“Shahana Alibhai reimagines treating youth suffering from mental health. While intertwining her story of vulnerability, she shares the concept of emotional literacy and how this knowledge can lead to understanding connection and hope. Now as a family physician and the mother of two young boys, Shahana is a staff physician at a Youth Health Clinic…
“Creepy crawlies are much more than the stuff of nightmares. Animal venoms have numerous properties that could serve as exceptional therapeutics for life-threatening medical conditions. Professor Glenn King, a pioneer in the development of new applications for animal venom, believes the next revolutionary treatment for stroke comes from the barbs, pincers, and fangs of the…
“Grete Faremo is passionate about placing gender equality and the rights of women at the forefront of development projects. Grete joined the United Nations and UNOPS as Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director in August 2014. Before this appointment, Grete held various senior-level positions for the Government of Norway. She brings a wealth of experience from the…
“Rindha Sudhini, a junior at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, talks about her experiences growing up with discrimination based on colorism, the idea that shades of skin color are significant. She is interested in pursuing a career in law or international relations and has always been fascinated by…
“Global health expert Alanna Shaikh talks about the current status of the coronavirus outbreak and what this can teach us about the epidemics yet to come. Alanna Shaikh is a global health consultant and executive coach who specializes in individual, organizational and systemic resilience. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a master’s…
“Are you ready for a personal disaster if one hits your life? After being diagnosed with Type I diabetes, Kurt Lockhart discovered that like many, he hadn’t prepped for a big life-changing event. His experiences inspired an idea: Create a personal disaster kit. Kurt Lockhart hopes to become a professional chatter one day and has…
“Separated from her parents for fourteen years, Nataly shares how she and her sister bravely persevered on their journey from Guatemala to America and the family reunion of her dreams. Unwilling to be daunted by the language barrier, Nataly plunged wholeheartedly into her new life and will soon graduate from high school in Massachusetts where…
“Latinx stereotypes are all around us, and they seem to come from everywhere. In her talk, Wendy discusses how much of this comes from Hollywood, and what we need to do to change this. Wendy Echeverria is a senior at Glencoe High School. She is passionate about advocating for her Latinx culture and publishes her…
“Fahmo Abdi and Naimo Abdullahi perform two poems. This first is by Sherrika Mitchell, the second was written by Fahmo and Naimo. Fahmo Abdi and Naimo Abdullahi have been performing poetry together since they were in the sixth grade. Currently sophomores at St. Cloud’s Tech High School, they perform regularly at community events. “ This…
“Racism in the United States isn’t all that it seems. While many of us like to believe that we’re closer than ever to reaching a post-racial society, the research of Dr. Candis Watts Smith paints a very different picture. In her talk, Dr. Watts Smith dispels what we think we know about racism, and explores…