2025 Archives - TEDxSavannah https://tedxsavannah.com/blog/talks/year/2025/ Shaping the Future Wed, 30 Jul 2025 02:20:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Rediscovering Wonder https://tedxsavannah.com/talks/rediscovering-wonder/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 22:10:44 +0000 https://tedxsavannah.com/?post_type=talk&p=1943 What happens when we ask hard questions? When Destiny Mojica-Taylor found herself at a personal and professional crossroads, she started questioning everything. She describes how she made room for wonder in her life and discovered new possibilities. Destiny Mojica-Taylor bridges the gap between data-driven strategies and the beating heart of emotion to tell compelling stories […]

The post Rediscovering Wonder appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> What happens when we ask hard questions? When Destiny Mojica-Taylor found herself at a personal and professional crossroads, she started questioning everything. She describes how she made room for wonder in her life and discovered new possibilities. Destiny Mojica-Taylor bridges the gap between data-driven strategies and the beating heart of emotion to tell compelling stories that build authentic connections and amplify brand voices. A marketing strategist and talented storyteller, she currently serves as the Marketing Manager for Colonial Oil Industries, Inc., which has been a part of the Savannah community for more than a century.

Known for injecting fun into business-to-business (B2B) marketing, Destiny has been helping brands thrive in an ever-evolving landscape for more than 8 years. She has a proven track record of building award-winning marketing campaigns that resonate with target audiences.

Destiny earned a Bachelor of International Business and International Marketing from Valdosta State University. She is a graduate of Leadership Savannah and a member of the Metro Savannah Rotary Club.

The post Rediscovering Wonder appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> What Does Silence Sound Like? https://tedxsavannah.com/talks/what-does-silence-sound-like/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 22:09:00 +0000 https://tedxsavannah.com/?post_type=talk&p=1942 Cyd Ahlberg believes that the power of poetry is limitless and challenges listeners to embrace poetry’s power for themselves – with curiosity and fearlessness. Her talk includes portions of her original poems “Sounds of Silence” and “We Are One.” Cyd Ahlberg, also known as CJ Giovanni, is a lifelong poet, talented graphic designer, compelling visual […]

The post What Does Silence Sound Like? appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Cyd Ahlberg believes that the power of poetry is limitless and challenges listeners to embrace poetry’s power for themselves – with curiosity and fearlessness. Her talk includes portions of her original poems “Sounds of Silence” and “We Are One.” Cyd Ahlberg, also known as CJ Giovanni, is a lifelong poet, talented graphic designer, compelling visual artist and keen-eyed photographer. A Savannah native, she is dedicated to honoring the legacy of storytelling by sharing her story and the stories of her elders with the next generation.

Inspired by poets Nikki Giovanni and Sonia Sanchez, Cyd delivers moving performances that blend music with spoken word to evoke raw historical narratives and reflect on life’s complexities. Through impassioned spoken word performances, she explores themes including faith, love, mental health, music and the Black experience.

She earned acclaim at the 2023 Savannah Grammar Poetry Slam and is a featured artist at community events, including Savannah Day of Peace, Sapelo Island Cultural Day, the Black Moses Freedom Festival, the Savannah Black Arts Expo and the Savannah Juneteenth Fine Arts Festival.

The post What Does Silence Sound Like? appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> How Oysters Keep Me Optimistic https://tedxsavannah.com/talks/how-oysters-keep-me-optimistic/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 22:06:57 +0000 https://tedxsavannah.com/?post_type=talk&p=1941 Take a journey to Coastal Georgia and the waters where local oysters thrive and are harvested. With stunning photos and first-hand expertise, Laura Solomon explains how this keystone species is making a difference, quietly doing what it has done for millions of years – filtering water, creating habitat and providing food. Laura Solomon is an […]

The post How Oysters Keep Me Optimistic appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Take a journey to Coastal Georgia and the waters where local oysters thrive and are harvested. With stunning photos and first-hand expertise, Laura Solomon explains how this keystone species is making a difference, quietly doing what it has done for millions of years – filtering water, creating habitat and providing food. Laura Solomon is an oyster farmer who believes in the power of sustainability, education and environmental stewardship. She and her husband cofounded Tybee Oyster Company, a floating oyster farm on Tybee Island, with the mission to revive Georgia’s oyster industry and to serve as advocates for sustainability in coastal Georgia.

Dedicated to inspiring future generations, she founded Education. Community. Oysters. (ECO), a nonprofit organization that connects aquaculture with K-12 education through partnerships with local schools, including Tybee Island Maritime Academy and St. Andrew’s School, and leads teacher training workshops for the Georgia Aquarium staff, the Georgia Association of Marine Education and the Georgia Science Teacher Association.

Laura promotes real-world learning and strategic growth as the Director of Growth and Planning at Tybee Island Maritime Academy and serves on the board of St. Andrew’s School.

