Terrific TED talks {video}

TED.com

In February I had the privilege of being accepted to the 2011 TEDxAustin conference. This was only the second TED (if you’re not familiar with TED, you need to get familiar. Now. ) event held in Austin, but the bar has been set extremely high for the following years!

My favorite talks were:

Robyn O’Brien – She’s a mom turned food allergy awareness advocate. Her data about the U.S.’s food supplies was disturbing yet believable, and her genuine passion for the subject of her speech earned her the first standing ovation of the day-long conference. I have started to change my diet because of her TED talk. Click HERE to watch her talk.

Gilbert Tuhabonye – He is the champion runner behind Austin’s training group, Gilbert’s Gazelles. A native of Burundi, Gilbert survived a massacre and escaped the country with literally just his life. He spoke about running your life with joy. His radiant smile was enough to spread joy through the entire crowd! His story is touching, and truly inspirational. Click HERE to watch his talk.

Joaquin Zihuatanejo – He’s a spoken-word poet and teacher. He practices what he preaches and it’s just plain awesome. You have to watch his talk to understand. Click HERE to watch his talk.

Overall, TEDxAustin was a great experience. I can not describe the feeling of being in a room with 500 of the most inspiring and smart movers and shakers in Austin, the state, and even the world (one speaker was from Germany!). It was so humbling and motivating at the same time.

Here’s to TEDxAustin 2012!