Wonder connects us all. It’s our lifeline, binding us to the endless curiosity we knew as children and restoring in us a desire to explore the uncharted. We may speak different languages and cherish different beliefs, but we are united by a common capacity to feel astonishment at the beauty of the universe and the fathomless depths of human creativity.
On Saturday, April 3, 2021, join TEDxFSCJ for its sixth annual conference: Wonder. Eight speakers will help us experience the power of wonder to captivate, challenge, and inspire.
Speakers
Speakers may not be confirmed. Check event website for more information.
Andrea Reyes
Andrea Reyes is an immigration attorney and advocate of immigrants in Jacksonville, Florida. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, she immigrated to the U.S. as a child. After graduating from Florida State University in 2006, she attended Florida Coastal School of Law. In 2014, she opened her solo practice focusing exclusively on immigration law. For the past four years, she has served on the Board of Directors for the Central Florida Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Andrea received the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award for Florida’s 4th Judicial Circuit in 2018, and in 2019, her law firm received the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Business Advocate Award. She is also the President of the non-profit organization, North East Florida Immigrant Resource Alliance (NEFIRA), which supports immigrants on their pathway to living informed, stable and civically engaged lives in Northeast Florida.Andrew Adams
Andrew Adams (he/him) is a 20-year-old transgender activist and student at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. While attending high school in St. Johns County, Florida, he made a name for himself fighting his school district’s transphobic bathroom policy. Represented by Lambda Legal, he sued the St. JohnsDima Kroma
Dima Kroma is a Syrian-German software engineer, a mother, a wife and a passionate artist. She grew up in Syria and moved to the U.S. in 2010. As a hijabi immigrant Muslim woman, Dima faced challenges during her daily life in the U.S., and she found that people who are perceived to be different face the same challenges, no matter what the difference is. Dima has participated in multiple exhibitions and was featured at Jacksonville’s Museum of Science and History in 2019.Donte Palmer
In October 2018, Donte Palmer posted a photo to Instagram (@realdontepalmer) and unwittingly turned a routine moment of parental frustration into a global awareness campaign championing hands-on fatherhood. The now-viral image of Donte squatting on the floor while changing his son’s diaper sparked an international discussion not only about installing more changing tables in public restrooms, but about evolving parenting dynamics and outdated caregiver expectations. With his family’s support, Donte embraced his new role as advocate and founded Squat For Change, a nonprofit with a mission to empower caregivers through education and inclusion. Donte currently lives in Florida with his wife and three sons and recently announced a partnership with Pampers and Koala Kare to install 5,000 baby changing tables in public restrooms across the U.S. and Canada.Heather Campbell
Heather Campbell (she/her) has worked in health care and human services for over a decade. While pursuing her degree in health sciences, she began to notice the significant gaps between medical treatment, emotional healing and social progress. After earning her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Central Florida, she began practicing in fields dealing with grief and loss. She currently serves as a counselor and rehabilitation trainer at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s Vision Education and Rehabilitation Center.Kalai Sankar
Kalai Sankar, or “Coach K” as she is known among her students, is the founder of Shiva Robotics Academy, a robotics education institution geared to students in grades K-12. As a Carnegie Mellon-certified robotics instructor and professional LEGO educator, she has introduced after-school robotics programs in more than 25 Title I schools in Jacksonville, Florida. Kalai is the recipient of Florida’s Best Robotics Coach award, Jacksonville Business Journal’s Innovator in Education Award, and the 40 Under 40 Award.Sarah Clarke Stuart
Professor, writer, and advocate for families in recovery, Sarah Clarke Stuart teaches English at Florida State College at Jacksonville and is a freelance writer for local and regional publications including Arbus Magazine. Her books underscore Sarah’s passion for storytelling on screen: Literary Lost: Viewing Television Through the Lens of Literature and Into the Looking Glass: Exploring the Worlds of Fringe. Along with colleagues and neighbors, Sarah is helping to spearhead an oral history project in partnership with the Historic Springfield community in downtown Jacksonville.Vicky Basra
Vicky Basra is a nationally recognized executive and advocate for girls and women. She is a sought-after trainer, thought leader and regular contributor to research analyzing the impact of trauma on girls and young women. She has spent most of her career developing and implementing program models for the most invisible populations. Vicky is the President and CEO of the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center (seethegirl.org) and has earned a Doctorate degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee.Organizing team
