Theme: Education 2028: Fill In The Gap

Come join us August 4, 2018 for a full day of fun, interactive, and engaging as we exchange ideas about the educational climate in the historic Oak Cliff area.

Our theme this year is “Education 2028: Fill In The Gap”. With all the amazing speakers we have lined up, you don’t want to miss all things education at this one-of-a-kind TEDx talk! From classroom engagement to community involvement, you’ll get to meet all these local faces who are making a difference in the quality of the education our students are receiving. There’s absolutely no way you could miss the big event!

Come catch our amazing speakers: Onjaleke Brown, Jay Veal, Jessica Williams, Giulio Romano, Ke'Yonna Hall, Terrance Johnson, Ebony Smith, Turner Cooper, Kimberly Lane Clark, and Gaurav Shekhar!

TICKETS ARE SELLING FAST! Purchase your today fro only $25 online at www.tedxoakcliffed.org!

Arts Mission Oak Cliff
410 South Windomere Ave
Dallas, Texas, 75208
United States

Ebony Smith

Yoga N Da Hood, Founder

Ebony Smith, a.k.a ‘The Ghetto Guru’ is a certified Yoga Instructor, Wellness Coach and founder of Nonprofit outreach organization ‘Yoga N Da Hood’. Originally from Dallas, Texas Ebony overcame a rocky and turbulent childhood and young adult life until she found yoga in her late twenties during her pregnancy. Wanting to have a natural birth, Ebony started yoga and it was her “saving grace” and wake up call to began a healing process her heart had been longing for. Discovering who she is and her potential to help those around her in the underprivileged ‘hood’ communities, she founded her non-profit ‘Yoga N Da Hood’ where she offers free yoga and meditation classes. Ebony teaches people in undeserved communities the art of self healing and self love through the practice of yoga and mindfulness. With a mission to equip individuals with the tools to empower their own life and to further spread a wider message of healing, self love and wholeness to a larger community.

Gaurav Shekhar

Professor, UTD

Gaurav Shekhar grew up in the colorful city of New Delhi in India. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, and worked for Ericsson. After working for several years, he plunged back into education to earn his Master’s degree from the University of Texas at Dallas. To give wings to his childhood passion, years later he found himself associated with Toastmasters International. It gave him an opportunity to move in circles and give public speeches, which helped him interact with more and more people. He has been awarded the Distinguished Toastmaster award twice, which is the highest recognition in Toastmasters. He feels that Servant Leadership is the key to one’s personal growth. He also believes in the power of investing in the students as a student can shape the future of our world more than anyone else. For him education is the tool that he wants to share with as many people as possible.

Jay Veal

INC Tutoring, CEO/Founder

Jay Veal is the CEO of INC Tutoring, the #1 African-American owned private tutoring company in DFW serving students of all ages in STEM and beyond. In addition, he is a 2017 Dallas Business Journal Top 40 Under 40, named one of Dallas’ Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs of DFW by Voyage Magazine, 2018 Hidden Figures of Dallas Top STEM Influencers, and a new selectee to speak at TEDxOakCliff ED in August. DFW was missing the element in private tutoring that minority students could be successful with. His organization was the solution to this problem and now hundreds of minority students are moving from failing to earning A’s and B’s, building confidence and performing when they believed they couldn’t before. They have been featured in 38 media outlets including the Black Enterprise, Southern Dallas Magazine, Exceptional People Magazine, Millennials To Watch, Voyage Dallas, 40 Magazine, National Urban League and more. He serves on the board of Rae's Hope and Big Thought.

Jessica Williams

Dancer

Jessica JoAnn Williams (Yezi) energetic and high spirited YouTuber, Vlogger, Professional Dancer, Modeling Instructor, Researcher, and Student. Yezi teaches and performs in various environments; each year she tours professionally with Afrikania Cultural Troupe of Ghana each year where she has the opportunity to instruct West African dance. Yezi has a passion for doing many things to make a change; her focus is to improve the quality of education for underprivileged communities and districts. As an effort to begin her transition, Yezi volunteers her weekends to teaching Foster children basic learning concepts and integrates them with music and dance. In the last year of her Undergraduate career, Yezi presented research she studied on student choreographers stress levels. Her study took place at her Alma Mater University of North Texas where she received her Bachelor's Degree of Arts in Dance with Secondary Teachers Certification.

Ke' Yonna Hall

Community Activist

Dallas native Ke'Yonna Hall is a first generation high school and college graduate. She earned her dual B.A. in Sociology and B.S. in Criminal Justice from the University of North Texas (UNT). In her final semester as an undergraduate, her passion for education and urban policy intertwined. She conducted independent research that centered on understanding the higher education barriers of first generation African American girls and re-examined cultivation theories. She received a Congressional Recognition Award for Outstanding Constituent Service and made it a priority to give that same level of dedication to her community. Recognizing the needs of the students that she engages with regularly prompted Hall to found Secure The Grad; a readiness program offering assistance to students soon-to-be transitioning out of high school. In her free time you can find her discussing the needs of Oak Cliff residents or enjoying the company of her younger brother.

Kimberly Lane Clark

Blended Learning Specialist

Kimberly began her career in educational technology 11 years ago gaining experience teaching students in Mississippi and Texas. In 2016, she was selected as the third cohort of the TED-Ed while serving as a technology consultant for SchoolHouse 21. Kimberly currently serves as a technology consultant for Educate Texas, city lead for Black Tech Women in Dallas, TX, a guest technology consultant for the Global Academic Technology Essentials Teacher Institute at Mississippi State University, and currently the 2017-2018 ISTE Computer Science Network President. Kimberly is currently a District Blended Learning Specialist in Texas. Kimberly earned a B.A. in Educational Technology, a M.Ed in Secondary Education and an Ed.S in Secondary Education with a specialization in Educational Technology from Jackson State University.

Onjaleke Brown

Principal, Dallas ISD

Onjaleke M. Brown is a proud product of Dallas Independent School District.Upon graduation from J. F. Kimball High School, Onjaleke attended The University of Texas at Austin where she majored in Applied Learning and Development. She also holds two additional Masters' of Education and in pursuit of her doctorate. Onjaleke continued her career as an assistant principal at various middle and high school campuses in Dallas. Onjaleke took the helm as the principal of N. W. Harllee Early Childhood Center re-opening the campus with a laser like focus on best practices in early childhood and social emotional practices. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Lorinza & her three children Bryce, Ayden & Avery. She serves her community through her teaching in the Women’s Ministry at Freedom Missionary Baptist Church. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc

Terrance Johnson

Dancer, Educator, Activist

Executive Director, Founder of Terrance M. Johnson Dance Project

Turner Cooper

Educator, Community Activist

urner Cooper was born in Los Angeles, California; however, at young age, his family relocated to Dallas, Texas. He is a 2011 graduate of Morehouse College where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and completed some graduate work with John Hopkins University. In 2014, Turner relocated back to Dallas and has been actively teaching and communing since. Over the last 7 years, he has done work with City Year: Chicago, Uncommon Schools and Achievement First, and Breakthrough Collaborative, and KIPP DFW. Turner's extracurricular activities include: running, traveling, photography, food, and laughter. Turner is a source of positive energy, creativity, effervescence, and whirlwind of fun! Turner lives by the quote from Frederick Douglass, "If there is no struggle, there is no progress."