Anthony Price ’20 was selected to receive a Conference Grant from the Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship. With this grant, he traveled to Washington D.C. to attend the TEDxMidAtlantic Conference. You can read Anthony’s reflection below, read past grantee reflections here, and visit the PCSE website to learn more about all of our grant programs.
Thanks to the generous support of the Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship, I had the opportunity to travel and attend the TEDxMidAtlantic conference last October in Washington D.C. It was a wonderful chance to learn and explore. Here’s why.
TED is a nonprofit devoted to individuals who have ideas that are worth spreading to the world. The organization welcomes people from many disciplines and cultures who have one goal in mind: to have a deeper understanding of the world. Instead of binge-watching TED talks on my computer screen (which is an effective way to procrastinate), I wanted to be a part of the audience and more importantly the conversation.
It was essential that I’d be a part of this community.
One of the benefits of being a part of such an engaged group is not only having the chance to listen to amazing ideas but to also be a part of a team and facilitate your own conversation as well. This is done through the TEDx program. People from different parts of the worlds, in different states, located in many cities, gather in one area to help communities, organizations, and individuals to spark conversation and connection through local TED-like experiences. I wanted to be a part of that.
So I joined TEDxWesleyanU, that’s dedicated to technology innovation, social justice, and world sustainability. I encourage you to follow our social media channels to stay updated on how you can get a ticket at the inaugural conference which will be held Saturday, April 7th on campus!
The TEDxMidAtlantic conference was dedicated to learning about Superpowers. Not your average Marvel superheroes’ superpowers, actual people who took the time to reflect and share how they are using their powers for good to make a little part of the world a better place for everyone.
It was folks like Adam Foss, a criminal justice reformer who served as Assistant District Attorney of the Juvenile Division in Boston, who argues “our criminal justice system can help make mankind better but chooses to do the opposite.” Jackie Savitz, a protector of oceans and serves as Oceana’s Senior Vice President for U.S. Oceans, that believes “transparency can save our oceans.” Or Erricka Bridgeford, a peacemaker and Director at the Community Mediation of Maryland, that organized a citywide ceasefire of killing anyone for seventy-two hours. They are my superheroes.
I’m extremely grateful for the support of the Patricelli Center. If you haven’t already had time to stop by to meet either the director, Makaela Kingsley or the civic engagement fellow, Rhea Drozdenko, you have been officially challenged! Not only has the center helped me bring one of my ideas to life but has also allowed me to hear and learn from an extraordinary group of individuals who use their superpowers to change the world.