Life as we know it is dominated by change. Our society has been built by the constant ebb and flow of individuals shaking the structures that attempt to constrain human existence. Today, everything from the laws we live under, the technology we utilize, and the societal norms we prescribe to were brought about because of individuals fighting for our world to be a better place for life to prosper. However, what characterizes such social upheavals, and more importantly who is behind them? Put simply, what makes a movement well…. A movement?
In TEDxOhioStateUniversitySalon’s second event of the year, What Makes a Movement, we will be taking a deeper dive into how social movements develop and what it takes to mobilize individuals to make a change. The talks are set to be released on February 24th featuring three amazing speakers who are leading the charge for a better tomorrow right here at Ohio State. Check out their bios below!
Tiraj Lucas
First up is, Tiraj Lucas a Columbus native and alumna of Eastern Michigan University who currently attending law school at Ohio State. Lucas is an accomplished poet and writer, who has performed her spoken word pieces at CUPSI, Rust Belt, and various locations and slams throughout the Midwest. She published her book, 'Piece by Piece' the summer before she began law school and is the Creative Writing Coordinator of her program Tiraj Talks. Tiraj Talks is an outlet to teach the youth and members of the community how to openly express their emotions through short stories, poetry, and other forms of writing. Tune in to see Tiraj explain how our stories can move the world.
Regina Loayza
Next up is Regina Loayza a first-year student at the Ohio State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Policy and Decision Making with a Pre-Law track. Loayza has become an advocate for climate and social justice. As an immigrant from Peru, she has learned that those marginalized in society will be the most affected by climate change and therefore, their voices should be centered in the movement. As a result, Loayza is a member of Sunrise Columbus, the local hub of the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led organization that promotes political action on climate change. She is also a part of Re Earth Initiative, an international youth-led organization dedicated to making climate action accessible to all, where she helped organize the campaign to get out the vote. We can’t wait to watch Regina shake up the TEDx stage!
Anusha Singh
Last up is Anusha Singh, a fourth-year undergraduate Neuroscience student on the pre-medical track at The Ohio State University. Singh currently works as the National Campaigns Lead at PERIOD nonprofit and has started her branch of the organization, PERIOD OSU. Since starting the organization only 3 years ago, she and her team have been able to affect policy change, both locally and state-wide. On the state-wide level, Representative Brigid Kelly named her the strongest proponent in advocating for the repeal of the gender-discriminatory Pink Tax bill in Ohio, which went into effect on April 1, 2020. Her grassroots advocacy work led her to spearhead numerous national campaigns, such as #NationalPeriodDay, where tens of thousands of young people made history by organizing rallies across all 50 states in the country and 4 more countries, aimed at pushing for menstrual equity policy change. In her free time, you can find her speaking to student groups around the country and leading policy boot camps/ workshops to give young people the tools they need to affect systemic policy change to combat period poverty. You won’t want to miss Anusha take the TEDx stage by storm!
These introductions are only a snippet of what is to come at this exciting event. Make sure to mark your calendars for February 24th and follow along on our social media for more updates and information.
What Makes a Movement is sure to educate, excite, and inspire you to take action and make strides in your own life. TEDxOhioStateUniversitySalon is hoping to remind you that anything is possible as long as you have the guts to make the first move.
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