TEDxSFU 2015 – Connecting the Dots
Date: November 15, 2015
Name: TEDxSFU 2015 – Connecting the Dots
Presenters: Various
The goal of TEDxSFU is to create a community for leaders from many industries to meet and connect. The conference is to help leaders to take from ordinary to extraordinary. The success from leaders are incomplete without the support from each individual. Therefore, the theme of this year is “Connecting the Dots”, which represents leaders to reconnect, communicate, and engaging with other successful local leaders.
The moderator, Idris Hudson, will be taking leaders to four parts conversation.
- Singular becomes communal
- Engaging a dialogue
- Bridging originality and innovation
- Ambitions of collective future
Leaders will learn the valuable lessons from the speakers experiences. In addition, leaders will help leaders to connect their dots.
Ryan D’arcy – Brain Hope
Ryan D’arcy is a neuroscientist that specializes brain imaging health care impacts. He introduces the Brain Hope concept that will inspire leaders in the health industry. The concept consists of hope, help and inspiration. It brings together with love, hope and survival.
D’arcy shares the concept comes from the Green Family. Trevor Green, the Journalist, took the opportunity to visit the Afghanistan village. However, one of the villagers attacked and caused him the brain injury that would change his life forever. Many doctors provided false hope to Green Family.
One day, Green woke up and with strong determination and focus, he worked hard to walk again. He forgave the attacker and concentrated on his recovery. Along with rehabs and research, Green was diagnosed wrong. D’arcy reveals the brain can rewire and reorganize. With brain plasticity technology, it shows Green has the ability to move again. The progress ignites the research and D’arcy discovers the brain can rewire every 10 minutes.
In the Remembrance Day, the community raises the fund to give him the new skeleton. This project is called “Iron Soldier, Mission to Everest”. This project inspires people with brain surgery that there is hope. In addition, it symbolizes the difference of false hope and brain hope. D’arcy believes Brain Hope concept will help people to provide new hopes for patients with brain surgery.
Bryce Evans – How photography saved my life
Bryce Evans is the award-winning artist of social change. At the beginning of his journey, he felt disconnected and unable to communicate with himself. He always wanted to be an artist, but the reality pushed him away. He questioned himself that why is he always different from everyone else. To avoid the pain, he build himself the wall with the message “I am fine”. Evans felt no one understands his inner world. The feeling of outcast was leading him to the feeling of suicide and depression.
Evans later discovered photography can express more than just verbal conversation. Photo can speak more than words. Evans believes there are many people in the world are still suffering the similar mental health issue. A simple photograph can change people. Photo can connect with people in different level. Introducing photos into conversation can be the new lens to break the narrow view of the society. Instead of caught up the thoughts in people’s mind, they can connect the lights in a new way with photos. Evans starts to express himself and starts to get his voice back.
Photograph opens up Evan’s life and it triggers Evans to shift. Photograph can also open up new views to the community. Each photo has a unique story. Each story contains fear; however, when people are touched with the story, the fear becomes the dream.
Greatest values come from photographs. Evans announces his depression is cured.
“You are the most important project of your life”
Zoya Jiwa – What weaves the fabrics of our lives
Zoya Jiwa is the Founder of As We Are. Jiwa lives in a disease called “Lupus”. Lupus is a disease that creates wrong information with all organ. In her whole life, Jiwa was exhausted and confused with future because she felt there was a distance in her life. In 2014, she started her treatment. However, in December 2014, she got diagnosed with another disease called fibromyalgia. Because of this disease, she was struggling to find the right clothes and caused her to lose the sense of fashion.
Jiwa wanted to redefine herself. She discovered there are many people in the community with different disabilities. They all had their own story and emotion moments. By reconnecting the impact with the community, she realized creativity can create self confidence. Jiwa started a project called “As We Are”, which supported people with disability conditions. The project goal was to give opportunity for them to find confidence on mental health wellness through fashion.
