomplished investment advisor and avid runner from Vancouver who brings the same energy to his business and athletic pursuits. His passions for running, skiing, and giving back drive him forward.Now, he’s preparing for his biggest challenge yet: becoming the youngest Canadian to run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days as part of The Great World Race. He’s doing it for charity, raising funds through his foundation, Happy Kids, to support children in need. During his last fitness challenge, running 122 KM from Vancouver to Whistler he raised 77 thousand dollars for local children's charities. Collin’s a big believer in giving back, volunteering with organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the Vancouver Native Housing Society. His experiences in business and sport make him an inspiring speaker on topics like perseverance, leadership, and the importance of community. 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
- 15:24¿Cómo sobrevivir a la opinión pública al elegir una carrera? | GABRIELA GARCÍA AMAYA | TEDxLCB Youthaborda el impacto de las expectativas sociales en una de las decisiones más importantes de la vida: la elección profesional. A través de un análisis profundo, Gabriela explora los factores que moldean esta decisión, desde presiones culturales hasta estigmas y mitos comunes. A través de mi trayecto como estudiante en el Liceo, he sido reconocida por mis valores y por ser un ciudadano modelo por 6 ocasiones, en 2021 tuve el reconocimiento al mejor discurso de apertura de mi comisión en el modelo de Naciones Unidas, en 2023 y 2024 participe en dicho modelo como vicepresidente de comisiones junior y en el 2023 hice parte del primer conversatorio sobre cultura irlandesa, por el día de San Patricio en el colegio, en el 2024 obtuve mi certificado internacional IELTS con nivel C1 y obtuve una beca de excelencia por el 50% del valor de la matrícula de la Universidad de la Sabana. En cuanto a mis habilidades académicas, me destaco en las áreas de artes, idiomas, humanidades y ciencias, como biología y química, por otro lado, tengo una gran afinidad en la parte comunicativa y discursiva. Respecto a las actividades extracurriculares, me gusta el bordado, pintar, bailar y leer. En lo que se refiere a mis áreas de interés, se podría destacar el área de humanidades, enfocándome en elementos como la historia y los movimientos sociales, también el área de idiomas, donde me gusta la literatura, tanto en español, cómo en inglés. Mis proyectos personales en el campo académico es al finalizar mi carrera realizar una especialización en desarrollo psicosocial infantil en Italia, a nivel profesional unirme a una organización internacional que se enfoque en la niñez, como UNICEF, crear políticas y proyectos educativos a nivel internacional y llegar a ser ministra de educación enfocando mis esfuerzos en mejorar la accesibilidad a la educación en mi país 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
- 14:06Armonías Alteradas: El Poder Psicoactivo de la Música | Emmanuel Gomezjurado Cerón | TEDxLCB YouthDonde presentara los efectos de la escucha activa en áreas específicas del cerebro, destacando su influencia en las habilidades de la memoria. Además, explora las alteraciones psicodélicas y psicoactivas que la música puede generar, desmitificando los tabúes alrededor de estas experiencias. Su objetivo es profundizar en la música como un arte complejo que aporta valiosos beneficios a la vida cotidiana Emmanuel Gomezjurado Cerón es un joven de 17 años. Graduado de estudios de bachiller y reconocido por su excelencia en los procesos académicos y su distinguida capacidad de resaltar y obtener los resultados que se proponga, obteniendo logros como excelencia académica, excelencia en el área de matemáticas, en el área de inglés y en el área de Lengua castellana, además de reconocimiento en los modelos de naciones unidas en los que participo. Es una persona que destaca por su gran capacidad de razonamiento y lógica, por su redacción y pensamiento crítico, pero también por su excelsa técnica en los ámbitos artísticos, precisamente en la música donde practica diferentes roles en agrupaciones musicales. Dentro de sus áreas de interés se encuentran la música, el deporte y la literatura, y a futuro sueña con poder incursionar en el lanzamiento de obras musicales y literarias que le otorguen reconocimiento. Próximamente estudiará la carrera de Formación Musical en la universidad El Bosque, con el objetivo de poder ejercer un poder de cambio en las sociedades a través del arte. Con énfasis en producción musical, Emmanuel Gomezjurado buscará innovar en la industria musical para incursionar en nuevas culturas que permitan el reconocimiento del arte en las sociedades modernas. 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
- 18:37Can we have good times forever? | Christian Schnepf | TEDxShibocun RoadChristian Schnepf, an adventurer and sociologist, traveled across 25+ countries to uncover the secret to lasting fulfillment. In a world shaped by AI, how can we design lives that bring us true joy—both individually and as a society? Christian Schnepf is not only an adventurer and founder but also a sociologist Ph.D. scholar, a public speaker, and a guest lecturer who has been invited to various universities around the globe. Describing himself as "a responsible kid with curiosity," he is committed to helping people build a life they love through practical research and investment in companies that support this mission. Christian now dedicates himself to sharing these discoveries and has been hired by corporations, governments, educational institutions, and individuals, impacting thousands and thousands of lives. 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