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).

The American School in Japan
1-1-1 Nomizu
Chofu, Tôkyô, 182-0031
Japan

Aarya Bharadwaj

Student

Aarya Bharadwaj is a junior at The American School in Japan. Currently living in Tokyo, he has resided in both Singapore and the US. Aarya likes to play/watch sports, binge documentaries, and listen to music in his free time. Through his speech, Aarya hopes to promote the true power that daydreaming holds, and how we as a society can utilize this power for the better.

Alain Izawa

Student

Alain, a junior attending the American School In Japan explores his journey with reading, and how it impacted his life. He examines how reading can help you find your place in your community, and how it will help you grow, as it did for him.

Arnab Karmokar

Student

Arnab Karmokar is a sophomore at The American School in Japan, where he has been enrolled since Kindergarten. He was born and raised in Tokyo. Arnab’s interests revolve around music and theater—he enjoys music composition and playing musical instruments, and also regularly participates in musicals and plays. Arnab also serves on his school's Student Council, co-leads the school’s South Asian Student Union initiative, and is a Karate black belt holder who coaches elementary school students. In this TED talk, Arnab discusses why people seek validation from others and the importance of valuing who you truly are and not allowing judgment to change that.

Ella Rolls

Student

Ella is a senior at ASIJ and will be talking about femininity. She will discuss how defining what femininity is to an individual is a confusing but important process in accepting yourself. Along with defining femininity, she will talk about how to embrace that definition and how to accept it for oneself to ultimately feel empowered and secure in your own femininity.

Rui Serizawa

Student

Rui is a junior at the American School in Japan. He loves science and is an avid member of iGEM, a synthetic biology-based club. But, more recently, he has discovered a passion for videography, film, and photography. Delving into this world of digital media, he seeks a form of escape from the influences of everyday perfectionism, the drive to seek flawless excellence. In fact, it guides him to do the opposite: to embrace imperfection.

Sami Torii

Student

Sami, a junior at ASIJ, communicates the importance of Kotodama, the Japanese belief in the powers that exist in words. For several years, Sami struggled with an undiagnosed condition that climaxed in her sophomore year of high school, resulting in frequent emergency room trips. Now that Sami has recovered, she is able to reflect on the wide variety of experiences she faced that opened her eyes to the value of words. Sami highlights that words are taken for granted and often said thoughtlessly; however, their impact has the power to create or destroy life's delicate balance.

Sena Chang

Student

What can centuries-old cave paintings tell us about humanity? What stands at the core of Native American culture? What made the 2016 Trump campaign so successful? In her TED talk, Sena will analyze strategies for social change through the power of storytelling and narrative. In an increasingly numbers-driven, media-flooded society, Sena firmly believes that effective storytelling has become especially pertinent, especially in the context of politics and social activism.

William Michels

Student

William Michels is 16, a Junior at ASIJ, and a loser. He spends most of his days at home working on developing his talents or learning new skills. He enjoys acting, sewing, crocheting, watching films, and thrifting. In his talk, he discusses the benefits that can come from focusing on yourself and your own skills, rather than thinking so much about the way others perceive you.