Helen Pörtner
Student
Helen Pörtner is 19 years old and has lived in Germany all her life, except for an exchange year that she was able to spend in Canada. She loves being outside, hiking mountains, camping, biking, climbing: everything in the outdoors gives her this special feeling of being small and grounded and reminds her to humble. Besides that she is passionate about doing crafts, reading, the EU, issues around indigenous cultures, feminism, storytelling and alternative ways of learning. She believes that being outdoors is good for you and for the planet and will discuss this is her first tedx talk
Jorge Araujo
Student
Raised in Monterrey City, Mexico; Jorge was shaped by the violence that affected his city in the early stages of the War against Drug Trafficking. Ever since, he has made part of his personal mission to ensure that the mistakes that lead up to Mexico’s present day crisis will not be made again. When he was 17, he won a scholarship to attend the United World College Red Cross Nordic, from which he is graduating in 2018. Before he leaves he wishes to share his experience and his ideas concerning the drug crisis in Mexico.
Kayvon Asemani
Founder and CEO of Kayvon Enterprises
Kayvon Asemani is an artist, entrepreneur, fashion designer, teacher, and builder. He is the Founder and CEO of Kayvon Enterprises where he manages multiple brands, including Kayvon Music, Kayvon Fashion, Kayvon Technology, and more. Under his most well-known brand, Kayvon Music, he has established a presence as a Hip Hop artist, being streamed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube and SoundCloud, garnering several press features from publications all over the country, and performing countless shows across the US, including a performance at the United Nations. Despite growing up as an orphan, Kayvon has still reached success, and he has lived his life to show the world that people who come from less deserve a chance. Kayvon has devoted his time, energy, and resources to teaching kids about financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and music. He is passionate about unity, equal access to education, and physical fitness.
Laura Borre
student
Laura has been an active member of the scout movement for the past 12 years of her life. What she really appreciates about the movement is its focus on teambuilding and outdoor. During those years Laura has both been competing in a league for scout called “Adventurespejd League”, but has also planned several events for the Adventurepsejd League. She attended a boarding school for scouts devoted to life in the outdoors. After two years of high school she decided to recover the outdoor and team oriented spirit by applying to UWC.
Mandu Reid
founder of The Cup Effect
Mandu is a Waterford Kamhlaba alumna (’96). She is of dual British/Malawian heritage, grew up in Southern Africa but has lived in London her whole adult life. She is the founder of The Cup Effect, a charity and social enterprise that exists to make it easier for women and girls across the world to live, work and study with dignity and confidence whilst also protecting the planet. She has 15 years of experience as a public servant during which time she worked for every single mayor of London - where she learned the dark art of how to navigate bureaucracy and political intrigue to make good things happen for ordinary people. She doesn't like baked beans or fancy dress, she does like reading, red wine and falling asleep to the sound of rain.
Salomé Valdivieso
Student
Salomé Valdivieso is an 18 year old second-year at United World College Red Cross Nordic. Salomé comes from the high and friendly city of Riobamba, Ecuador. She was elected as the vice president of the Consultative Council in her municipality, is an active member of “Movimiento Juventud Contracorriente” in Ecuador, as well as a Yasuní’s and feminist activist. Next year she will be heading to a volunteering program in India. She aspires to study Anthropology and to work in indigenous communities in Ecuador. Salomé is interested in gender and ecological philosophy, as well as poetic literature and visual arts. Salomé is particularly interested in the role of teenagers in society. She has been involved in political protests around the right of freedom of speech and youth representation. In this TEDx event, she wants to share her experience as an activist in a particular case in her city and how this new perspective encourages her to fight for what she believes.