Taking a stand against media misrepresentation can lead to positive change in the portrayal of underrepresented individuals.
Individual actions, like starting a nonprofit, can have a widespread impact and address urgent social issues.
Deep dives
Challenging Media Headlines: Confronting Sensationalism and Stereotypes
Physicist Kate Stone shares her experience of being mauled by a deer and the subsequent sensationalized media coverage that focused on her gender identity rather than the accident itself. Fueled by a desire to make a difference, Stone confronted the press, engaging in a dialogue that led to acknowledgement of their wrongdoing. Her aim was to reduce the chances of such misrepresentation happening to someone else in the future.
Water Crisis: Building a Bridge through Philanthropy
Inspired by an article about the water crisis in Detroit, Tiffany Ashley Bell took action by starting a nonprofit called The Human Utility. The organization pays water bills for those in need, ensuring access to clean, affordable water. Bell's impact has extended beyond Detroit, as people from various states request assistance. While acknowledging the short-term nature of their work, The Human Utility seeks to create a bridge, offering relief as other organizations work toward long-term policy changes.
Creating Opportunities for the Next Generation of Tradeswomen
Emily Peloton-Lam founded Girls Garage, a nonprofit that teaches design and construction skills to middle and high school girls. Girls Garage aims to create intentional spaces where young women can learn technical skills, receive support, and develop confidence. By fostering a community of female instructors and empowering girls to pursue careers in the built environment, Girls Garage is helping to increase gender diversity in traditionally male-dominated industries.
Explaining Economics and Finance Through Social Media
Jack Corbett uses TikTok to explain complex economic concepts in a fun and accessible way. By simplifying concepts like fractional reserve lending and tax brackets, Corbett speaks the audience's language and fills a gap in financial literacy education. Through his engaging videos, he aims to make economics more understandable and relatable, ultimately empowering viewers to navigate and understand the economic world around them.
When problems arise, it's tempting to wait for someone else to address it. But sometimes, the only person who can fix it... is you. This hour, TED speakers share ideas on how to do it yourself. Guests include physicist and engineer Kate Stone, humanitarian programmer Tiffani Ashley Bell, builder and youth educator Emily Pilloton-Lam and videographer Jack Corbett.
TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted
