Theme: About Time

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Byrd Theater
2908 W Cary St
Richmond, Virginia, 23221
United States

Christina Bechhold

In the highly competitive world of business start ups, Christina Bechhold likes to quote American poet, Sylvia Plath for inspiration--”The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” As a Principal at Samsung Global Innovation Center, Christina’s focus is on early stage investments in software and services, particularly in mobility, emerging markets and fintech. She is also Co-Founder and Managing Director of Empire Angels, a member led group of young professionals investing in early stage technology enabled startups with a focus on supporting young entrepreneurs. She was recently recognized by the New York Business Journal as a 2016 Woman of Influence. This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. It was filmed and edited by Tijo Media at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, VA. http://www.tijomedia.com

Emily Kimball

Emily Kimball, is an 85 year old woman constantly on the go. While she may be known as the “Aging Adventurer” now, she has been on an adventure of some sort all of her life. Born and educated in Boston, world travelled, degrees in sociology and psychology, and an author of two books, Emily has lived by these simple rules: try new things, take risks, learn from failure, and get outside! She has seen the world and ever changing times, and has accomplished more in her retirement than most will accomplish in a lifetime. Leading by example, Emily challenges people of all ages to let go of their fears and live their dreams. This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. It was filmed and edited by Tijo Media at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, VA. http://www.tijomedia.com

Hannah Standiford

Jennifer Fettweis

Jennifer M. Fettweis, PhD is the Project Director for the Vaginal Microbiome Consortium at Virginia Commonwealth University and Assistant Professor in the Center for the Study of Biological Complexity (CSBC), and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She coordinates two projects funded through the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Human Microbiome Project: the Vaginal Human Microbiome Project and the Multi-‘Omic Microbiome Study-Pregnancy Initiative. Her research interests include host-microbiome interactions in women’s health with a focus on understanding how these interactions impact women’s health, pregnancy outcomes and vertical transmission of the microbiome from mother to infant. This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. It was filmed and edited by Tijo Media at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, VA. http://www.tijomedia.com

Joy Crump

Joy Crump’s life philosophy stems from her mother’s favorite quote, “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Ironic, given Joy’s chosen profession as a Chef—kitchens and ingredients are all about heat and small stuff. In 2008, Joy and her business partner, Beth Black, founded FOODĒ as a home-based private event and catering company which quickly grew into a brick and mortar location in Historic Downtown Fredericksburg. They opened their second restaurant, Mercantile, in 2015 and are set to open their third restaurant before the end of the year. A graduate of the Art Institute of Atlanta, Joy represented Virginia on Bravo TV’s Season 12 of Top Chef: Boston. This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. It was filmed and edited by Tijo Media at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, VA. http://www.tijomedia.com

Keisha Howard

A fierce competitor and innovator Keisha Howard would advise you,“the equipment you need to level-up is hidden within the adventure." Keisha’s background of communications, psychology, and Information Technology led her to create Sugar Gamers-- An advocacy and networking group for gaming consumers and industry professionals. Through Sugar Gamers, Keisha has been able to raise awareness of the under-represented minorities in the industry and advocate to ensure corporations consider the needs of a more diverse group of consumers in their offerings. Through Sugar Gamers Keisha empowers people as a mentor, community manager, and spokesperson for the gaming industry from her homebase in Chicago. This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. It was filmed and edited by Tijo Media at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, VA. http://www.tijomedia.com

Michelle Dodd

Michelle is a spoken word artist who loves slam poetry. She was a team member of the Slam Richmond's adult team in 2013, that went to the National Poetry Slam Competition. She was also on The Writer's Den Slam Team in 2016, which attended Southern Fried Poetry Slam in Greensboro, NC, the largest regional competition in the USA for slam poetry. She is currently the coach of the Virginia Union University slam team. This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. It was filmed and edited by Tijo Media at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, VA. http://www.tijomedia.com

Mona H. Siddiqui

Law and community are her passions. Mona realizes, “the legal system can force open doors and sometimes even knock down walls, but it cannot build bridges.”--A favorite quote from Chief Justice, Thurgood Marshall. As part of her academic journey, she examines societal issues of race, nationality, migration, and the role of Constitutional Law as a means to social equality. She volunteers with several Richmond Muslim organizations and is an advocate for legal issues related to discrimination and civil rights violations. This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. It was filmed and edited by Tijo Media at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, VA. http://www.tijomedia.com

Montserrat Fuentes

Montserrat (Montse) Fuentes, PhD, is the Dean of the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences. She recently came to VCU in July 2016 from North Carolina State University, where she served as the head of the Department of Statistics and James M. Goodnight Distinguished Professor of Statistics. She holds a dual bachelor’s degree in mathematics and music (piano) from the University of Valladolid in Spain and a PhD in statistics from the University of Chicago. Montse has authored over 75 scientific publications and served as principal investigator on more than 20 research grants. Montse’s main passion in life is her family; her husband, Tom, and her three children, Roni, Ethan and Jaden. This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. It was filmed and edited by Tijo Media at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, VA. http://www.tijomedia.com

Patricia Herrera

Patricia Herrera is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Richmond. She researches U.S. Latinx culture, including visual art, performance, and museum exhibitions. She is also an artist and educator who uses theater to promote social justice. Patricia’s more recent public humanities projects include creating documentary plays, digital archives, and museum exhibitions about Richmond’s history of Civil Rights, including Historias: Latinos in Richmond (2017) at The Valentine Museum. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Nuyorican Feminist Performance: From the Nuyorican Poets Cafe to Hip Hop Theater, which examines the work of women performance artists inspired by the Nuyorican Poets Cafe between 1973-2010. This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. It was filmed and edited by Tijo Media at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, VA. http://www.tijomedia.com

Sgt. Carol Adams

Carol has worked in Public Safety for over 28 years, starting with the Richmond Sheriff’s Department then joining the Richmond Virginia Police Department in 1997. A University of Richmond graduate; her education, field experience, and personal life experience contribute to her role as Sergeant and head of the Community Care Unit. She’s received countless accolades for community work within the Department, she speaks at local and state organizations about domestic violence prevention and has founded her own nonprofit, The Carol Adams Foundation, focused on preventing domestic violence. This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. It was filmed and edited by Tijo Media at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, VA. http://www.tijomedia.com