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Social Science

Surviving purity culture: How I healed a lifetime of sexual shame

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In the 1990s, a movement born out of the white, American, evangelical Christian church swept the globe: purity culture. They weren’t the first or only fundamentalist religion to sexually shame women & girls. But this time, the message was mainstream, almost cool: women and girls are either pure or impure, depending on their sexuality. Decades later, we’re just starting to grapple with the long-term effects of these teachings. In this deeply intimate talk, Linda Kay Klein shares how she recovered from purity culture’s toxic teaching — and how she helps others do the same.

Linda Kay Klein is the award-winning author of “Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free.” She is a purity culture recovery coach and the founder and president of Break Free Together, a nonprofit serving individuals recovering from gender- and sexuality-based religious trauma. She has an interdisciplinary Master’s degree in gender, sexuality, and religion from New York University and is a trained Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education facilitator.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Road salt is destroying our environment. Fish could help.

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You’ve probably heard that plastics are bad. Only 5% of plastic is recycled. 12 million tons of plastic enter the oceans every year. And one study found microplastics in 100% of the water and marine organisms they tested. But materials scientist Monika Bleszynski believes plastic isn’t inherently bad. Instead, we can engineer plastics for good – plastics that are not only better for the environment but plastics that solve environmental problems. That was the idea behind her newest invention: an ecofriendly road salt alternative made of plastics inspired by fish!

Dr. Monika Bleszynski received her Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Denver, specializing in polymer materials. Her academic research focuses on assessing the effects of polymer and plastic damage on various products and the environment and finding sustainable polymer alternatives. She has taught classes at the University of Denver and recently joined a Silicon Valley-backed startup to develop solutions to address global plastic pollution and resource scarcity. In her spare time, she enjoys woodworking and traveling to far-flung locations with her husband.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Want to stop police brutality? Legalize drugs

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In the years since George Floyd’s murder, a growing number of Americans demand police reform. But where do we start? There are so many solutions – is it body cameras, racial bias training, better hiring, or more oversight? Yes, all of the above. But journalist Ann Marie Awad believes there’s a better approach, one that could save lives here & now. It’s time to end the War on Drugs. Not because Americans want to do more drugs without getting caught. But because ending the War on Drugs would fundamentally and radically change how police behave practically overnight.

 

Ann Marie Awad is the host and creator of the award-winning podcast On Something, a show about drug policy and the human side of cannabis legalization. Immediately upon arriving in Colorado in 2016, Awad saw the link between Colorado’s legal weed industry and funding for public education. Their interest grew to include stories about immigration, child welfare, and healthcare access. After hosting On Something for three years, Awad now helps others create podcasts as a producer, editor, and teacher. They live in Denver with their partner Heath and big old dog Rudy.

 

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

A military veteran on why you should play games at work

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During his 25 years in uniform, Lieutenant Colonel James “Pigeon” Fielder designed & executed military war games, some with thousands of participants, defending positions with blank weapons, launching real aircraft, and treating fake injuries on the battlefield. Why does the US military spend so much time and energy on something that isn’t real? Because the first time you respond to a crisis shouldn’t be during an actual crisis. Games let you work together to overcome obstacles that feel real – risk-free! Whether you work at a large corporation, a non-profit, or a startup, you can benefit from playing games too. After retiring from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Lieutenant Colonel James “Pigeon” Fielder, Ph.D., joined Colorado State University as a Political Science Instructor. He’s also a senior designer for the Littleton, Colorado-based tabletop roleplaying game company Mobius Worlds Publishing. For over two decades, Pigeon has designed and executed training exercises and wargames, from small-group tabletop discussions to multi-day exercises with 5,000+ participants. Today, his research and consulting work focuses on interpersonal trust and emergent political processes in gaming. Pigeon roosts with his wife Kelly, son Penny, a three-legged cat, and two pigeons (the source of his nickname). Their daughter Kyla lives in Ann Arbor, MI. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

How nonprofits fail communities of color – and what to do instead

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Olga González believes nonprofits often underestimate the communities they serve. They swoop in, she says, with outside resources and money but ignore the assets these communities already possess. That’s why she endorses the promotora model, where a nonprofit trains people from the community they serve to provide outreach, advocacy, and services. Here, González shares several success stories of promotoras in action – from distributing masks & vaccines to farmworkers during the COVID-19 pandemic to monitoring air pollution near a local oil refinery. Olga González has worked in the nonprofit sector for 28+ years. She is currently the Executive Director of Cultivando, a nonprofit that cultivates leadership in the Latinx community to advance health equity through advocacy, collaboration, and policy change. As CEO of O.G. Consulting Services, she facilitates trainings and workshops on equity, racial justice, and healing. Olga was born in Mexico and is the proud descendant of Indigenous Yaqui/Otomi people. She, along with her husband, is raising their children to be the next generation of fierce and compassionate social justice warriors. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

How to do laundry when you’re depressed

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When you’re burned out, taking care of yourself (or your family) can feel nearly impossible. Therapist KC Davis gets it, and she’s got a message for anyone struggling with daily tasks: you’re not lazy. Care tasks, she says, are neither good nor bad — they’re morally neutral. Davis offers creative shortcuts and workarounds for everything from using wet wipes when you can’t manage a shower to sealing dirty dishes in a giant zip-loc until you feel up to washing them. Because regardless of your mental health struggles, you are a person worthy of a functional space. KC Davis is a licensed professional therapist, author, speaker, and founder of Struggle Care. KC Davis began her therapy journey at 16 when she entered treatment for drug addiction. Today, she teaches a compassionate and practical approach to self & home care for those dealing with mental health, physical illness, and hard seasons of life. Her methodology has attracted 1M+ followers on social media in less than a year. Her Amazon bestselling book, “How to Keep House While Drowning,” has sold 40,000+ copies. KC lives in Houston with her husband and two daughters. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

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