In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Roxbury Community College
1234 Columbus Avenue
Media Arts Center
Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02119
United States

Alejandra Ramos Gómez

Alejandra Ramos Gómez (Nadxieelii) is an author, educational consultant, and multidisciplinary artist originally from Juárez, Chihuahua. Her experiences growing up on the U.S.-Mexico border inspired her to advocate for gender equality and mental health awareness in Latin American communities. Alejandra has worked in education for the past decade and has experience as a bilingual educator, curriculum designer, and program manager across the US and Latin America. She holds a BA in Political Science and Linguistics and a Masters in Bilingual Education. Further, she is a Harvard Graduate School of Education Alumna in Human Development and Education, specializing in Arts and Learning. Ramos Gómez is passionate about integrating artistic approaches, culturally responsive practices, identity development, and social-emotional learning in K-12 settings.

Ashley Alexander

Ashley Alexander is a visionary leader dedicated to the growth and empowerment of Black women as the Founder and CEO of Powerful, Beautiful, Fierce Inc., a platform championing representative mentorship for women of color. Alongside her impactful role, Ashley works as a Helpline Training Coordinator at Samaritans Inc., where she plays a pivotal role in suicide prevention and offering support to those in need. With a profound commitment to uplifting her community and fostering inclusivity, Ashley is a beacon of inspiration and change, advocating tirelessly for the advancement and well-being of Black women everywhere.

Asjah Monroe

Asjah Monroe serves as Founding Director of Small House Inc, a life skills, coaching, and (in the future) housing program for transition-aged youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. The vision of Small House is that every young adult who needs a place to go will have one, and will be on an upward trajectory when it's time for them to venture out into the world. She is a certified Youth Wellness and Resilience Life Coach, facilitator, speaker and entrepreneur.

Carmen Blyden

Carmen Blyden, an Executive Coach, is a fierce advocate for holistic wellness and women's empowerment. With a dedication to holistic wellness, Carmen gets fired up about partnering with Boss Babes in leadership roles and business, guiding them through the intricacies of personal and professional growth towards a balanced fusion of their goals, values, and well-being.

Charmain Jackman

Charmain Jackman, PhD is an award-winning psychologist, author, and leadership coach. She is a leading voice on mental health and workplace wellbeing and CEO/Founder of InnoPsych, a primer resource for impactful and inclusive mental health solutions. After two bouts of burnout, she decided to make sustainable changes in her life and is deeply invested in helping others thrive in life. She leverages her experiences with burnout and racial trauma to elevate conversations about healthy self-care practices and to inspire others to take daily actions to prioritize their mental health through joy and mindfulness. She is creator of the My Time To Thrive card deck, an interactive tool for stress reduction and self-care. Dr. Charmain consults with leaders to transform workplace cultures into psychologically safe environments. She was awarded the 2021 City of Boston’s Black History Month’s Innovator of the Year award and the 2021 American Psychological Association’s Citizen Psychologist Award.

Dzidzor

Dzidzor (pronounced Jee-Joh) is a Ga-Ewe folklore performing artist and led by her curiosity. Her unique approach blends call-and-response with a rich tapestry of sound, fusing poetry, storytelling, and auditory elements to create an immersive experience that grounds the audience in their own bodies. Through her performance art, Dzidzor dismantles the conventional notion of a passive audience, instead beckoning them to step forward and become integral participants in the experience. Her body of work is a tapestry woven with threads of curiosity, exploring profound inquiries about divinity, community, home, blackness, and identity. She sensitively acknowledges those ensnared by a system that has historically overlooked black and brown individuals. Dzidzor explores the possibility within bodies to unshackle themselves from internalized oppression, both in the mind and body, through practices of rest, deliberate stillness.

Eunyque Sykes

Eunyque Sykes, born and raised in Boston and an alumna of Boston Latin School, has woven her interests in environmental justice advocacy and holistic wellness into her academic and professional pursuits. With a degree in Environmental Studies from Bucknell University, Eunyque is currently advancing her journey at Boston College, where she is pursuing a PhD in Sociology. Through her research, Eunyque aims to bridge intersectionality with urban planning, striving to foster greener, more equitable, and inclusive outdoor spaces.

Henning Washington

Henning Washington Henning Washington is a performer, choreographer, and musician born in Memphis, TN. He started dancing at OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center at age 11, and trained in a number of different dance styles such as tap, modern, jazz, hip-hop, and African. Henning joined the City Ballet of Boston last year and hopes to continue his technical training to move closer toward his goal of entering the dance and entertainment industry, and was recently accepted into Boston Conservatory, where he will continue evolving as an artist.

