Theme: Beyond The Mask

TEDxArcadiaUnivesity 2022 will be a virtual event.

Registration has begun. Once you register, please do not share the event link with anyone.

In addition to dynamic speakers, there will be artists who will share dance, music and spoken word illustrating their "ideas worth spreading" as they ponder the theme, "Beyond the Mask." TED talks will be videos by our speakers and a Q & A session will follow each TED talk.

Virtual TEDx ArcadiaUniversity
450 Easton Road
Glenside, Pennsylvania, 19038
United States

CJ Wattley

Conjuh Artist, Performance Poet, and Biomythographer

CJ (He/We) is a conjure artist, performance poet, and biomythographer born and raised in Philadelphia. He is a student of Africana folkways and creates public offerings and narrative work which focus on themes such as communal healing, re/membering and collective power. He spent his undergraduate years at Stanford University where he explored the power of ritual theater in his multimedia performance album, We Real Cool: Visions of a Black Son. He is now finishing his Master’s in Media Studies and Production at Temple University, where he studies the work of Black feminist and womanist thinkers for routes to new ways of being and knowing. His current work, Orphan: A Biomythography in Verse and Ritual, seeks to uncover alternative mythological and spiritual identities for Black men and boys.

David Garlock

Criminal Justice Reform Advocate

David L. Garlock is a successful returning citizen, reentry professional, and criminal justice reform advocate. David and his brother received 25-year sentences in Alabama after taking the life of their abuser. A client of Equal Justice Initiative, he was released on parole in 2013 after serving more than 13 years and pursuing several educational opportunities while incarcerated. He subsequently obtained his bachelor's degree from Eastern University and is the PA State Organizer for Straight Ahead Org, a grassroots organization that is working to abolish Life Without Parole sentences. He is also on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Rational Sex Offender Laws, working to abolish the sex offender registry.

Emma Barrera

Founder and CEO of Right Hand Glam

Emma Barrera (she/her) is the CEO of Right Hand Glam, The Engagement Agency. Our mission is to provide organic social media solutions for women-owned businesses that are rooted in genuine connection & growth. Right Hand Glam is a big, bold presence in the social media space. With a deep passion for empowering women to build their dream lives and businesses in an authentic, fearless way, we’re willing to break the mold and the rules to do what they do best. Outside the biz, Emma is a fierce mental health advocate, a stereotypical theatre kid, and can often be found jamming out to Stevie Nicks with an oat milk latte in hand. She lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia (Go Birds!) with her partner Luke, and their two cats, Beans & Nala. Emma is a 2019 Graduate of Temple University.

Helene Klein

Assistant Dean of Honors at Arcadia University

Helene Klein is the Assistant Dean of Honors and Accelerated Programs at Arcadia University. Helene started at Arcadia 22 years ago, and has been the director of the Honors Program for the last 13 years ago. The current program has a deep focus on demystifying leadership; making it something we can all attain simply by appreciating the best of ourselves and bringing that knowledge to bear on teams. Moreover, Helene believes that teams are best served when students of all ages are taught to develop cognitive empathy to deepen trust and connection. Helene graduated from Muhlenberg College in 1989, got her law degree from Widener University School of Law in 1992 and received a Masters of Education from Arcadia in 2000. Helene is so honored to be part of this Arcadia TEDx tradition that so many amazing students over the years have worked tirelessly to create, and she is deeply grateful to the incredible Celeste Walker for her dedication in bringing this wonderful opportunity to the program

Iliana Correa

Arcadia University Student

Iliana Correa is a junior at Arcadia University majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Sociology. She was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pa, where she currently still resides, although she hopes to travel the world. She has a passion for teaching which she only discovered while tutoring General Chemistry in college. She aspires to receive her PhD in Chemical Education and then teach Chemistry, preferably General Chemistry, at a university or high school. Iliana decided to minor in Sociology because of an intro course she took in high school. Her love for researching how society shapes lives, and why societal norms came to be lead her to her TEDx topic. She enjoys asking “Why?”, but her findings leave her with more questions than answers. Solving puzzles and reading books helps her procrastinate her college work while also grounding her in the crazy world we live in.

Jan Harris

Victim Service Center Volunteer

Jan Harris is a resident of Abington, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Abington High School in 1977 and has lived and worked here ever since. Jan Harris worked as a Dental office manager for thirty years. While working there, she started volunteering at the Abington Police Department after going through a traumatic event in 1993. Because of her hard work, she was offered a part-time position, which turned into a full-time offer four years ago. Because of her trauma, Jan is an advocate for victims of crime. She has one son in the Army, he lives with his wife and her two granddaughters in Kansas. Jan is deeply rooted in her faith, and when Jan is not working, she enjoys vacationing at the Jersey shore, freshwater fishing, knitting, and the company of her adorable cat, Rue.