Jiwa believes people are sick and tired of them saying they are fine. Words can be disconnected and can be negative. Jiwa wants to shift that dialogue because everyone needs to be love, care and patient. Jiwa learns to treat her body as her friend. This means she needs to be kind to herself. With the help from community, the project As We Are can relate stories to others. With the help from community, the project can empower people. Moreover, with the help from community, the project can help others to feel extraordinary.
“Sometimes, it takes a breakdown to make a breakthrough”
“For every obstacle, there is an opportunity”
Dan Pontefract – The Purpose Effect
Dan Pontefract is the author of the book “The Purpose Effect”. Pontefract shares a story that he got requests from his staffs to fired them because they found their life purpose. When people were young, they were encouraged to become whatever they want. In school, they were taught to think outside of the box. However, when people are in the workforce, they are lost their real purpose.
Pontefract states the percentage of job satisfaction has increased significantly. The dissatisfaction can impact negatively on employee retention. Around 87% of people at work are disengage with their job. 52% of people are checkout t work and only 28% of people have purpose mindset at work.
Many people believe the key reason behind job satisfaction is that many companies are focusing to much on the profit. Companies give too much power from top and the job roles are too linear. The consumers have more demands but they are not paid enough to achieve those demands. The performance is bell curve that is against one and another. However, Pontefract believes the problem is each individual. They need to find their purpose and there are 3 steps to do that.
- Define the personal purpose
- Need new path way in organization
- Role that leads to change
When people complete these 3 steps, they will find their sweet spot, which is their purpose.
Personal purpose requires define, decide and develop. The organization purpose requires engage, ethical, deliver, serve, and delight. The role purpose requires career, purpose and job.
Pontefract believes when people discover their purpose, they can help community. Purpose fuels people, people fuels organization, and organization and people fuel society.
Erin Ireland – Is there a bias in our food media
Erin Ireland is a small business owner and a food reporter. Ireland believes back in the days as food reporter, everything was about food trend. The more time she spend in the industry, the more knowledge she received. Ireland focused on the positive of food and people were engaging her content to decide what and where they ate. However, Ireland wanted to do more than that.
Ireland felt she was just a small fish because big food critics are creating the most influence in the industry. A simple media and trigger people’s craving. Food advertising is all over the food entertainment. In 2000, new food shows were born and food blogging are trending. Ireland realized cooking was not just education, it was entertainment. However, food media still have bias that leads to unhealthy facts.
In the food media, Ireland believes meat content are way over the plants content. People are not realized that the plant resources are taking more to make meat. Consumers are not aware that consuming more meat can give more diseases. Lastly, there are over 56 billion animals are killed for food each year. Food media has bias on meat over plants.
Ireland conducts a research that most entree in cooking shows are either pork, chicken and beef, but not vegetable. 89% of food content in the past contain all meat. Over 600 recipes, there are 568 of them contains meat only. This is not inspiring.
Ireland mentions if animals are the biggest contributor to world problem, they should cut it down. Food media can use it in a positive way because the world needs more this kind of energy. The new generation needs new innovation and creative content. They also need deeper responsibility. In order for them to make mindful decision, they need to be conscious on the food they consume. People have the power to change.
“The best against bullshit is vigilance”
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughts from committed citizens can change the world”
Daniel Dubois – Power of consumerism
Daniel Dubois is a passionate social entrepreneur. Dubois shares his view of world consumption. As a part of the community, people are taking too much extra space. In addition, Dubois has the idea that the world can access anything. Dubois wants to create an impact with the movement of shifting the society forward with the concept of sharing.
When people are educated ownership to access. This will help people redefine the word of wealth. Dubois believes the word of wealth is not ownership, it is access. After travelling to San Francisco, Dubois learned sharing the economy can change the economy. Sharing economy is a piece of bigger picture and it can arise the power of consumer. It also shifts the mindset.
