In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

J. Leander Byrd Community Center
1401 Old Bainbridge Road
Tallahassee, Florida, 32303
United States

Alexandria Washington

Alexandria is a PhD Student at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Her passion is connecting communities to agriculture to promote and enhance healthy living.

Antionette Mutcherson

Since she could remember, Antionette Mutcherson has had an entrepreneurial spirit. Her journey has included co-owning two businesses with her sister Lexie Mutcherson: High Maintenance Events and Staff (2010- 2014) and The Bundle Bar (2012-2014). Mutcherson felt that she needed the missing piece of the puzzle to become the businesswoman that she always envisioned herself as. She decided to return to school and received her MBA from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in December 2017. Previously, Mutcherson received her Undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree from Clark Atlanta University in 2007 and an Associate Degree in Jewelry Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2010. As a child, she remembers falling in love with literature. Mutcherson is a product of Hillsborough and Leon County schools. She credits her mother and schoolteachers for planting the seed of reading and writing in her as an elementary-age student. Life has come full-circle now that Mutcherson volunteers, facilitate workshops, and speaks at schools across the country. Mutcherson began writing at a young age and in 2013, she published the first of three children’s books in The Adventures of Jett Antoinette book series. The series inspired by her seven-year-old daughter, Jett, includes Where DoesTime Go?, The Day the White House Turned Green and Jett Visits Delta Land. All of her titles have been featured in the Delta Authors on Tour Directory 2014-2018. Mutcherson was motivated to write her third and award-winning title, Jett Visits Delta Land, which is the first title under her independent publishing company, BFF Publishing LLC. In June 2019, Mutcherson published her latest title, How to Secure the Children’s Book Bag: An Interactive Guide to Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Children’s Books. As an advocate for children’s literacy, she lives by the mantra, readers are leaders. To find out more about Antionette Mutcherson visit www.bffpublishinghouse.com

April McCray

My name is April Ciara McCray. I grew up in Tallahassee and Blountstown, Florida. I am the daughter of Regina Martin- Hicks but my loving godparents Mr. Norris and Ruby Barr help raise me. I am the mother of Joi Marie Fields who’s two years old! She’s is my biggest blessing! At an early age, I experienced some growing pains. However, by the age of thirteen I surrendered my life to the Lord and began to blossom. In keeping with His divine plan for my earthly journey, God placed caring individuals in my path. Those individuals helped me identify and develop my scholastic abilities and spiritual gifts. While a student at Covenant Academy, I saw the need to express my gratitude for those who guided me by reciprocating and helping others. I did so by forming a mentoring group for young teen girls. Upon graduating from High School in 2010, I attended Tallahassee Community College (TCC) where I majored in Biology on a full STEM Star academic scholarship. While a TCC student, I applied for an internship to conduct research at the renowned Brookhaven National Laboratory (a multipurpose research institution funded primarily by the U.S Department of Energy’s Office of Science) in Long Island, New York. I was one of four recipients selected out of a pool of 200 applicants to conduct research on Brookhaven Atmospheric Tracer Samplers (BATS) Units for six months (Now Tell Me God Is Good). After my internship, I returned to TCC to resume my studies, graduating with honors with an Associate degree in Biology. I obtained my Bachelor’s degree from the Florida State University College of Social Work in May 2015. In August 2016, I received my Master of Clinical Social Work Degree from Florida State University. I also obtained my license as a Clinical Social Worker. While obtaining my bachelor’s degree, I was blessed with the opportunity to conduct and facilitate an all-girls empowerment and etiquette group at The Florida State University in the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement Department. At this moment in my life, I have done a plethora of speaking engagements by empowering young teen and women the importance of becoming victors and not receiving the labeling of victims. I also empower individuals the importance of wanting to live on the street called, “Very Successful.”

Atira Charles

Dr. Atira Charles is CEO of The Charles Consulting Group, a boutique consulting firm focusing on issues of diversity, inclusion, and wellness. She began her academic journey at Florida A&M University, which is where she earned both her B.S. in Finance and her Masters of Business Administration. Dr. Charles immediately began her career in academia, after graduating with her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Management from Arizona State University. As one of the most innovative organizational scholars in the country, Dr. Charles' research, consulting, and training facilitation seeks to shed light on and further understand the unique narratives revolving around the way in which individuals manage their differences while striving for personal, professional and organizational success and wellness. Her expertise also focuses on organizational structures and processes that promote positive, inclusionary, and healthy environments. Additionally, she explores how organizations can effectively manage the differences of their employees, through social and structural means. More specifically, her research and consulting revolves around identity management in the workplace, organizational management of differences, wellness practices, and communication and feedback processes within diverse organizations. Inspired by her teaching philosophy, she also engages in research and coaching which focus on how individual’s can motivate themselves to positive and productive action through self- awareness, wellness, and identity management. Dr. Charles’ research has been published in numerous academic journals and media outlets. She has presented her research internationally and has worked with many municipalities and global Fortune 500 organizations exploring the role of identities in the workplace. Dr. Charles provides workshops, coaching, and consultative services that aim to build more authentic, inclusive, healthy, and engaging work experiences. She created The Mask Project (www.ourmasks.com), which is a national initiative that documents and uncovers individual’s experiences of “wearing the mask” at work and in life. Dr. Charles has also served as a contributor for Black Enterprise Magazine. Dr. Charles’ has an audiobook entitled “The Art of Unmasking: Peeling back the layers to maximize personal and professional success”. Dr. Charles is a highly sought out speaker for conferences and events focused on diversity, business, wellness, and education. Her work has been featured in magazines, such as Black Enterprise Magazine and ESSENCE. She has also been the recipient of numerous awards such as the Florida State University Guardian of the Flame Award and the FAMU Outstanding 125 Alumni Award. She was even nominated by The Obama White House as a "Change Maker" for the 2016 State of the Woman Summit. Her clients and collaborators speak very highly of her ability to impact the cognitive processes of their employees, in order to promote psychological and behavioral change in the individuals that she works with. However, her most important professional accomplishment is doing all of this work with a supportive husband and three beautiful children under the age of 12.

