Theme: Empower

The past year has been difficult for many. People have lost their loved ones, their jobs, and their rights amidst a seemingly unending pandemic. Despite these challenges – to peace, to democracy, and to justice – we persevered in the belief that our adversities can be defeated. The human spirit prevailed against the current climate of disempowerment.

In times when many of us are disempowered, there are some in more fortunate situations who chose to empower others, be it through supporting those in need or finding solutions to pressing problems. These acts of empowerment inspire more acts of empowerment, turning empowerment into a force for change. One simple act is enough to ignite change.

But we don’t always need others to be empowered – we can empower ourselves by choosing to believe in your own truth. #MeToo movement started with women believing in their own stories, while #BlackLivesMatter started with people believing in their own ideals of justice. We are only empowered when we are courageous enough to write our own stories.

“Empower” – the theme for this year’s TEDxUWCSEADover – means different things to different people. The different meaning the word ‘empower’ has to different people speaks to the gravity that this word carries. By featuring speakers who will interpret ‘empower’ through their own perspectives, we want you to realise that you can redefine the word ‘empower’ in your own terms too.

What does empowerment mean to you?

TEDxUWCSEADover
Dover Road, 1207
Singapore, Central Singapore, 139654
Singapore

Andreia Madeira Costa

Student at UWCSEA Dover

Andreia Costa is a Portuguese scholar, currently in grade 11, at UWCSEA Dover. In her talk, Andreia hopes to provocatively challenge societal beliefs and preconceptions about vulnerability. Moreover, she aspires to shed light on how powerful storytelling- telling your story- is, by recounting her own journey of empowerment and the important life lessons that they have taught her. Andreia aims to give the audience her perspective on how to be a happier and more confident version of themselves. Furthermore, she will give some powerful insight into how to build a life worth living by using our individual and collective voices to make a positive and significant impact in the world! She ultimately intends to instigate personal empowerment and ownership of her audience.

Anne Rifkin-Graboi

Early Childhood Research at the National Institute of Education’s Centre for Research in Child Development at Nanyang Technological University

Anne Rifkin-Graboi, Ph.D. is the Head of Infancy and Early Childhood Research at the National Institute of Education’s Centre for Research in Child Development at Nanyang Technological University, an Adjunct Principle Investigator with Singapore’s Institute of Clinical Sciences, A*STAR. Anne’s research focuses on parents, children, and neurocognitive development. She is an Associate Editor of Attachment and Human Development and is on the Editorial Board of Infancy. Her work with the Singaporean GUSTO cohort was recently featured in the Netflix series “Babies.” Anne leads the Singaporean study BE POSITIVE (BEdok Punggol Ongoing Singaporean study beginning in Infancy: Twenty-first-century skills, Individual differences, and Variance in the Environment).

Chisha John Chiselebwe

Architect with SAA Architects

Chisha Chiselebwe is a positive, result-driven young Zambian Architect with SAA Architects (a member of the Surbana Jurong Group) here in Singapore who has taken an unconventional route in his personal and career life. Having been raised in Zambia and later studying & working in China (for 12 years), he managed to cultivate a diverse outlook and flair that he applies to the local landmark projects that he is currently working on, such as the redevelopment of the Marina Bay Sands hotel. He not only shares how diversity has been an integral part of his journey but also explains the role that it plays as a driving force in empowerment, especially for the youth.

Seah Chee Huang

Director, DP Architects Pte Ltd and President, Singapore Institute of Architects

AR Seah Chee Huang is the CEO of DP Architects. Actively involved in the design and planning of various project types, especially major integrated community-and-sports developments, both locally and overseas, Chee Huang’s body of work is characterized by people-centric and participatory design which heavily engages stakeholders, grassroots and residents. He is the lead architect in projects of this building typology, including Our Tampines Hub, Bukit Canberra and Punggol Regional Sports Centre – all multi-stakeholder, fully integrated community-and-lifestyle complexes in Singapore. Chee Huang heads DPA’s designGROUP, which focuses on enhancing design innovation. A firm believer in the power of design to uplift lives and enrich the community it serves, he champions the firm’s CSR efforts, including Project Bus Stop, Goodlife! Makan activity centre for senior citizens and Heartware Network, the youth charity co-lab workplace.

Yash Mahajan

Student at UWCSEA Dover

Yash Mahajan is currently a Grade Twelve student at UWCSEA and a strong proponent of intersectionality. As a lover of social philosophy, he hopes to use TEDx as a platform to encourage his community to reflect on their understanding of what it means to be a ‘man’, and how perceptions of masculinity influence self-expression and interactions. Before he graduates, Yash aims to make a positive impact on his community by empowering them to confront their ideas of masculinity and thereby define themselves regardless of societal expectations.