TEDxThirdWard Finalists! We’re thrilled to introduce the next class of changemakers, storytellers, and visionaries who will take the stage at TEDxThirdWard 2026 on Saturday, January 10, 2026, in Houston, Texas. This year’s event will be a full day of ideas worth spreading, featuring five dynamic sections filled with talks that challenge, inspire, and ignite new ways of thinking. From personal transformation to social innovation, each speaker brings a powerful story and a unique perspective to the red dot. 🎟️ Tickets are now available! Don’t miss your chance to be in the room for one of Houston’s most inspiring events. ➡️ https://matchouston.org/events/2026/tedx-third-ward And if you’re already counting down to what’s next — mark your calendar! The next TEDxThirdWard Salon will take place in April 2026, continuing our mission to build a year-round platform for big ideas and bold voices. Please join me in congratulating this incredible new group of speakers who are ready to Dream. Dare. Do. #TEDxThirdWard #DreamDareDo #IdeasWorthSpreading #Houston

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.

Waiting is not a pause in purpose but a place of preparation. It teaches trust, patience, and quiet strength. In the stillness, faith grows roots deep enough to hold us through uncertainty. When we wait together, we share hope, and that hope draws hearts closer. The wait becomes a bridge, reminding us that growth often happens unseen. Every silent moment shapes us for what is to come. Faith in the wait is believing that what is meant for us is already moving toward us, even when we cannot yet see it.

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.”

Several of our TEDxThirdWard semifinalists are published authors — and not just self-published, we’re talking major releases, including a USA Today bestseller. I grabbed six of their books and did a quick rundown of each. These are stories that live beyond the stage and keep our theme Dream. Dare. Do. alive in print. @Laryssa Creswell @LaTasha S. @Steve Spiro @Emily Jamea @Obrian Kerr @Nicole Wilhelm