Six speakers will reveal thought-provoking and creative ideas during the ninth annual TEDx University of Mississippi event on Tuesday, February 20 at the University of Mississippi’s Ford Center for the Performing Arts. The in-person event begins at 7 pm with preshow activities beginning at 6:30 pm.
“This year’s theme is ‘Illuminate,’” said Emilie Chandler, Director of Public Relations for TEDx University of Mississippi. “Speakers will illuminate ideas that people, communities, and organizations are exploring to optimize outcomes.”
Jason Bouldin
A nationally acclaimed portraitist from the Mississippi Delta, Jason won the international competition for the Portrait Society of America’s Draper Grand Prize in 2002. In his talk, he will advocate for a broader interpretation of the term “artist” and reimagine how the label might inspire all to find more meaning in our lives. Jason received a BA in Art History from Harvard University and received his studio training directly from his father, renowned artist Marshall Bouldin III.
Brynn Loftness
A passionate researcher addressing the existing gaps in current pediatric and family-care mental health resources, Loftness develops machine algorithms integrating wearable sensors, health records, and off-body sensors to unlock insights into human behavior and well-being. She envisions the application of these new technologies revolutionizing the modern mental health care system, starting at the crucial early stages of life when children have the greatest potential for long-term success. Loftness is a PhD candidate in the Complex Systems and Data Science program at University of Vermont and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. She also holds a Visiting Researcher position in the Sabeti Lab and the Brown University MAPPS Center through her affiliation with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.
Jaylin R. Smith
Smith is a native of Greenwood, Mississippi, and graduate student at the University of Mississippi matriculating in Journalism and New Media. Being a Black woman raised in the Mississippi Delta has given Jaylin a host of experiences that have molded her values of community, social activism, self-identity, and cultural awareness. These values have inspired her TEDx talk regarding cultural competency and Black women’s hair. Smith received two bachelor’s degrees in Mass Communications and Speech Communications from Mississippi Valley State University.
Alisha Rai
A disability advocate and family physician practicing in Alberta, Canada, Dr. Rai seeks to inspire hope by sharing her unfiltered journey to and through motherhood. She calls on us to address infertility and birth traumas openly and intentionally. Together with her husband, Liam, Rai founded Hope for Cerebral Palsy, a non-profit providing access to private early intervention therapies for children with cerebral palsy.
Jazmine D. Kelley
Diversity Education & Strategic Initiatives Director at the University of Mississippi, Kelley is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Higher Education from the University of Mississippi and explores the relationship between student success and institutional effectiveness for systematically excluded groups. In her studies she found a reciprocal relationship between how institutions make decisions and the ultimate success of students. Kelley has a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as well as a Master of Science in Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion from Mississippi State University.
David Hamilton
Anubis Improv founder and improv instructor, Hamilton uses improv (improvisational performance) to help people tap into their creativity and develop communication skills. Hamilton has been creating improv curriculum and coaching since 2014. He performs improv with the dupe troupe Kinross Kasunick, and is a member of the film collective Windbreaker. He believes anyone can harness the power of improv to develop active listening skills and enhance communication capabilities.
Organizing the event are Madalyn Dudley, chief of staff; Morgan McCann, assistant chief of staff; Kate Hooper, TEDx-licensed organizer and faculty adviser, along with a team of twenty-two students and five consultants. No TEDxUniversityofMississippi event is complete without entertainment. This year’s entertainment includes The Mississippians jazz band and violinist Jiwon Lee.
Tickets are available through the Ford Center box office (662-915-7411). Cost is $5 for students and $7 for non-students. If you wish to attend and need accommodations, please contact the Box Office by February 15.
TEDxUniversityofMississippi is dedicated to Ideas Worth Spreading and aims to spark meaningful conversation in our community and beyond. For more information about TEDxUniversityofMississippi, visit www.tedxuniversityofmississippi.com and follow the group’s social media at @tedxunivms on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
TEDxUniversityofMississippi sponsors include the Office of the Provost, College of Liberal Arts, ASB Student Activity Fees, Department of Writing and Rhetoric, and the Croft Institute for International Studies.
