Tara Michener, a graduate student in Oakland University's counseling program was a featured speaker at the TEDxDetroit conference in September. Over 1,400 people filled Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center for a day of creative presentations, including Michener's with its message abut turning one's difficult experiences into positive change. "Go from bully to builder. Take the hard stuff in your life and let it fuel you to help others." And when her presentation was over, she found the audience really seemed to get the message. "It's nice to have contact with the people while you're on stage and look them in the eyes while you tell your story. But, it's also a nice thing to leave that stage and hop on your computer or mobile device and see them talking about you. It's not cyber bullying, it's a cyber high five." Michener, who has published four books on bullying was invited to submit a proposal, after some TEDxDetroit organizers became familiar with her work. After her successful presentation at TEDxDetroit, She went on to also present at TEDxFlint. She says that while the two events were a little bit different, they were both great experiences. "You have all these people in one room who have ideas that change our communities, our cities and ultimately our world, by being creative. They're people who have ideas, but they also implement them. It's easy to have a lot of ideas, but there's a different strength that goes into making them happen. TED is about people sharing ideas, inspiration, and encouraging each other. It's a celebration." |
  Photo Credit: Terry Johnston Photography www.terryjohnstonphoto.com |