Some people make it on their first try. Others apply five, six, ten--- dozens of times before they finally land the red dot. For those who’ve made it further, refined your idea, or feel closer than ever — what’s one piece of advice you’d give your former self? And for the first-timers, what’s something that’s surprised you most about the process so far? It’s often a numbers game — every “not yet” is shaping your next “yes.”

Yesterday at the Big Idea Mixer, Dr. @Emily Jamea gifted me a copy of her book Anatomy of Desire: Five Secrets to Create Connection and Cultivate Passion. It got me thinking… how many of our TEDxThirdWard volunteers, semifinalists, alumni, and supporters are authors too? If you’ve written a book, I’d love for you to drop your link below so we can celebrate your work and share it with the community. Let’s keep lifting each other up and showing just how many big ideas are coming out of this circle.

This past weekend, I attended a leadership retreat with my sorority. One of the activities was speaking affirmations out loud, and someone shared one that struck a chord with me: “I belong in every room I walk into.” That simple sentence reminded me of something we all tend to forget: the greatness that already lies within us. Sometimes insecurity, intimidation, or comparison whispers that we’re not qualified or worthy to be in certain spaces. If you needed a reminder like I did this weekend, here it is: You are enough. You are capable. And you belong. Let’s keep showing up and taking up space.

We’ve had so much energy across our TEDxThirdWard family — semifinalists, alumni, and volunteers. Let’s bring that positivity together in person. This Big Idea Mixer is a casual chance to connect with each other face-to-face, enjoy lite bites, and build deeper community as we head into the next phase of TEDxThirdWard. Details: 📅 Sunday, Oct 5 at 4:00 PM CST 📍 My home at The Mosaic on Hermann Park, 5925 Almeda Rd, Houston, TX — building on the left (valet parking available) 👥 Open to TEDxThirdWard semifinalists, volunteers, and alumni RSVP: Please RSVP here so I can plan food and space: Mobilize RSVP Link This is last minute, so totally understand if you can’t make it. But if you can, I’d love to see you there!

Hey hey, I was wondering if I missed it in an email somewhere. How many semifinalists are there? I feel like I have read everything line by line, multiple times, and I don't think I saw that... Or the instructions for part two but I figured that's by design and we'd find out soon. 😁