Watch the 2022 TEDxTalks

Why the price of insulin is a danger to diabetics

he price of insulin is an overwhelmingly real problem for Type One Diabetics within the United States. Brooke Bennett describes all the ways that this price takes a toll on the lives of diabetics from the financial to the physical to the emotional. Bennett was diagnosed with Type One at 10 years old and since then has been figuring out how to not only live with a chronic illness but how to afford the cost of that illness. This talk focuses on one of the largest economic issues to fall between the cracks, leaving millions of diabetics struggling to afford a drug that they need to survive. Brooke is a sophomore at Hope studying psychology and global health before medical school. She is from Romeo, Michigan. Brooke is excited about the writing process, and then refining and practicing her speech. She is a part of The Anchor, Spikeball club and is an RA. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Brooke's talk was featured on TED by its editors.

Wake Up! Seven steps to transform from peacemaker to changemaker

One thing everyone strives for is belonging but belonging is often at the expense of fitting into the larger collective. Inclusive belonging starts by transforming ourselves from peacemakers to changemakers, centering our search around equity and justice, and leaning into allyship. In this vulnerable and real talk, Hope College Junior and advocate Ali Koehl shares her own transformation from peacemaker to changemaker and shares a toolkit of actionable steps you can take to start transforming yourself. Ali is a junior at Hope College pursuing degrees in psychology, Chinese studies and biology. She is from Otsego, Michigan. Ali wanted to be a speaker to empower others and to connect with people. She is a part of FACES, Asian Student Union and research. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

The Right to Unplug: Intentionally engaging with technology

Learning how to intentionally engage with technology is an essential skill in our everyday lives. In this 2022 TEDxHopeCollege talk Gabriel Kimball explains why it is so hard to break our bad habits and gives a solution for those of us looking to unplug. Gabe is a junior studying studio art and engineering. He is a College East RA, member of Engineers Without Borders and a part of the DePree Gallery Prep team. He is excited to be a part of the TEDxHopeCollege community and can’t wait to hear what the other speakers are passionate about. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

From homophobic to out and affirming, LGBTQ+ Christian advocate

Everybody has a journey to find themselves. Some are painful. Some are joyful. Aubrey Brolsma, in this TEDxHopeCollege talk, details her journey with faith and sexuality, finding herself amongst the paradoxes. She reaffirms her faith and lives out and proud in her queer identity. In order to combat religious trauma and alienation, we must discuss how acceptance can happen every single day. Acceptance doesn't have to be so hard fought. Lives can be saved and relationships can flourish. Aubrey is a junior at Hope College studying history and classics. She is from Noblesville, Indiana. Aubrey wanted to be a speaker because she wanted to talk about something that could change minds and save lives. She is also involved in Prism and Emmaus Scholars. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Why we all got an F in kindergarten

The social and political climate of our society pushes our world in to a war that has seemingly reached the point of no return. Every single day, people open their phones only to find hate and anger overtaking their social media feeds, fracturing the already broken state of our nation. In her 2022 TEDxHopeCollege talk, JaneEllen Altevogt addresses this issue and seeks to unwrap the complex web that holds everything in place. It just takes one conversation, one compliment, one person to start the journey of healing that our world so desperately needs. JaneEllen is a sophomore at Hope College majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology. She is from Ann Arbor, Michigan. She wanted to be a speaker in order to share new ideas with her community. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

From grief, through guilt, to growing within a blended family

Personal loss is one of the most difficult experiences that a person can go through. For Payton Johnson, she had to navigate the loss of her mom and brother at only 3 years old. In this talk, she gives us a look into her emotionally beautiful journey of growing into a blended family and how we as a society can view grief differently through the power of community. Payton is a senior studying secondary English education. She is from Fulshear, Texas, a suburb of Houston. She is most excited to grow and learn new things from the other speakers and the executive team. On campus, she is the president of Vanderprov and is also involved in Nykerk and the worship tech team. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Why your community needs to be Epilepsy safe

Do you know how to properly respond to a seizure? Matthew Summerfield, a senior neuroscience student at Hope College, has Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy and provides a personal take on his story with Epilepsy. He invites the viewers to consider the social understanding of certain invisible disabilities, such as Epilepsy. Matthew also explains how stigmatization and lack of awareness play a major role in isolating individuals with Epilepsy from their communities and negatively impact their quality of life. He offers simple solutions that can make the general public more informed about Epilepsy and what to do to potentially save someone's life. Matthew is a senior at Hope College studying neuroscience and chemistry. He is from Saginaw, Michigan. He is most excited to provide information and new solutions for our world. Matthew is involved in undergraduate research and the Helping Minds Club. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Why we are ill-equipped to support survivors of sexual assault

Talking about sexual assault is uncomfortable. But we need to learn to be uncomfortable in this conversation. On a daily basis, survivors of sexual assault have to navigate this complex trauma, in addition to the perceptions of the people around them. As a global community, we need to enhance the ways we support survivors and become aware of how we talk about sexual assault. Caroline is a junior in the social work program. Her hometown is Batavia, Illinois. She hopes that her speech encapsulates a subjective and objective perspective on an undiscussed topic, and invites individuals to engage in conversation. On Hope's campus, she is a writing assistant at the Klooster Center, a member of the student-faculty judicial board, and a summer researcher for the sociology department. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

This is who I can be: My international student story

Leaving the Philippines on January 4, 2021, I became an international student in the United States in a small town of Holland, Michigan. From making new connections, embracing a lot of opportunities, and the experiences of discrimination and neglect, I used my journals as a way to release all of these feelings and make me feel closer to my home, family, and culture. Within these journal entries, I encapsulated every single day of my life within these pages and wrote a Filipino word called "Kaya" which means "You can" in Tagalog. It is a word that is essential to me and to almost every single Filipino. As I continue to navigate my international student today, I stand in front of my community to represent the marginalized and international student community not just within the United States but also across the globe. Jairus is a sophomore at Hope majoring in biological sciences and peace and justice studies. He is from Las Piñas, Philippines. He has wanted to become a speaker ever since he went to a TEDx event. He is involved in Asian Student Union, research, tutor, Prism and is an RA This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Autistic masking: a dangerous survival mechanism

We all filter ourselves depending on our social context, but Autistic individuals rarely have the privilege to turn that filter off. In this talk Leah Reinardy, Autistic advocate and educator, defines the concept of Autistic masking, why Autistic individuals learn to mask, the deadly consequences that come with that mask, and the struggles of learning to take that mask off. Leah is a junior at Hope College studying music and business. She is from Zeeland, Michigan. Leah wanted to become a speaker to encourage others who have a phobia of public speaking to raise their voices. She is the president of Hope Advocates for Invisible Conditions, a pianist in the Jazz Arts Collective, and a percussionist in the Wind Ensemble. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.