Theme: The Unlikely

In a time where uncertainty is imminent in all realms of life, we must be prepared to confront norms, challenge stereotypes, and welcome change. We live in an era where a critical and creative mind is integral in order to defy what the odds tell us, make a different in our world, and take a leap of faith. For some, this might mean a shift in attitude; for others, it might mean a questioning and examination of preconceived notions. Instead of accepting the norm, bold individuals who walk the unlikely path and introduce unlikely ideas find themselves achieving unprecedented outcomes. Those who have bested the probabilities are the leaders, scientists, and innovators who have, in their own way, changed the ways of our world today. In TEDx, we invite those who have met, achieved, conquered, or created “the unlikely” in their fields to share their ideas. Their experiences in the face of the likely in tandem with an active resistance to conformity will inspire our community in facing the personal and global challenges to come.

Dominican International School Auditorium
No. 76, Dazhi Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, 10491
B1
Taipei, Taipei, 10491
Taiwan

Bill Wolfe

Educator, Writer, Journalist

Bill Wolfe teaches at DIS as a literature and writing instructor. He served 8 years in the US Army, where he earned 2 battlefield commendations for his improvisational communications work linking infantry divisions with rear echelon commands. In 1999 he completed a degree in communication arts, graduating cum laude and specializing in stage drama and creative writing, while serving as an assistant editor for the campus literary magazine and touring college campuses for one semester as a Featured Creative Writer for the Pennsylvania System of Higher Education. After graduation he wrote briefly for a Bethesda, MD newspaper before spending 3 years editing and writing news stories and a weekly column for a small daily newspaper in Pennsylvania. In 2002 he became the first Pennsylvania journalist ever to sweep the top 2 prizes in the Best Sports Feature Story category in the Associated Press Pennsylvania Newspaper Editors Awards. He began teaching in Taiwan in 2002 and came to DIS in 2017.

Crazie Julia

YouTuber, Vlogger, Fashion Icon

When Julia was in her Junior year of college, she launched her YouTube Channel, craziejulia. In the beginning, she mostly shared her college life and travel videos and only did it for fun. However, within a short period of time, she has gained over 200k of subscribers. As a fashion lover, she has also started to share her style and lookbook on Youtube, Instagram, and Weibo. And now, after completing her bachelor degree in business administration at University of Southern California, she has turned her passion into a career. Until now, she has collaborated with a variety of global brands, such as Adidas, Dior, H&M, etc. Julia is definitely a girl who is ready for her bright future.

Dena Chang

Singer, Songwriter, Influencer

Dena is a Taiwanese singer-songwriter and influencer currently based in Taipei. Having harboured a love for music since youth, she took up the guitar at 13 and began songwriting after being inspired by singer Taylor Swift. In 2013, Dena entered the Avex International Auditions in Japan, finishing second place and garnering much media attention over her angelic vocals and guitar skills. She grew her base via YouTube and slowly moved towards songwriting. In 2015, Dena’s potential as a songwriter was unearthed when she was awarded a scholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee School Of Music after completing a degree in nursing where she gained a deeper appreciation for songwriting and greater access to the resources she needed to bring her music to wider audiences.

Iris Lu

Student

Iris Lu, a senior at the International Bilingual School at Tainan Science Park, was born and raised in Los Angeles, California before she moved to live in Tainan, Taiwan at the age of 10. Ever since her tender middle school years, she became an avid member of every club and organization she could take part in. From service in Interact to leadership in student council, from cooperation in Model United Nations to self-confidence in debate, from teamwork in soccer to perseverance in swimming, she learned and grew over the years, her ambitions likewise. In line with TEDxDominicanIntlSchool 2019’s theme “The Unlikely,” she is honored to be able to share her experiences in understanding one’s own limitations when juggling schoolwork, extracurriculars, and expectations, but all the while realizing that you still truly can have it all - the ultimate “unlikely.”

Jason Hung

Writer, Public speaker

Jason Hung is a MSc Sociology candidate at London School of Economics and an affiliate student at King’s College London. He will be a visiting graduate student at University of Chicago in 2019 and worked as a visiting student researcher at University of California, Berkeley in 2018. He was also the founding Vice Executive Director at UK Joint University Public Speaking Competition in 2017. In 2014, Jason failed in the university entrance examination in Hong Kong, along with having an IELTS score as low as 6.5. He was told by school teachers and parents that he would be unlikely to succeed in future. Yet, he endeavoured to study hard and gained his university entry in the United Kingdom in 2015. He also began his public speaking and writing career in due course, development which he was unlikely to succeed based on his academic history.

Meng Chih Chiang

Artist, Author, Educator

Meng is an award-winning artist, author, and educator based in New York City. Due to her family economic hardship, she began learning art in her childhood by self-teaching. She accepted numerous scholarships from renowned institutes and the Taiwanese government to study abroad. During graduate years in New York, Meng remained financially independent for her tuition and living expenses and has paid off millions of student loan for her master degree at the age of 27. Later she shouldered the financial burden of her parents in Taiwan. Meng has been recognized by many top international awards, and has been invited to exhibit worldwide. She’s been a faculty member in the MFA Computer Arts at the School of Visual Arts in New York since 2016. In 2018, She published her autobiography “The Spirit of Undefeated” which told the story about how she overcame the long-term depression and how she embraced the imperfection in life.

Michael Garber

Journalist, Documentary Filmmaker

Michael Garber is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. As an adolescent he attended Catholic elementary school Monday to Friday, Jewish Sunday School and Hebrew School. After completing a BFA focused on Animation, in 2007 Michael moved to Taiwan to study Mandarin Chinese. Between 2009 and 2018 Michael worked in a variety of media jobs in Taipei, most recently at a local documentary production company making Discovery Channel documentaries about Taiwan. In 2018 Michael decided to become an independent filmmaker, and hopes to help Taiwanese society by highlighting the work of activists, and by increasing the visibility of disenfranchised groups. His current projects include a documentary about the movement for and referendum on marriage equality in Taiwan, and a documentary examining the social impact of Taiwan’s highly unusual criminal adultery law.