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).

Tower Theatre
425 NW 23rd St
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73103
United States

Chris Brewster

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised as the son of missionaries, Chris Brewster grew up in five states and two countries. He graduated from high school in 1987 from Faith Academy, Manila, Philippines. Returning to the U.S. for college, Chris completed his Bachelor’s in Music Education and began his teaching career as a vocal music instructor on the southside of Oklahoma City. In addition to teaching, he coached three sports and worked with teenagers in a local church. After a short stint in administration in an affluent suburban district, he was grateful to return to the southside of OKC to be the founding administrator of Santa Fe South High School, a public charter school. Beginning in 2001 with a handful of teachers and 120 ninth-graders, the school has now grown to a charter school district consisting of eight school sites with approximately 360 faculty and staff who serve nearly 4,000 students in grades Pre-K through 12th. Chris eventually relinquished his high school principal’s role and now serves solely as the superintendent of the charter district. He also enjoys coaching Cross-Country. In addition to his BME from Oklahoma Baptist University, he holds a Master’s in Education, Administration, Curriculum and Supervision from the University of Oklahoma, and has completed some coursework for an Ed.D. in Education from the same institution. Chris is married to Christi, his high school sweetheart and wife of just over 31 years. Together they work to raise 9 fantastic children – four biological and five adopted, ranging in ages from 8 months to 24 years. He and Christi have also just experienced the joy of their first grandchild and have a second on the way. They have a rich and full life, and frequently, a very full dinner table.

Debreon Davis

Debreon Davis is a lifelong educator who loves God and loves people. Debreon currently serves as the Executive Director of Secondary Education in Edmond Public Schools, spending 10 years prior as a high school principal. Debreon consistently serves her community through leadership coaching, mentoring, and education. Her efforts were nationally recognized when she won the National Milken Educator Award in 2017 for her work with high school students, challenging them to see their potential and fight for their personal growth. Debreon is an active educator, leader, and public speaker who believes in the power of spreading love and hope. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Eric Muhizi

Eric Rutingabo Muhizi is a motivational speaker born in Katanga, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At a very young age, Eric and his six siblings were forced to flee their country due to multiple civil wars that took place in their hometown. His family migrated to Burundi in 2000 in search of a safe area they could call a new home. In 2004, they migrated to Uganda after seeing the genocide in Gatumba camp. Upon the USA reviewing their case, they were granted a refugee status Visa in September 2008, and settled in Oklahoma. Today, Eric is dedicated to helping people in his community, acting as a leader and advocate for international students at his school and back home. With God’s grace, Eric wants to go back and give back to his community, knowing how it feels to walk in their shoes. He wants to put a smile on every child’s face and empower them to grow with a purpose. Eric’s goal is to build an organization for people in need whether it is refugees, orphanages, widows, or whoever needs help. He wants them to grow with love, happiness, hope, and belief that they can achieve anything they set their mind to.

Jenny Nguyen

Jenny is a restaurateur and real estate developer. She owns and operates Lee’s Sandwiches and Bún Box in the Asian District and was instrumental in developing Oklahoma City’s first food hall, The Collective. Jenny is a Vietnamese American and currently serves as the Vice President of the Asian District Cultural Association and board member of the Oklahoma Contemporary Garde. She is passionate about bridging and building community, the exploration of different cultures, and personal wellness.

Jeremie Kubicek

Jeremie Kubicek is an author, speaker, thought leader, and content creator for all things leadership and living intentionally. You can find his work in books and embedded in Google, Microsoft, US Air Force, and more. An inspirer and equipper of leaders in over 115 countries, Jeremie’s talks offer moving stories, humor, and practical takeaways that go beyond the event itself. His goal is for every attendee to walk away feeling encouraged and full of hope.

Kori Hall

Kori Hall is a community advocate and storyteller located in Oklahoma City. Her background is social work, specializing in services to those experiencing homelessness in the community. Her main focuses are community development and wraparound services for individuals experiencing chronic homeless. She is currently on staff at Frontline Church Downtown, as the Director for City Engagement. Kori previously worked with City Care at the OKC Dayshelter as an intensive housing advocate for the Journey Home program. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for City Care OKC and Restore OKC. She also is a member of the Oklahoma City MAPS 4 Community subcommittee. She is also a spoken word artist and public speaker who uses creative arts and storytelling to advocate for local issues. She hopes to equip community members with the tools they need to bring change to their cities, one neighborhood at a time.

