No Limitations, Only Innovation
TEDx Lynn University Is the Start of a New Generation of Changemakers.
By Gretchen Lembcke-Pena, Editor-in-Chief
On March 18, Lynn University hosted TEDx Lynn University in the Amarnick Goldstein Concert Hall to bring new voices and thoughts and share them with the Lynn community.
Organized by Romanshika Singh, TEDx Lynn University featured various speakers sharing their innovative ideas with students and faculty. In an interview with iPulse, Singh described the preparation process, the selectiveness of speakers and how long it took to get approved for a license and rehearse the event. In the end, everything worked out and TEDx went from aspiration to reality.
“Working in teams is extremely rewarding because you get to work with all these different people with different backgrounds and cultures,” said Singh.
The event began with opening remarks from Singh followed by a performance by Lynn’s own Boulanger String Quartet, composed of conservatory students Sebastian Orellana, Benjamin Kremer, Carlos Avendano Garcia and Niloufar Mirzanabi Khani.
As for the speakers, Pranoo Kumar was first, delivering a powerful speech on critical literacy and the importance of people of color feeling seen in literary platforms from a young age. Kumar, who owns Rohi’s Readery, a bookstore dedicated to social justice and a learning center for children, compared mirrors to feeling seen and windows to sharing those views with the world.
“I believe in the power of community,” said Kumar. “I believe in the power of the people. I believe in children’s literature, but most of all, I believe in the power of children.”
Her speech was followed by artist Brandon McGill, who spoke of having a life plan while aiming to achieve your dreams. He used imagery from his own drawings, which complemented his speech.
McGill was followed by Bemsimbom Nkuo, a Lynn University senior who touched on the importance of mental health and provided a personal anecdote about her struggles while living in her native country, Cameroon.
“It took a lot of work [to prepare for this event] because some of the things I shared at the TEDx stage I haven’t shared with other people,” said Nkuo. “[I]t took a lot of emotional energy, but it was worth it because I’m trying to help other people.”
After a 10-minute break that permitted the audience to mingle with the speakers, the event continued with Ella Davar RD, a nutritionist who talked about her struggles with balanced eating and how to tackle those problems in a healthy way.
The final speaker was Alexander Star, an Emmy-nominated songwriter and impact artist who combined his musical talent with his speech and spoke of the struggles he has faced in our current society by being biracial. Star advised the audience on how to make yourself be seen through your skills and talent.
Closing remarks were given by Romanshika Singh, who thanked everyone involved in making the event come to life. Truly a touching experience, TEDx Lynn University is something those who attended will remember for years.