Changchun Zeng

Dr. Zeng is a professor dually appointed at Florida State University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. He lives in Tallahassee with his wife and children.

Jenelle Robinson

Dr. Jenelle Robinson possesses a PhD in Nutrition, a Master's degree in Dietetics, and a Bachelor's degree in Health Education. Dr. Robinson has published a book, curriculum, as well as four spoken word poetry albums that address different areas of wellness. Her recent academic publications and presentations address the value of spoken word poetry as a learning resource in health and nutrition programming, as well as a tool for engagement in culturally-relevant nutrition education pedagogy. As a nutrition professor at one of the top 10 HBCUs in the nation (Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University), Dr. Jenelle Robinson has committed to teaching, research, and service projects that promote experiential learning, leadership, and utilizing the performing arts as a platform for dispersing nutrition awareness and education. She has presented to multiple local and national audiences on how she uses multiple art forms (music, poetry, comedy, social media) to engage her students with the science of nutrition. As evidence of her classroom innovation, she received the 2016 FAMU Faculty Teaching Innovation Award (Junior Category) and was a 2017 nominee. Teaching over 200 nutrition students per year, Dr. Robinson uses her face-to-face and online classroom to promote engaging activities that combine storytelling, spoken word poetry, and basic nutrition topics of interest. Students regularly watch poetry videos that contain nutrition and health themes, create their own nutrition-based poems, and have created videos and a documentary that included multiple aspects of the performing arts, including spoken word poetry. In areas of health research and education, Dr. Robinson has a peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of Health Education Teaching concerning the value of utilizing poetry as a vehicle for health messages. In service projects within the community, she is a well sought-after nutrition educator based on her “poetic” introduction and delivery of nutrition concepts.

Kate Kile

Kate Kile is first and foremost a beloved child of God, just like everyone else. Other titles include daughter, wife, mother, friend, neighbor, volunteer, and leader. Kate is the Director of Finance & Stewardship at St. John's Episcopal Church and currently leads the Tallahassee Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America chapter. Kate and Brad are parents to three amazing kids, Jake a Junior at FSU Studying International Affairs & French, Lucy, a Junior at Leon HS who loves music, math and chemistry, and Evan a 7th grader at Fairview Middle School who's in the band, French Club and on the soccer team. Reading, traveling, listening to music, spending time with friends and walking her dogs are Kate's favorite pastimes.

Latanya White

Professor LaTanya White is an entrepreneurship and innovation educator. She uses a "whole student" teaching approach that advocates that student- and learner-identities be seen and served in whole and not just in part.

Shawn Krueger

Born in West Covina, California in 1988, I have been living with HIV since birth. I have been described as living timeline of HIV treatment and I am quite proud of how far we’ve all come. Despite the challenges in my early life, I have used my status to educate those who are HIV negative AND who are HIV positive on the current state of HIV. I am happily married to my HIV negative nesting partner and am proud to say that we have been working together to reduce stigma whenever we can. What was once a curse, is now a gift.

Tai Beauchamp

An internationally recognized style influencer, public speaker, media personality, and entrepreneur, Tai Beauchamp inspires women around the world to celebrate their inner and outer beauty. A publishing industry veteran, Tai has expertise in media, fashion, and beauty that has been solidified through her experience as a beauty and fashion editor at top publications, including Harper’s Bazaar, Good Housekeeping, O, The Oprah Magazine, VIBE Vixen, and Seventeen —where she made history as the magazine's youngest and first African-American Beauty and Fitness Director. Tai frequently presents on topics ranging from entrepreneurship and girl power to stylish living and 21st century philanthropy. In 2006, she launched her game-changing media company, Tai Life Media, to holistically connect style and empowerment.

Talethia Edwards

Talethia Edwards exists at the intersection of parenting and public service. She is a graduate of Florida A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in English. She is also master’s degree candidate in Public Administration with a concentration in Urban Planning. Talethia is the founder of several community engagement programs, including The H.A.N.D. (Helping Alleviate the Need and Deficit) Up Project and Leaping for Literacy Campaign. More importantly, she is a resident of the south side of Tallahassee, and she is the founder and president of the Greater Bond Neighborhood Association. Talethia is the mother of seven children, each at various stages in the public education system, so she is thoroughly engaged in the Leon County public school system and its related programs and projects. Personally, she runs the blog and host the same named podcast, Wondering Wonder Woman, which chronicles the busy life of this wife and mother, and her writing will be published in the upcoming book, Just What to Say: Mommy Mantras. In addition, under the hashtag, #MorekidsThanArms, she muses on managing and maintaining her large family. Edwards is a community leader, faithful servant, and enthusiastic visionary who sits on various committees and boards and continues to serve the Greater Bond community, specifically, and the Tallahassee community, generally.