There are countless conflicts society faces globally. However, light does not shine upon every issue. TEDx, a student-run club at Bonita Vista High (BVH), has diverse people from different backgrounds who come together and discuss certain topics that allow them to understand the perspectives of others around them. TED Talk inspired the “TEDx” program to represent ideas that are worth spreading locally, whereas TED Talk focuses on a global aspect.

In preparation for the upcoming TEDx conference, the club discussed having this year’s theme to be on the topic of how to build a sustainable future. According to TEDx secretary, treasurer and senior Esther Turquiekamaji, sustainability tends to have multiple meanings, allowing for various ways of representation. 

“Building a sustainable future is not just sustainability in the world and the planet, it also applies to institutions, education, health and the planet,” Turquiekamaji said. “There’s different things that contribute to sustainability because it’s not just environmental. There’s a lot of types of sustainability in order to have a strong future.” 

Not only does TEDx have a variety of speakers, the club provides a platform for people to advocate about what they believe in and to educate their audience. TEDx president and senior Stephanie Ling believes that when their speakers deliver a speech in relation to the topic, it allows attendees to be more open minded.

“I always go back to the goal of TED [Talk] and TEDx, where their whole goal of creating these kinds of conferences is to change people’s minds and hearts about what we can do and the differences that we can make in our communities,” Ling said.

To create a successful TEDx conference, various departments work together to ensure that it runs smoothly. These departments include speakers, finance, public relations, technicians and stage design. They each play different roles in preparing for the conference and connect together.

“There’s a lot that goes into hosting the conference because we plan the conference out a year in advance. So there’s a lot of different moving parts,” TEDx vice president and senior Giselle Geering said.

TEDx Public Relations officer and senior Maya Loughney mentions that sustainability is an issue directly affecting the BVH community. TEDx decided on a broad topic so speakers could interpret it differently and deliver their own perspectives on it.  For Geering and her family, they plan on building a sustainable future by prioritizing the environment. She mentions how she contributes to daily activities that are beneficial to the environment.

The conference brings people together who would not conventionally be in the same room, which leads to a stronger bond in the BVH community. They advocate for having a divergent environment so everyone can learn something and develop a new perspective on the topic.

“I feel like when we, as intellectuals, come to conferences, we’re trying to open up our minds, we’re trying to gain different perspectives about the world and about how we can make a difference,” Ling said.

Loughney adds that this year’s topic is different from the previous year’s because it is future based, meaning that this year’s topic is looking towards the future. She believes that sustainability is a prevalent issue among the world and everyone can do something to take action.

“We wanted to be able to emphasize something that was directly affecting our community. So not only do we want to focus on sustainability, as far as the environment, but just sustainability as the word in general,” Loughney said.

As time passes by, TEDx continues to work towards a goal of introducing topics that can change the lives of the audience. Each member of the club strives in order to make each year meaningful by inspiring many to take action with their ideas.

“I [do] feel like people can change in order to make the world a better place as a whole. [And] It’s kind of how everyone can leave their own little grain of salt to build a more sustainable future,” Turquiekamji said.