JAKE Small

JAKE Small (he/they) is a justice-driven researcher, nonprofit leader, and advocate. He has nearly a decade of experience in education leadership and consulting. He supports professionals at every level of seniority and companies across every industry to operationalize justice and build truly emancipatory policies, practices, and attitudes.

Kristen Pope

Kristen Pope is a trailblazer, founder, speaker, award-winning television host and journalist, and a multi-media strategist. She was elected in March 2023 as the first Black Woman on the Select Board in Natick’s history. Named the "Queen of Agility" and honored as one of "9 Women Who Impacted the World of Business" by Black Enterprise Magazine, Kristen is a multi-hyphenate visionary. She leads the social media content team at Harvard University in the Division of Continuing Education, while running her own multi-media company, Pope Productions Inc., which produces culture-shaping digital social content. As an in-demand speaker and mistress of ceremony, Kristen is best known for her natural wit and ability to connect with people which led her to complete almost two dozen stand-up comedy performances.

Kurt Faustin

Kurt Faustin is a Father, Entrepreneur, Coach and Success Strategist. Kurt has spoken in front of over 50,000 people, working with organizations like Harvard University, Chase Bank and United Way; and is a former HuffPost and Forbes writer. Appointed by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Kurt is part of the city's first ever Black Men and Black Boy's Commission, and was recently selected for Color Magazine’s 40 under 40 Power List. His focus is on bridging the gap between mental health and performance; with an emphasis on emotional intelligence, goal setting and stress management. As a certified Brain Based Coach from the NeuroLeadership Institute, Kurt discovered his own science-backed philosophy and principles to improve performance, while empowering others to make a permanent change within their mindset.

Lecolion Washington

Lecolion Washington is the Executive Director of the Community Music Center of Boston. Previously, Lecolion was the Co-Founder/Executive Director of the PRIZM Ensemble in Memphis from 2009-2017. After over 20 years as a performing bassoonist, 15 years as a music professor, and 10 years as an arts administrator, Lecolion has established himself as a leader for the next generation of arts entrepreneurs; and he has been a staunch advocate for the relevance of music as an agent for social change.

Lucy Lomas

Lucy Lomas MD is an expert in women’s health and wellness. Dr Lucy Lomas is a board certified OB GYN physician with over 15 years of clinical experience. She serves as the executive director of New England Medical Association, a network of black physicians. "I help women feel empowered about their health through education, prevention and creating integrative healing spaces for women to discuss health concerns where our bodies are celebrated."

Mathematics

Mathematics is an inspirational recovery coach, consultant, group specialist, public speaker and poet. He has many years of experience in prisons and treatment facilities while giving countless hours to his community through service, sponsorship, and events. Believing life is about transformation, Mathematics has reinvented himself many times over. He spent 15 winters and 14 summers in state prison, went to 131 detox facilities, eight stabilization programs, four halfway houses and survived seven overdoses. From the depths of addiction, incarceration, and street life, Mathematics emerged as a beacon of hope, proving that anyone can overcome adversity and rewrite their life story. Mathematics now realizes that he was planted in his pain to find his purpose which is to inspire, uplift, and be of service to others. He is currently living every addict's dream of recovery by working with a sponsor and sponsees.

Nashira Baril

Nashira Baril (she/her), a biracial Black ciswoman, is the daughter and great-granddaughter of midwives. She experienced the sacred care of community midwives at the home births of her siblings and of her own two children. These births transformed her worldview, putting her on a path to receive “the call” from elder midwife Dr. Jo-Anna Rorie, who first held the vision for a birth center in Roxbury in 1980. With a master’s degree in Maternal & Child Health from Boston University School of Public Health and 20 years of experience designing and implementing public health strategies to advance racial equity, Nashira founded Neighborhood Birth Center in 2015. It is the first-of-its-kind community birth center in Boston, providing community midwifery to strategically address the maternal health crisis. Nashira lives with her family in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston, the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Pawtucket, Massa-adchu-esset, Pokanoket, and Wampanoag people.

Valerie Foxx

Valerie Foxx is the CEO of Butterfly Foxx Productions and an Amazon best-selling author. Her publications include memoirs and children's books. In 2021, she published her first children's book, which she co-authored with her twin granddaughters, who were 9 years old, and her 8-year-old great niece. Valerie is currently working with both children and adults, encouraging them to share and publish their stories. She enjoys educating, motivating, and inspiring people to achieve their goals and ambitions.