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).

Brantford Collegiate Institute
120 Brant Avenue
Brantford, Ontario, N3T 3H3
Canada

Debra Brown

Choreographer

Debra Brown is world renowned for her unique choreographies blending acrobatics and dance. She joined Cirque du Soleil in 1987 as a choreographer and went on to choreograph the shows Nouvelle Expérience, Saltimbanco, Alegría, Mystère, Quidam, “O”, La Nouba, Corteo, one act in Zumanity, ZED, Zarkana, Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour and Amaluna before contributing her talents on LUZIA. In 1994, Debra created and produced Apogée, a trampoline-based ballet that premiered in Toronto and was also presented in Los Angeles and San Francisco for an AIDS benefit hosted by Elizabeth Taylor and Magic Johnson. Debra also choreographed Aerosmith’s Jaded video and performance for the American Music Awards in 2001, as well as Madonna’s Drowned world tour. She has worked with major musical acts such as Shakira, Wyclef Jean and Céline Dion. She received an Emmy Award for her choreography of an act created by Cirque du Soleil for the Academy Awards.

Jeriann Hsiao

STEM Student

Jeriann Hsiao is a graduating Grade 12 student at Brantford Collegiate Institute in Brantford, ON. She is highly involved in school and community-based initiatives, serving as Student Council Co-President, a Student Trustee of the Grand Erie District School Board, a volunteer at the Brant County Health Unit, and a member of the planning committee for the Dream It Be It Girls Career Conference. Jeriann is also a committed musician -- she is a Level 10 piano student, and a keyboardist for BCI’s jazz band and at her church. She is passionate about the maths and sciences, and is pursuing medicine in hopes to make a difference in others' lives. Hsiao was one of 20 Canadian youth to be selected for the 2018 Vimy Pilgrimage Award, an all-inclusive educational program in Belgium and France to study Canada’s role in the First World War. This experience shaped her outlook on life in past and present, and advocates for a compassionate, emotionally-driven teaching model for high school students.

Meghan Cameron

Teacher, History and Social Sciences

Meghan Cameron has been teaching history, civics and social sciences at Brantford Collegiate Institute since 2004. Outside of the classroom, she is an active member of the Great War Centenary Association of Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations, a non-profit organization which educates the public about the rich local history of these communities during the time of the Great War. Cameron was awarded the OSSTF District 23 Teaching Award for Innovative Techniques and Methodologies in 2015 and has recently been nominated for the 2018 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching. She graduated from Acadia University with an Honours Bachelor in History, an MA in History from the University of Guelph and received her teacher training at Western University.

Stacey Wilson-Forsberg

Professor, Human Rights and Human Diversity

Stacey Wilson-Forsberg is an Associate Professor in the Human Rights Human Diversity program at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus. Wilson-Forsberg’s research broadly focuses on immigration and multiculturalism. She is especially interested in the experiences of immigrant youth in schools and smaller communities, migrants with precarious immigration status in Canada and Mexico, and the development of intercultural competence in university students. Her ongoing research includes a qualitative study of the challenges and opportunities faced by African refugee youth when attempting to access postsecondary education in Canada, and a study of migrants and refugees in Mexico. Recent publications include a textbook published by Oxford University Press called Immigrant Youth in Canada: Theoretical Approaches, Practical Issues, and Professional Perspectives. She is fluent in English and Spanish, and completed her Ph.D at the University of New Brunswick.