All Photos by Emerie Lukas
Yep, you read that title correctly. I gave a speech – a very special one at that. And I’m here to tell you the story.
You’re probably wondering how I even managed to get the gig. It started late last year when a friend of mine (a former speaker) posted about their own talk. I found myself curious and decided to apply.
I then received an email informing me that I was selected to audition. For this, I wouldn’t have time to sit and think about how I wanted to explain my topic. I would have just ten minutes – three to share the “gist” of my talk and seven for the committee to ask questions and discuss.
For context, I completed my talk through TEDxYouth@Dayton, an independent and volunteer-run TED chapter specifically for young people aged 13 to 20. Considering I turned 20 two months before the event, this was my last and only chance to share my story in this way. Knowing this made the application and audition processes extra nerve-wracking.
I was the first one to audition – totally no pressure, right?
Even though I walked out with mixed feelings about my audition, I was grateful to have people that listened without judgment. Sure, they were there to “judge,” but not in the way that I was used to – especially from my peers. And this feeling would stay consistent throughout the following months.
Why was this so important to me, you ask? Well, like a lot of other TED speakers, I was choosing to talk about something incredibly important to me: fandoms.
Oxford Reference defines a fandom as “an interpretive community consisting of dedicated followers of any cultural phenomenon, such as a television series or serial or a particular film genre or film star.”
(And yes, I used that definition in my talk.)
For much of my teenage years, I was – and still very much consider myself – a “fangirl.” I go to concerts, buy merch, and tweet about the things I love. But with this passion comes a sort of… othering if you will. And for me, the exclusion was worsened by my being one of very few disabled students in my already relatively small school.
Teenage girls who have passions tend to be treated differently than teenage boys who have things they really like. But that’s a topic for another time. Though if it’s something that intrigues you, I recommend reading books like Fangirls: Scenes from Modern Music Culture by Hannah Ewens.
What I’m trying to say is that I was often made to feel like my interests were silly or a waste of money or time. My friends and family would roll their eyes at me talking about said interests. So as you can imagine, having a platform and a place to talk about it with a much lesser chance of that happening was refreshing. People are meant to go into these with a more open mind.
And though this opportunity didn’t take me very far away from my hometown geographically, the level of support I received made it feel like a completely different place. All of us youngsters were just talking about things we cared about – things we felt the world deserved to know about.
I anxiously waited to receive that final email, and I remember not even reading it fully when it finally came. It didn’t take long for me to start jumping with joy and running out to tell my parents.
The next few months involved us speakers writing and reading our talks over… and over… and over again (and again for good measure). Each time we would give each other feedback and see growth – both personally and professionally. There were laughs, smiles, and so much incredible inspiration. Our topics ranged from TV show reboots and building legacies to how an orchestra is like an entire world.
Whatever these kids had to say, they were saying it well. And I’m still so unbelievably proud of them for being vulnerable and brave. For a number of reasons, not everyone can say they gave a TED talk (and even less at such a young age) – so we all have something to be extremely proud of.
And after missing class a couple of times (thank you, Professor Muehl, for encouraging me to take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity), rehearsing over Zoom, and a whole lot of worrying, it was time for the show.
On March 16, 2023, nine others and I delivered our talks in front of an audience at the Dayton Art Institute. I still vividly remember stepping out onto that infamous red circular rug.
Afterwards, I felt those “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve” feelings creeping in again. And sometimes I still feel that way. Maybe I should’ve practiced more so that I wouldn’t have had that pause (that was cut out of the video, by the way). I should’ve remembered to say that one very important thing.
Sure, I can beat myself up about it all I want, but at the end of the day I did something incredibly humbling. Something I am still so proud of. Something that I hope will inspire other young women like me.
I’ll leave you with this quote. If you watch my talk (or know me personally, even), you’ll understand why.
Musician Luke Hemmings once said, “Find something that makes you happy and don’t let anyone take it away from you.”
Whoever you are, whatever makes you happy, please remember that.
I also would be remiss if I didn’t take a second to thank everyone that supported me in this little (or big, I guess) journey.
Thank you to my wonderful mentor Diane Bengson, as well as the other mentors that guided my fellow speakers. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Thank you to the TEDxYouth@Dayton committee, including chairs Chris Long and Bryan Lakatos, for helping us share our stories with the world.
Thank you to Mia, Xavier, Nathan, Karissa, Rayna, Ainsley, Ilhaan, Olivia, and Julie for being yourselves – you all are absolutely unmatched. I know you’ll continue to do amazing things.
Thank you to my editors for letting me once again “take the stage” to tell my story.
And thank you to those who watch, read, and support my work. You truly keep me going.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, either, but if you have an opportunity you’re considering, take it. It sounds cliché, but you’ll never know if you never try. And you’ll be glad you did. I know I am.
If you’d like to watch our talks, head over to the YouTube playlist. I promise that these individuals are 100 percent worth your time.
Carly Webster
Staff Writer