Les Thomas Sr.

Les Thomas Sr. is an Oklahoma native and retired veteran who honorably served in the United States Air Force for over 20 years. Outside of the military, Les made a career as a traveling motivational speaker and notable musical artist, and has been featured in three of the top five Hip Hop magazines: The Source, Hype Magazine, and Urban Magazine. During football and basketball seasons, you can catch Les on the microphone at Oklahoma State University games hyping up as many as 60,000 people. He is known as a staple in his community. Les spends most of his time working to impact the next generation. He’s an Area Director for Youth For Christ and works to provide a foundation for and help shape the futures of teenagers. With a huge heart for the community, Les can often be found in the mix of community events serving with a smile. Recently, Les received a Citation of Service from State Representatives. Les is a Co-Founder of Hope Culture LLC, an organization that helps bring hope to the community of OKC by providing resources to community partners making a tremendous impact. During COVID, they raised enough money to provide over 6,000 meals to those in need. Les continues to reside in Oklahoma City, and will tell you that his greatest accomplishment is his family. He and Mary, his wife of 22 beautiful years, have two amazing children together. Their son, Les, is 23 and is completing his Masters at OSU. Their daughter, Leilah, is 20 in her sophomore year at Oklahoma State University. In his spare time, Les enjoys fishing, cooking out, and vacationing with his family.

Mike Hearne

Mike Hearne is a golfer, realtor and creator of This is Oklahoma, a podcast which tells stories of Oklahomans and those who’ve made this great state home. Mike was born in Bridgend, Wales, and moved to Oklahoma in August 2011 to play golf and study Marketing at Southern Nazarene University. He graduated in May 2015, passed his real estate exam, and became a realtor. Mike created This is Oklahoma in July of 2017 and launched his podcast in May 2018. He has shared over 450 stories on his podcast and continues to spread the love about Oklahoma. Mike is 31 years old, and currently lives in Yukon with his wife Taryn and two doodles Seve & Greggs.

Natalie Kent

Natalie Kent (she/her) is a champion of creators and innovators of the world, building connections between creativity and sustainability. Kent leads creative teams as the design director of Focus Lab, a global branding agency based in the U.S. She is the founder of Zero Waste OKC, a grassroots organization which advocates for sustainability in the South. She is passionate about science, creativity, and advocating for a more equitable world. Kent has led the design development for successful national and global brands, and has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Creatives in Oklahoma and 100 Amazing Women in Oklahoma City.

Perry Lott

What would you do if you were sentenced to serve 300 hundred years in prison for a crime that you did not commit? This is a question Perry Lott has had to face. In March of 1988, in Ada, Oklahoma, he was found guilty of the rape and robbery of a young woman despite no physical evidence of his guilt. He was sentenced to 300 years in prison. Perry spent 31 years in prison before the Innocence Project secured his release in July 2018. Today, Perry works to mentor young men and help them mature into responsible adult men. He shares his story of wrongful incarceration in his autobiography The Root, the Fruit, and the Dirt: Innocent Man Freed, which was released in 2022.

Taylor Doe

How do people get to where they are in life? Since graduating from the University of Oklahoma, Taylor Doe (aka TDoe) has lived between, what Martin Luther King Jr. called, the “Two Americas”. He has worked in corporate America at SandRidge Energy, founded a tech company with one of his brothers, and for the last decade has devoted himself to building relationships and community initiatives in Northeast Oklahoma City. He has done all this while straddling two economic classes, which has given Taylor unique insights on how opportunity is unlocked for some and remains locked for others. His recent work invites listeners to unpack what he calls ‘And Then Moments’ – the seemingly overlooked moments in life that actually help people succeed. Taylor believes when people do the work of uncovering these moments, they are then challenged to unlock opportunity for those who have historically been left out. Only then can society begin to create more equitable communities and cities where more people thrive. His curiosity on topics such as empathy, trust, social capital, and opportunity quickly grew as he juxtaposed his own story of safety nets and unlocked opportunities against stories of those in his community with fewer resources. Taylor believes that trust is the most valuable resource in the world, which drives him to continue to create trust-building opportunities between the “Two Americas”.