š Last Saturday, I had the incredible honor of speaking at TEDxJacksonville and it was an experience like no other.
My talk was about how misinformation is evolving into something weāve never imagined, thanks to the power of generative AI and social media. I wonāt spoil too muchāthe video will be out soon on YouTube.
But I wanted to share a little of what this 3-month journey taught me, with weekly check-ins, late-night edits, and a lot of heart.
ā³ Storytelling is a whole different ballgame.
Iāve always been super confident when it comes to tech presentations, but this was something else entirely. Explaining complex ideas to a non-technical audience was humbling in the best way. I learned so much about the art of storytellingāhow itās not just about explaining but connecting. Honestly, I couldnāt have done it without the incredible support from the other speakers and coaches who had my back every step of the way.
ā³Coming from the tech world, I often meet people who are in it for the paycheck. But the speakers I met at TEDx really love what they do. I mean, truly love it. Hearing their stories and seeing their passion firsthand made me pause and think, āWow, am I even good enough to be here?ā It was inspiring in ways I didnāt expect.
ā³ Once again, I had to step out of my tech bubble and see just how much curiosityāand how many misconceptionsāthere are about AI.
People from all backgrounds want to understand it, but theyāre overwhelmed by the complexity. This experience reminded me how important it is to simplify these concepts and make them relatable. Platforms like TED do exactly that, and itās a privilege to help bridge that gap.
ā³ļøFor years, Iāve been firm about not changing my Indian accentāitās part of who I am, and in the Bay Area, itās not something Iāve had to think twice about. But this was the first time I had to consider how to make my words as clear as possible for an all-American audience. It was a super vulnerable moment for me, and Iām so grateful to the audience for being so kind and my coach for helping me navigate it with care.
š„³ A big shoutout to my husband Kiriti Badam, who was my sounding board and biggest cheerleader every step of the way. Iām so grateful for all the little (and big) things he does to support me!
Thank you for organizing such an amazing event Jeanmarie Grimsley!
Absolutely loved getting to know these incredible rockstars!
Eries L.G. Mentzer Kady Yellow Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh, Robert Jackson, Desmond Meade Dr. Daniel Stone, Dr. Matthew Thompson, Layla Zaidane Dr. Luyi Kathy Zhang.
