Amber Scorah is author of the memoir Leaving the Witness. Growing up in the Jehovah's Witness faith, Scorah moved to mainland China to become an underground missionary. In China, encountering a new culture and making friends outside the faith for the first time, she came to question these beliefs and left the religion. Shunned by family and friends as an apostate, Scorah was alone in Shanghai and thrown into a world she had only known from the periphery, with no education or support system. 

Amber later moved to New York City, where she began a new life. Several years later, her three-month-old son died on his first day in childcare. After this tragedy, Amber became a parental leave advocate. Combining forces with a Republican mother, their bipartisan efforts brought the cause of parental leave to the forefront of the 2016 presidential campaign. She was named one of the 100 most influential people in Brooklyn culture by Brooklyn Magazine. 

Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Believer, The Boston Globe, The Cut, The Globe and Mail and USA Today. 

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

Amber Scorah Scorah: What cults tell us about ourselves | Amber Scorah Scorah | TEDxPaloAltoSalon

What cults tell us about ourselves | Amber Scorah Scorah | TEDxPaloAltoSalon

Author of the memoir, LEAVING THE WITNESS

A journey from devout Jehovah's Witness to advocate showcases the power of questioning deeply held beliefs to uncover truth.

Thomas Kuhn's theories on scientific revolution mirror personal transformations, challenging us to question our certainties.

Exploring cult dynamics reveals our susceptibility to groupthink and the profound impact of indoctrination on our perceptions.