Ownership leads to take actions. Spending can change the world. Every action requires re-action. Dubois believes it is not too late to make the difference.
Dubois introduces 4 steps to create the sustainable world. The first step is to define the value. The way people spend money connects to happy life. By identifying the right values, it can use it as to filter for decision making. The second step is to set the intention. By shifting the buying habits, people will not be afraid they are lost. The third step is to develop the awareness. Actions impact the world, which aligns the value and responsibilities. The fourth step is to shift the habits. People are what they do. By changing their daily routines, they can change the world.
“Pioneers choose struggles”
“Power of choices; we choose how we live in our life”
Manny Bahia – Filter your truth
Manny Bahia is the Co-Founder of Vancity Buzz. Bahia shares when he was young, he wanted to change the world. People are informed from more understanding and empathy. Headlines relate to nationality and stereotype. With the power of media, it can shape people’s mind and decisions.
Bahia mentions the headline from Olympic 2010 create impact to tourism. The world issues and conflicts exist due to the lack of disconnect and love between humans. The job of media has changed. Media must be informative. The society is empowered by media that create positive reactions.
Bahia questions the media that if media information is bias or not. The pubic advertisement is losing trust. People are moving towards digital media, which is the primary source of news in this generation. Bahia believes when people are putting in the box, they will never see other perspectives. Therefore, public needs to be notice the source.
The society is aware of the media change. Finding the truth is important. People need to crate the cage to allow everyone to love even more.
Lindsay Dixon – Settle me down
Lindsay Dixon is a singer-songwriter from Chlliwack. Dixon believes talking is not easy. Music is a way for Dixon to express her feeling. When her life moves away from music, she feels depressed. Dixon mentions an important person came to her life and released her negativity.
By listening to her songs, it helps people to get through the tough time. Dixon plays a song called “Settle me Down”, which is written by her. The music moves people and allows people to understand the deeper feeling of themselves.
Aidan Scott – Restoring emotional authority
Aidan Scott is a system architect and the Founder of SpeakBOX. Scott is curious of 3 life questions.
- Who am I?
- Who do you think I am?
- Who are you?
Scott believes people ask others “Who are you?” too often. Who in people’s lives has authority of like and drive. People have their own story and experience. Personal experience through their own stories. Scott shares his story. His story felt like German Concentration Camp. At the age of 6, his parents were separated. In high school, Scott was physically, mentally and sexually abused. There were always battles between himself and his parents everyday, which limited his energy.
Scott encountered a Victor Franklin’s book and felt someone cared about him. He learned what hero is. Scott believed to become a hero, the hero needed to create space. When someone says they are busy, they are closing their space. When people are busy, they really need connection.
Emotional intelligence is more important than Intelligence quotient. The book is important, but taking actions is more important. The book was from his school counsellor. Because of this book, he discovered the importance of connection. The counsellor was his first hero because the counsellor listened and believed him.
Many people learned from physical, but mental takes them further. Scott was trying to be different person in difference situation. However, Scott wants people to understand what society they want to be citizen of. It is important to be confidence in life.
“Life can be vulnerable”
“Start with an authentic conversation; have the space to create emotional conversation”
Richard Tuck – How graduate employment metrics cause graduate underemployment
Richard Tuck is the CEO of Riipen. Tuck mentions students have the conception that when they do well, they will get good jobs. That is a myth. As of now, many people with that concept are still looking for jobs. Most recent graduates are still working part time to pay for their student loans. They are not alone, and the society are creating more and more.
Traditional education is corrupted because they are lying to students. Tuck believes the youth unemployment is generation jobless and it is a big and complex problem. 44% of the jobs in the market do not require the necessary education. Based on stats, one will get the job, one will go back for more eduction and 3 will be unemployed.
