TedxWake
Thursday February 20th, 6:30 – 8:45 PM
In light of this year’s theme, Ideas IlluminaTED, TEDxWFU aims to highlight the transformative power of ideas that inspire change, ignite innovation, and unite communities. The event will showcase 6 different speakers who come from diverse professional backgrounds, who will each give a Ted Talk on their life experiences. Each speaker has been carefully chosen to cater to the interests of Wake Forest students and the surrounding Winston-Salem community. We aim to provoke thought and create engagement by sharing ideas from individuals who have made groundbreaking strides in their field. TEDxWakeForestU Ideas IlluminaTED 2025 is a free event that will be hosted in Broyhill Auditorium on Thursday, February 20th. Attendees may come for one talk or stay for all of them. Registration and more information can be found on our website.
Speakers this year include:
- Anindya Kundu – a public scholar with a mission to make social science and education research accessible in order to promote equitable systems of opportunity. Anindya researches how exceptional people overcome the odds stacked against them as they develop agency for positive change. Anindya is most known for his two global TED Talks, which have amassed more than 6 Million views. His 2020 TED Talk on the US Opportunity Gap was listed in the “Top 5 Most Popular TED Talks of 2020.”
- Anamaria Artemisa Sayre – co-host of Alt.Latino and a curator and producer for NPR Tiny Desk. As a podcast, radio, and video host, reporter, and producer for NPR, she is focused on elevating the diversity of sounds and stories that define Latinx culture. This means curating the newest and best in Latin music weekly on the mic with her co-host Felix Contreras and doing deep-dive reported series that highlight music as an answer to some of society’s biggest cultural questions.
- Grace Stanke – During her year as Miss America 2023, Grace was named the “New Face of Nuclear Energy” by the Wall Street Journal and was on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Energy.
- Paul Hill – an entrepreneur and the youngest gallerist in New York City, recognized for his innovative approach to merging art, technology, and culture. As the founder of Strada, Paul is redefining how artists and institutions engage with technological advancements. A self-taught curator and gallerist, Paul has made a significant impact by creating platforms and opportunities for the next generation of the art world.
- Dr. Gus Vickery – a board-certified family physician who specializes in personalized health consultations focused on total body and mind optimization. He is also a speaker and the author of Authentic Health (May 2018, MJ Publishing). He founded Authentic Health in 2005 which has grown to multiple medical providers serving in 2 locations including The Clinic at Biltmore, an innovative direct to employer clinic for The Biltmore Company.
- Dr. Yele Aluko – a pioneering interventional and structural heart cardiologist, the first fellowship-trained African American in this specialty in North and South Carolina. Born in Nigeria, he graduated from the University of Ibadan College of Medicine and received advanced training in internal medicine and cardiology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, Cornell University Medical Center, and the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.