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).

USU Ballrooms
1250 Bellflower Blvd
Long Beach, California, 90840
United States

Charisma Mangahas

GBS Survivor and Advocate

Charisma Mangahas is a third year Kinesiology student at California State University, Long Beach. In 2018, Charisma finished her first year of college at UCI when she was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes paralysis of the body. A tracheostomy tube was placed for her to breathe after her diaphragm was affected. To this day, doctors have been unable to determine the cause of the disease. Charisma started a website, Mindful-Lei Thinking, to advocate and share her journey for others. She hopes that others may see that after experiencing a flip in her reality, she adapts to her disability while working hard to achieve her goals. Mindful-Lei Thinking not only shares her story but also provides other sources for people to learn more about GBS. She aspires to complete her degree and advocates to help others learn about topics like grief, accessibility, and mindfulness.

Constantine Alevizos

Teacher

Constantine Alevizos is a graduate from California State University, Long Beach in the Social Studies Single Subject Credential program. He also has a degree in Business Administration from Concordia University, Irvine. After years of working in corporate life in various positions of management, Constantine decided to pursue a career in teaching. Currently Constantine is an 10th grade World History teacher. As an educator, he has found his life’s mission to equip our youth with the tools necessary to succeed in life. Not with just knowledge of history but with life skills that provide our youth with sustained means of success and mental wellbeing. With his speech he aims to provide other educators and parents with ideas that can help aid with healthy practices to erode depression and anxiety in our youth communities.

Edgar Medina

Educator + Poet

Edgar is an undergraduate student at California State University, Long Beach as an English Education Major. Having grown up as first-generation immigrant, Edgar has learned to understand the importance of language, as it related to shaping narratives, and propagating ideas that often serve as a basis for change. In addition to this, he has also cultivated an appreciation for poetry, believing in the unprecedented value of its emotional impact on both the reader and the poet. Edgard aspires to become an English teacher and help students enhance their ability to express themselves, as well as facilitate their appreciation for the power of words.

Eli Joseph

Partner + Educator+Author

Dr. Eli Joseph serves as a faculty member at Columbia University and New York University. He is also a partner at ExamOne, Quest Diagnostics. Dr. Joseph's work has appeared in Inc Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Enterprisers Project, The Harvard Business Review, and many other publications. Dr. Eli Joseph is also the author of The Perfect Rejection Resume: A Reader’s Guide to Building a Career Through Failure. Eli Joseph graduated Queens College with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He was a dual student-athlete at Queens College, where he was a member of the Men’s Basketball and Track & Field programs. Despite failing 2 courses in his undergraduate program, Joseph managed to graduate a year early after taking 10 courses in one semester. He went on to earn his MBA at Brooklyn College. He earned his Doctorate in Business Administration from Felician University. The purview of his research is behavioral finance, data analytics, statistics, and quantitative finance.

Jake Viramontez

Filmmaker + Director

Jake Viramontez is an award-winning filmmaker, who has directed films in over 30 countries covering topics from female empowerment through soccer in Sao Paulo to Syrian Refugees in Jordan. The Orchard bought and distributed his debut feature doc, “Like Air” which climbed to iTunes top 10 documentaries worldwide its opening week. His campaign for The Times with Accenture Interactive “JFK Unsilenced” won 7 Cannes Lions including a Grand Prix, as well as 7 Clio’s. He went on to direct a 6-part campaign for Chevrolet in Brazil, “Be A Goalkeeper” that won 5 Clio’s. His latest campaign was an original concept that was picked up by Sony, called "Create Action” where he is producing, directing, and editing a 10-part series on nonprofit organizations all across the United States. He is also the founder of the nonprofit Sown for Good (r), an organization that gives films away for free to non-profits around the globe.

Jun Li

Criminology Student

Jun Li is a graduate student majoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice at California State University, Long Beach. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at California State University, Fullerton and her Associate degree in Administration of Justice at East Los Angeles College. Additionally, she is a teaching assistant in the School of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Emergency Management at CSULB and a peer mentor with the CSULB GradMentor Program. Her childhood dream was to become a “shero” to stop violence and crime, but now, her wish is to stay in academia and make a difference in the field of criminology and criminal justice. She is interested in topics surrounding public perception of crime and law enforcement, such as misperceptions toward sex workers and public animosity toward police. Her ambition is to be a criminologist who helps the prevention of crime worldwide.

Kacie Margis

Artist + Model + Creative Consultant

Kacie Margis is an artist, model, and creative consultant based in Orange County, California. After receiving multiple academic scholarships, Kacie graduated with honors from California State University, Long Beach with a degree in English: Creative Writing. Kacie has overcome a lot of adversity. In the last five years, she has survived a mass shooting, sexual assault, and a car accident that left her wheelchair-bound for several months. Kacie also lives with multiple chronic illnesses that affect her mobility and autonomic nervous system. Instead of allowing the struggles to stifle her, she uses them to fuel her inner strength. Her life experience is reflected in her artwork, which has been featured in art shows along the California coast. You can find her pieces dwelling on the walls of restaurants, salons, and hotels throughout the United States. . Kacie hopes that in sharing her story, she will be able to inspire others to use their struggles as steppingstones.