Tuck believes the reason behind the unemployment rate is the skill gap. 19% of companies believe school has already prepared students for work, but students are not ready. This causes the employment turnover. In average of 50% recruitment is failure. Companies cannot take that risk anymore and it forces economy to stop recruitment. It is easier now to search for job. Recruiters look for buzz words in resume. Schools have resume clinic to teach students to write resume. The system is allowing more people to apply with wrong criteria. Schools want people to get any kind of job because they are pressured on their own statistics. Schools encourage student to be freelancer so they will have a job after graduation to improve the graduate employment rate.
Graduate employment rate is feeding to unemployment. It is considered to be the systemic issue. Tuck wants school to understand if students are happy with their jobs. Companies should stop using buzz words and start being more authentic. Tuck suggests a solution of combine outside and inside by validating students’ skills. The industries need to rethink their recruiting systems or procedures. Schools should stop using the resume clinic methods and start understanding students’ personalities. This will build their strengths and able to know where they fit in.
“Finding the right fit, engage students early, concentrate on career”
“Do not settle for it, look for quality”
Craig Cerhit – Exploring the environmental school
Craig Cerhit is a veteran television producer, editor, and photographer. In 2011, Cerhit needed to make the decision for his kid to attend the right kindergarten. Cerhit discovered the environmental school, but he felt it was different from ordinary, which was a reflection from his own education.
The environmental school focused on ecological. There were no buildings, no textbooks and no exams. Cerhit felt school would work for some students because the experience of learning was missing. In fact, Cerhit realized there was learning component, and it taught students the ability to survive.
Textbooks can be great, but it is not meaningful because it separates people. Furthermore, Cerhit decided to record the students experience in the environmental school.
Simple learning can lead to deep learning. The school is a natural world that fills with space and the sound of the river. It is beautiful that calms people down. Students get to witness the nature and experience the cycle of the wild life. They are able to engage the nature skills.
The environmental school do not need textbooks. The forest is great for learning science. Nature is full of mathematic, such as how fast the river is moving and how many rocks on the beach. The nature uses simple ways to teach students to calculate and exam the patterns. Most of the time, students are not aware they are learning math. There is no bell or discipline.
Cerhit understands everything can be learned in nature experience. The environmental school does not septette students by age. It provides confidence to older students and take the advantage of learning opportunity. The place becomes educator and the school creates outdoor contacts for students. When students are biking, they can observe the result and make the learning fun. When students are building forts, they can learn construction, leadership, and business interactions. The ecological system creates the relationship with natural world and build the foundation to future generation. It helps students to become leaders and better decision makers.
Cerhit wants to challenge the current education system. Cerhit believes his kid is now preparing outdoor experience.
Mandy Catron – What we do not talk about when we talk about love
Mandy Catron is an English and creative writing instructor in University of British Columbia. The world recognizes the experience of love as “falling”. Catron believes the word of “falling” is accidental because it is the way to start relationship. Catron emphasizes most metaphor of love can be changed, such as fall, struck, crushed, sworn, burn, sick and crazy. These words can be aggressive, but people use them all the time.
Madness is another word people use to describe love. Catron chooses that word to describe her love in the age of 22. When she was in 22, her boyfriend left her. She felt devastated, but her love was based on that metaphor, she was ignored it. When her boyfriend came back, she felt bad and great at the same time.
Many people experience mad is normal. It is hard to distinguish between love and mad. Therefore, love can change people’s mood and emotions. People can be absessive thinking when they are in love. When her boyfriend left her again, she took a trip. After returned from the trip, she waited for her love to return. She felt is was her job to be miserable to prove her way of love. She thought great suffering leads to great reward.
Experience in love is linked with language. Love can be powerful. In society, people want both ways. People need to change their expectation and be more open minded.
Catron suggests the society to change the metaphors. Love is collective work of art and it works well with any kind of relationship. Love is creative and unpredicted. It requires communication and discipline. People need to reframe the word love. Love is not about winning or losing, yet it is about trusting. People should stop thinking about themselves and know what they can offer. The new definition of love is still beautiful, which allows people to know what it looks like.