7 TEDx Talks from women making change

This Friday and Saturday, November 30 and December 1, over 150 TEDx events will join the anchor TEDxWomen event in Washington D.C. in a global conversation about the state of women in the world today. To celebrate this momentous occasion, here are seven talks from women innovating the way we live — the way we eat, educate, heal and care.

The aftermath of Occupy: Naomi Colvin at TEDxHousesofParliament

Last year, the Occupy Wall Street movement spread like wildfire across the globe. It sparked countless protests and its “We are the 99%” slogan has been canonized into the progressive lexicon. Just as quickly as it gained champions, however, it found critics from the left and right who dismiss the campaign for its inability to articulate specific demands. Naomi Colvin thinks they miss the point entirely; that the protests were not about rushing into specific negotiations based on conventional principles, but about disrupting the way we reform altogether. In this reflective talk, she lays out a new vision of political identity.

Barbara Bush at TEDxBrooklyn

Young people can make an extraordinary impact on the global health crisis. Through the story of an anti-HIV campaign in Malawi, Barbara Bush demonstrates the power of motivated volunteers to solve problems of health equity.

En este mundo: Magdalena Goyheneix at TEDxRíodelaPlata-TEDxChange

Instead of being overwhelmed by the devastation wrought by illness in Nigeria, Magdalena Goyheneix found hope. Putting a human face on the shocking health statistics, she reminds us that each life is worth saving. (In Spanish with English subtitles.)

Soap saves: Renée Botta at TEDxDU-TEDxChange

Despite massive foreign aid, lack of water, food, hygiene, and basic services in the developing world persists. Through the story of a young African woman who began manufacturing and selling liquid soap in her hometown, Renee Botta explains how the challenges of these communities might be solved through creating self-sustained economies.

Y el cambio comienza en nuestros niños: Patricia Velásquez at TEDxTepuy

What is your cause? Patricia Velásquez started a school in one of Venezuela’s toughest areas because she believed that the future of every child should be protected and supported. At TEDxTepuy, she calls on all of us to find our own personal cause to fight for. (In Spanish with English subtitles.)

Using innovation in human rights: Mallika Dutt at TEDxGateway

Mallika Dutt fights for human rights not just by advocating for institutional change, but by appealing for societal change as well. At TEDxGateway, she shares clips from her popular films that address issues from violence against women to HIV/AIDS and place the responsibility for creating a culture of dignity on every individual.

Eat less meat, more bugs: Florence Dunkel at TEDxBozeman

Insects are high in protein and — if prepared well — delicious. And according to Florence Dunkel, their low-cost, ecological production means we need to incorporate them into our diets if we want a stable future for food security.