top of page

Speakers

We are proud to feature inspirational youth speakers from around the Seattle area. Here is our line-up for our July 31st 2022 main event at the Bush School in Seattle, WA! 
0
Jaden Blank.jpeg

Jaden Winn (he/him) lives Portland, Oregon, and grew up on Vashon island. He is a graduate from and valedictorian of Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School. He is passionate about social justice, and how he can use his everyday actions to impact ripples of profound positive change within his community, both locally and around the globe. He is the founder and executive director of an organization and youth alliance called Youth Igniting Change, with the mission to address climate justice, youth experiencing homelessness, and diversity, equity, inclusivity, and representation.

He is looking forward to discussing how human-to-human connection, based on our fundamental commonalities, can provide a means for having conversations with others who hold different thoughts or beliefs from, or may disagree with, us. During quarantine, Jaden has been getting back into cooking and baking. Learn More

1
Raven (Blank).jpeg

Raven Two Feathers (Cherokee, Seneca, Cayuga, Comanche) (he/they) is a Two-Spirit, Emmy award-winning creator.  Originally from New Mexico, they spent their childhood moving and exploring Indigenous cultures across the continent and Pacific.  They returned to New Mexico to attend Santa Fe University of Art & Design, graduating magna cum laude with a BFA in Film Production.  After graduation, their path led them to work on and creating more Indigenous art than ever, and things began to feel right. 

They recently released a comic-based zine, “Qualifications of Being,” about their journey of realizing they are trans and Two-Spirit.  They are in post for a VR experience where the viewer rides alongside them on their drive to top surgery.  From Ballard High School to now making art full time in Seattle, Raven has realized the power of individuality for self and community growth.  They will share their experiences with embracing themselves and their place in the community on the TEDxYouth@Seattle stage, from a long time ago into what we can hope for in the future.

 

2
Anjelica Blank.jpeg

Anjelica Valenzuela (she/her) is a 15-year-old student from Seatac, Washington. She is a rising sophomore in Seattle and is passionate about law, human rights and social justice, as well as learning about people and the way they view life. Having been raised by her neighbor, grandmother, sister, and brother, she views home as her community and is excited to share a new perspective on how the way she and others have been raised has impacted the connections between different communities, as well as how taking risks and making sacrifices can lead to a brighter future and a better understanding of others. 
 
Anjelica is a member of the Rainier Scholars program and is currently in the final application step for the Seattle Youth Commission, which will allow her to share her voice and perspective on Seattle lawmaking. She’s been watching a ton of horror movies in quarantine and counts the Mexican mole lizard as her favorite animal.

3
Terrell Blank.jpeg

Terrell Engmann is a recent graduate from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology and is currently in the Biomolecular Science PhD program at Boise State University. Terrell was born and raised in the Tacoma area but is currently running projects promoting food sovereignty in the Seattle area through his organization, Basilica Bio.

He is most passionate about promoting positive health outcomes in communities of color, many of which have felt the lasting impacts of racist policies such as redlining in their communities. Through his work, Terrell aspires to improve health outcomes in BIPOC communities through education, community engagement, and facilitating community-led research to combat disparities and create tangible change. He is also pursuing breast cancer research and cancer drug development.

On the TEDx stage, Terrell is most excited to connect with like-minded individuals and to share his vision for his field, and all scientific fields, in the future. He aims to break down barriers and to promote access. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with TEDxYouth@Seattle and to learn from this exciting process. Learn More

ALICE
Kathryn and Anya Blank.jpeg

Kathryn Lau (she/hers) (right) is a recent High School graduate. She originally grew up in Redmond before coming to call the Greater Seattle Area her home, including Edmonds where she currently lives. Kathryn loves the performing arts — singing, dancing, acting — but also swims and dives. In her free time, you might see her at a local dog park or bubble tea shop. Having grown up in the world of classical ballet, and later transitioned into an interdisciplinary musical theatre art form, she has seen countless instances of racial injustice firsthand in the professional and personal arts world. After completing an acting intensive, she partnered with a friend to create an organization made to support and promote other teen artists of color. She hopes to share this work with the TEDxYouth @ Seattle audience and the world to create a more equitable and inclusive arts scene, which will in turn create a more empathetic and diverse world. 

 

Anya Shukla (she/her) (left) recently graduated from High School in Seattle. An avid singer and writer, she is passionate about diversity in the arts and is excited to share its importance on the TEDxYouth@Seattle stage. In 2019, she co-founded The Colorization Collective, an organization that supports teen artists of color. Through The Collective, Anya and her colleagues work to amplify the voices of young BIPOC artists. In doing so, she hopes to push for a future where everyone can see their identities and experiences reflected across all forms of media. In her free time, she enjoys baking with her sister and watching rom-coms. Learn more

4
5
6
2019 speakers + coaches

Join our team

The TEDxYouth@Seattle event has been made possible by our large team of dedicated and passionate volunteers.

7
bottom of page