The post How Oysters Keep Me Optimistic appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> My Inner Child Is My Creative Director https://tedxsavannah.com/talks/my-inner-child-is-my-creative-director/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 22:05:14 +0000 https://tedxsavannah.com/?post_type=talk&p=1940 As a child, Devika Kulkarni could be found coloring on white walls and jumping in puddles. As a grownup, she got used to following rules until she discovered that it’s the not-knowing, the second guessing, and the constant questioning that encourages growth. Today, she embraces childlike imagination and adult sensibility to guide her creative process. […]

The post My Inner Child Is My Creative Director appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> As a child, Devika Kulkarni could be found coloring on white walls and jumping in puddles. As a grownup, she got used to following rules until she discovered that it’s the not-knowing, the second guessing, and the constant questioning that encourages growth. Today, she embraces childlike imagination and adult sensibility to guide her creative process. Devika Kulkarni is a graphic designer whose work is defined by curiosity, humor and a love for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. She believes that everyone has the potential to achieve greatness and is dedicated to transforming lives, mindsets and design processes through her creative work.

By seamlessly blending innovation with storytelling, Devika has helped craft identities for a wide range of wellness and lifestyle brands. Her passion for branding and simplifying complex systems also led her to write and illustrate two children’s books: A Twinkling Memory and The Children’s Object Book.

She is currently pursuing an MFA in Graphic Design and Visual Experience at SCAD and hopes to inspire other young designers to embrace their creativity and become forces for positive change in their own communities.

The post My Inner Child Is My Creative Director appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Save My Seat https://tedxsavannah.com/talks/save-my-seat/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 22:03:27 +0000 https://tedxsavannah.com/?post_type=talk&p=1939 Poet Cyd Ahlberg performs her original song, accompanied by guitarist and producer Jake Menendez Cyd Ahlberg, also known as CJ Giovanni, is a lifelong poet, talented graphic designer, compelling visual artist and keen-eyed photographer. A Savannah native, she is dedicated to honoring the legacy of storytelling by sharing her story and the stories of her […]

The post Save My Seat appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Poet Cyd Ahlberg performs her original song, accompanied by guitarist and producer Jake Menendez

Cyd Ahlberg, also known as CJ Giovanni, is a lifelong poet, talented graphic designer, compelling visual artist and keen-eyed photographer. A Savannah native, she is dedicated to honoring the legacy of storytelling by sharing her story and the stories of her elders with the next generation.

Inspired by poets Nikki Giovanni and Sonia Sanchez, Cyd delivers moving performances that blend music with spoken word to evoke raw historical narratives and reflect on life’s complexities. Through impassioned spoken word performances, she explores themes including faith, love, mental health, music and the Black experience.

She earned acclaim at the 2023 Savannah Grammar Poetry Slam and is a featured artist at community events, including Savannah Day of Peace, Sapelo Island Cultural Day, the Black Moses Freedom Festival, the Savannah Black Arts Expo and the Savannah Juneteenth Fine Arts Festival.

The post Save My Seat appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Hurricanes Do Happen Here: Changing The Conversation About Our Coast https://tedxsavannah.com/talks/hurricanes-do-happen-here-changing-the-conversation-about-our-coast/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 22:00:43 +0000 https://tedxsavannah.com/?post_type=talk&p=1938 Chelsea Sawyer learned the hard way that Georgia’s geography doesn’t protect our area from the damage that hurricanes can cause. She committed herself to learning why and now champions what we all can do to be prepared. Chelsea Sawyer is the local expert Chatham County leaders call when hurricanes and other natural disasters threaten to […]

The post Hurricanes Do Happen Here: Changing The Conversation About Our Coast appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Chelsea Sawyer learned the hard way that Georgia’s geography doesn’t protect our area from the damage that hurricanes can cause. She committed herself to learning why and now champions what we all can do to be prepared. Chelsea Sawyer is the local expert Chatham County leaders call when hurricanes and other natural disasters threaten to impact the area. As the Emergency Preparedness Manager for Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), she plays a key role in disaster recovery planning and operations and was recently honored with the 2024 Community Hero Award for her dedication to building disaster resilience.

A Georgia Certified Emergency Manager, Chelsea earned a Masters in Public Administration and Policy from Virginia Tech and is an active member of the International Association of Emergency Managers. She previously served as the Southeast U.S. representative on the Government Social Media Membership Council, where she advanced best practices in crisis communication.

She volunteers with the United Way of the Coastal Empire and the Metro Savannah Rotary Club and is a proud graduate of Leadership Savannah.

The post Hurricanes Do Happen Here: Changing The Conversation About Our Coast appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Holding Space For The Healthcare Experiences Of Rural Georgians https://tedxsavannah.com/talks/holding-space-for-the-healthcare-experiences-of-rural-georgians/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 21:58:52 +0000 https://tedxsavannah.com/?post_type=talk&p=1937 Listening – really listening – and having patients and their families feel heard serves as the cornerstone of Dr. Tilicia Mayo-Gamble’s work. With an understanding of the healthcare challenges facing rural Georgians, she shares her own family’s experience and the hope that sharing stories and traditions can inspire. Dr. Tilicia Mayo-Gamble, affectionately known as “Dr. […]

The post Holding Space For The Healthcare Experiences Of Rural Georgians appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Listening – really listening – and having patients and their families feel heard serves as the cornerstone of Dr. Tilicia Mayo-Gamble’s work. With an understanding of the healthcare challenges facing rural Georgians, she shares her own family’s experience and the hope that sharing stories and traditions can inspire. Dr. Tilicia Mayo-Gamble, affectionately known as “Dr. TMG” to her students, is the Associate Dean for Practice and Research in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist who earned her M.A., M.P.H., and Ph.D. from Indiana University.