Luisa Mesones

Non-Traditional Student

Luisa Mesones is a 62-year-old second year graduate student in Recreation and Leisure Studies at California State University, Long Beach. She retired after working for 30 years at the phone company with only a high school education. After retirement, Luisa started experiencing memory loss, slurred speech, and experiencing excruciating joint and muscle pains, which turned into a fibromyalgia diagnosis followed by a breast cancer diagnosis three months later. Relying on research to learn about holistic medicine,and recuperation led to her enrolling in Community College for one semester of French. Luisa fell in love with education and ended up graduating with 4 Associates of Arts. She transferred to UC Berkeley, where she graduated with a BA in Ethnic Studies. Luisa’s passionate pursuit of higher education led to her current research interest in nontraditional students, specifically older adults who are pursuing higher education.

Markeeda Monèt Drake

Artist + Student

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised in Houston, Texas, Markeeda Monèt Drake, was formed into her womanhood with the grace and strength necessary to overcome many heart-wrenching challenges she had suffered as an adolescent; and would eventually encounter as an adult. Despite challenges, Markeeda experienced the joys of obtaining her BA in Music & Dramatic Arts, working as a radio-talk-show host, and eventually relocating to Hollywood, CA. Expanding her Media & Performance Portfolio, she recorded her single, Big Girls Cry, performed in Musical Theater, Commercial, Print and Film work. Her motivational influence ensues serving as a teacher, graduate education, and parent advocacy during court cases. As a survivor of Domestic Violence, she eventually turned her pain into power by doing the work to become a Crisis Counselor - aligning with The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Mike Strausbaugh

Musician + Music Mentor

Mike has a rare genetic disease called Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID). With CVID, the immune system eventually forgets how to fight everything. He discovered Guitar at the age of 16 via Metallica in 1987. At 24, he earned his BA in Classical Guitar, taught Guitar at a local Music store in Colorado Springs, and played in a Metal band. A week after graduating with said BA, Mike was in the ER with a doctor suggesting he call his parents and tell them he loved them. From ages 24 to 35, Mike quickly lost the ability to play Music and survived many medical issues that should have resulted in death. Luckily, Mike rediscovers who he is as he reconnects with Life and Music and earns three Masters' of Music while working full-time and going homeless for a spell. In 2013, Mike completed his graduate studies and returned home to Colorado. Today, he is a Musician, a Music Mentor.

Rae Jillian Rivera

Software Developer

Rae Jillian Rivera was born from immigrant parents and is a first-generation college student. She graduated from California State University, Long Beach with her Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology in 2019. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Computer Science with a specialization in Computational Perception and Robotics at Georgia Institute of Technology. She works as a Software Developer for Walt Disney Imagineering and was part of the team that brought the attractions at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, as well as the interactive technology for the new Spider-Man WEB-SLINGERS attraction at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure and more recently Disneyland Paris. Rae has a passion for outreach and was crowned Miss Long Beach 2020 where she educated, mentored, and encouraged underrepresented communities to pursue careers in STEM. Rae practices growth- mindset, persistence, and by learning new ways to continuously reinvent herself.

Santiago Rivera

Dance educator + Choreographer

Santiago Rivera is a dance educator and choreographer in the Southern California area. He is currently pursuing a M.F.A in Dance at California State University, Long Beach. He started dancing and training in the competitive world when he was in eighth grade. In 2016 he received his B.A. in Drama and minor in Educational Studies from the University of California, Irvine. In 2021 he received his Certification in Dance Instruction from Orange Coast College and completed the 2020/2021 Jose Limon Technique Certification Training Program. His works focus on the amplification of queer Latinx and BIPOC voices in “safe” dance spaces.

Steve Boyer

Educator+ Artist + Designer + Inventor

Steve Boyer is an Associate Professor in the Design Department of the College of the Arts at California State University, Long Beach. Professor Boyer’s practice is multidisciplinary with over experience as a creative technologist, artist, designer, engineer, educator, and inventor working on projects for MTV, Nickelodeon, Mattel, Vivendi Games and others. His work includes video games, electronic toys, architectural design, and installation art. He has been on the faculty of the leading art, design, and technology programs in the US including The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, The University of California at San Diego and Otis College of Art and Design. Professor Boyer earned his Master of Architecture degree at The Southern California Institute of Architecture where his thesis work examined the tensions between physical and digital spaces. He has held several patents for his inventions including an electronic musical instrument and the world’s first volumetric LED display.