Theme: Reasoning with Reality

Reasoning with Reality can mean to question reality, to plead with it, to bargain with it or to create one’s own version of it. One might do this through art, music, cinema, virtual reality, other creative outlets or using one’s own mind. It can mean using science to try to determine the very nature of reality itself. It can even be as simple as changing one’s perception. The question still stands: what is reality? Beyond the fundamental laws of physics, reality can be both objective and subjective. For some, reality is purely intellect and logic. For others, it is an amalgamation of faith, hope, love, intimacy and spirituality. Though we all inhabit the same physical world, our own personal realities are entirely unique. And it is because of this that we all must ask ourselves what does reality mean to us? And more importantly, how are we reasoning with it?

Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
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Ami Carpenter

“I love to sing and play the piano. I am also inspired by witnessing life’s movements transform into harmonic displays. As the middle child of 10 home-schooled siblings, I came to appreciate the value and suffering of living in community and all that it has to offer. With an immense passion for the academia world and being a student of life, I teach and learn the benefits of trusting in the deep resilience of the human individual and community.” I am a professor of conflict resolution and I research and learn about the benefits of trusting in the deep resilience of the human individual and community.

Arthur Toga

“I am profoundly lucky. I have a wonderful wife and three amazing children. I have a career that has been a string of successes and continues to excite me every day. I have the privilege of working to discover what makes us human and interacting with some of the most intelligent and energetic people in the world. And finding ways of sharing this amazing research with others is a huge passion of mine. What fun!” Arthur is the director of the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging and professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. He spends his days working to help understand the brain in health and disease.

Azeez Momoh

I am of the philosophy of love and consideration. I believe that I am seen as rational and fair and my overall aim in this life is to administer compassion to this world abroad by any means necessary. Being on this stage at TEDxDonovanCorrectional is fulfilling a dream of mine to share my personal story with the world with the hope that it reaches someone in a way they have not felt before.

Carie Covel

"Of all the hats I wear, my mom hat is my favorite. I have come to accept that bad things happen all the time to good people; how we react to them is what can change the world. I believe we all share a common humanity and am committed to doing what it takes to honor that. My personal perspective is we – all of us – build the culture we live in, so let’s make it the culture we want, not the one that 'has always been.'" Carie has also worked long and hard to get to her Associate Warden position with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and takes pride in the fact that she has an opportunity and obligation to help people, do and be better.

Daniel March

“I see myself as a resilient, loyal and kind-hearted individual who may not always say the right thing but always means well. Friends and those that know me have described me as friendly, funny, intelligent and resourceful. My biggest interest and passion in my life is music. I am both a singer and a guitar player and writing my own original songs and material occupies a great deal of my time.”

Daniel Marsh

“I see myself as a resilient, loyal and kind-hearted individual who may not always say the right thing but always means well. Friends and those that know me have described me as friendly, funny, intelligent and resourceful. My biggest interest and passion in my life is music. I am both a singer and a guitar player and writing my own original songs and material occupies a great deal of my time.”

David Pride

“Despite my circumstances, I am an extremely positive, happy-go-lucky and a kind-hearted person. An overly-involved father and loving husband, family is always at the center of my life. I’ve often said that prison has actually saved my life and has given me the blessed opportunity to see things with a clear and sober mind. Today, I can finally focus on a new beginning and turn a dark world into a world of light.”

Frank Beltran

“Some people view me as a strong extrovert type that they see busy on the prison yard throughout the day. I consider myself just a nerdy introvert who likes philosophy and such. When I am not busy mentoring my self-help groups I attend regularly, I appreciate listening to music to take my mind to places where I can create ideas for drawing. There is currently a backlog of those ideas that just might make my head explode.”

Jennifer Duffy

I take great joy in spreading great ideas, but it’s even more rewarding to receive them. Being part of a “first responder” team is the perfect job for me, as I’m really nosy and I like to talk a lot. I like to think I’m pretty open-minded and open-hearted, believing that people are generally good. Sometimes we only see the bad around us, but it’s important to be mindful. Take a moment to see all of the beauty and wonder around you.

Rheanna Downey

“I am a mother of two beautiful boys, a wife to my best friend and a musician by passion and trade. I am a deeply introspective human, a dreamer and visionary. I have the privilege of building bridges with my creativity and my heart is to “bind up the brokenhearted and proclaim freedom for the captives.” Creating and playing music allows me to share my life and my story with others so we can inspire one another to be greater humans.” Rheanna is a songwriter and recording artist pursuing many creative ways to share her gift.

Steve Miller

I describe myself as different in almost every way. I strive to be a student of life and a Man of God, always learning from the things around me. Seeing the good in others and the happiness inside them inspires me to be good-hearted, and always letting my sense of humor shine through. TEDx is a minister of new ideas for change and that’s exactly where I’m at in my own life today.

Tommy Sablan

“I am amazed that there's a heroin epidemic that is happening in our schools and community today. I have been given the wisdom to speak to young students and families that are struggling because of the fact I grew up with two brothers that were heroin addicts. I do not preach to not do drugs. People already know that but what I can tell is my family's story and maybe it will help others make better choices in life.” Tommy is a radio and television producer, but most importantly, he is a father of two.