A caregiver to her husband, who is a cancer survivor, Tilicia has seen the lived-disease experience of caring for a loved one and has taken steps to change it through nearly 20 years of advocacy and research. Her research focuses on implementing community and patient engagement methods to enhance patient-centered care for adults with chronic diseases and marginalized populations.

In addition to her research, Tilicia serves as an evangelist and missionary and recently published her first book When the Holy Spirit Calls: Embracing Your Unique Spiritual Gifts.

The post Holding Space For The Healthcare Experiences Of Rural Georgians appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> (Re)Imagining The Purpose Of Middle School https://tedxsavannah.com/talks/reimagining-the-purpose-of-middle-school/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 21:56:59 +0000 https://tedxsavannah.com/?post_type=talk&p=1936 What if middle school allowed more time for kids to be kids? Amanda Fanelli advocates for a more student-centered, place-based, experiential learning approach in our public middle school curriculums based on models that allow for exploration and less time sitting still. An award-winning IB History teacher with 19 years of experience helping students understand their […]

The post (Re)Imagining The Purpose Of Middle School appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> What if middle school allowed more time for kids to be kids? Amanda Fanelli advocates for a more student-centered, place-based, experiential learning approach in our public middle school curriculums based on models that allow for exploration and less time sitting still. An award-winning IB History teacher with 19 years of experience helping students understand their role as citizens, Amanda Fanelli was honored as the 2024 Gilder Lehrman Georgia History Teacher of the Year and the 2024 Sol C. Johnson High School Teacher of the Year. She is passionate about guiding her students to confront the challenges that climate change is presenting to marginalized people around the world and in their own community.

Amanda earned a B.A. in History from Roosevelt University and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Massachusetts – Lowell. A Fulbright Scholar, she is currently pursuing her Ed.D. in Curriculum Theory at Georgia Southern University.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature and exploring the beauty of the Hostess City with her family.

The post (Re)Imagining The Purpose Of Middle School appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Keeping Sound In Mind https://tedxsavannah.com/talks/keeping-sound-in-mind/ Wed, 30 Jul 2025 02:20:26 +0000 https://tedxsavannah.com/?post_type=talk&p=1947 Attempting to quiet her own “very chatty” mind, Jacilyn Ledford found that she could use sound as a pathway to calming her thoughts. With a variety of instruments, she serves as a sound facilitator, taking those present on a journey of self-exploration and inner observation. Jacilyn Ledford is a sound healer and practitioner, certified yoga […]

The post Keeping Sound In Mind appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Attempting to quiet her own “very chatty” mind, Jacilyn Ledford found that she could use sound as a pathway to calming her thoughts. With a variety of instruments, she serves as a sound facilitator, taking those present on a journey of self-exploration and inner observation. Jacilyn Ledford is a sound healer and practitioner, certified yoga instructor, Reiki master, Vipassana meditator, ordained minister, end-of-life doula and energy guide who is dedicated to supporting individuals on their journey toward inner exploration and peace.

Passionate about holistic healing and the transformative power of sound therapy, Jacilyn has studied ancient healing traditions in India and shares the sacred practice of sound healing ceremonies in the United States and worldwide.

She performs regularly in Savannah and is the owner of Wind Over Heaven, a sacred space on Tybee Island, Georgia.

The post Keeping Sound In Mind appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> Summer Workin’ Blues https://tedxsavannah.com/talks/1934/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 21:54:45 +0000 https://tedxsavannah.com/?post_type=talk&p=1934 An original piece by musician Oz Yakabovitz. Oz Yakabovitz is a young musician with deep roots and big range. At just 7 years old, he became the youngest officially permitted street performer in Savannah, playing at the Forsyth Farmers’ Market, where he played acoustic covers of The Beatles and Johnny Cash. Six years later, Oz […]

The post Summer Workin’ Blues appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]> An original piece by musician Oz Yakabovitz.

Oz Yakabovitz is a young musician with deep roots and big range. At just 7 years old, he became the youngest officially permitted street performer in Savannah, playing at the Forsyth Farmers’ Market, where he played acoustic covers of The Beatles and Johnny Cash. Six years later, Oz has evolved into a dynamic multi-instrumentalist with a passion for jazz and a genre-bending repertoire that spans pop, hip-hop and beyond. Whether on guitar or trumpet, his improvisation is bold, expressive and always full of surprises. Live music sponsored by New Arts Ensembles.

The post Summer Workin’ Blues appeared first on TEDxSavannah.

]]>