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Past TEDx Talks
2018 - First Step
Hiroshi Suzuki “Rice ball connects the local and the world”
The 6th Alumnus of Akita International University. When he was working at a hotel, he faced the declining tourism industry in rural area while the urban area gained more inbound tourism opportunities. He entered Akita International University, making an object to take foreign tourist to suburbs. After his graduation, he started a business in Akita while promoting inbound tourism. Founder and CEO of "Travel Design" (and Hinata Ekisu too), a company devoted to the revitalization of depopulated Japanese towns, liaisons local regions with foreign tourists. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
Yuriko Suzuki “What are you made of?”
She is in charge of the “Shun-sai Miso Cha ya Kurao,” a restaurant in Masuda-cho, Yokote-shi in Akita Prefecture. As a proprietress of the restaurant, she serves food that is filled with love along with several other women from the same town who also engage in agriculture works. Also, as a wife and a mother, she does housework and childcare while working in “Haba-Kouji ya,” the store specializing in Kouji in Masuda-cho. A mother, wife, and owner of "Shun-sai Miso Cha ya Kurao" –– a restaurant in Masado-city, Akita Prefecture. Known for her additives-free, texture-rich traditional cuisines, she speciallizes in cuisine that utilize rice-malts.
Carlos Budding "Eye" understand: The power of non-verbal communication”
He was born in Argentina and moved to the USA when he was 12 years old. He received a Master’s Degree in Linguistics from Gallaudet University, the only Deaf Liberal Arts University in the USA. He was then employed by a school district where he was a TESOL instructor to Deaf students, and had some of the best educational experiences with his unique group of students. In 2007, he moved to Japan and now teaches English and Spanish at Akita International University. Born in Argentina, moved to the U.S. at the age of 12. After his graduate studies at the only American university that provides a liberal arts degree for deaf students, he taught English to deaf students. Now, he teaches English and Spanish in Japan, at Akita International University.
Etan Ginsberg “Hacking Happiness: How to control emotions with memory techniques”
A tech entrepreneur and a mind and body hacker
He currently holds 2nd place at the World Speed Reading Championship. Also, he represented Team USA at the Global Finals 2017 of the World Memory Championships in Shenzhen, China. He founded the multiple award-winning and nationally recognized startup, Everest Capital. Using trained unorthodox approaches, he has taught himself to do 73 consecutive pull-ups and memorize a 40-digit number in under a minute among other feats of extraordinary human ability.
He currently holds 2nd place at the World Speed Reading Championship. Also, he represented Team USA at the Global Finals 2017 of the World Memory Championships in Shenzhen, China. He founded the multiple award-winning and nationally recognized startup, Everest Capital. Using trained unorthodox approaches, he has taught himself to do 73 consecutive pull-ups and memorize a 40-digit number in under a minute among other feats of extraordinary human ability.
2019 - Now Roading...
Haruki Ito 「想いを紡ぐ」"Community reactivating cooperator"
自分の故郷が”消滅可能性都市”だと言われたことに衝撃を受けた学生時代。自分のふるさとをどうすれば活性化できるのか、自分ができることは何なのか。悩んだ末にたどり着いたのは「地域おこしは人おこし」というアイデアでした。 Born in Noshiro-city, Akita-prefecture, Haruki Ito founded an organization called, community reactivating cooperator squad in Oga-city in Akita. He saw first hand his local community decaying because of the population decrease, and made a group called ARC (Akita×Region×Contribution) when he was a university student and started to revitalize his region. He designs activities that focuses on forest resources, marine resources, and culture that is embedded in the local life. He also contributes in reviving the "Namahage" culture, which is a famous event in Oga-city that has disappeared in certain regions.
Natsumi Nishimura 「言葉を、ただの音にしないために。」
Student (Akita International University)
難民だからこういう支援が必要だろう。支援者とよばれる人ですら「立場だけ」で人を見てしまうから言葉がただの音になる。難民としてでなく一人一人の個人として向き合えたら。「難民」と呼ばれる人々の、大きな渦の中には一人一人の個人の人生があるんだって意識出来たら、「誰のための支援」なのか気づけるはず。
Natsumi Nishimura was born in Hokkaido, and is a freshman at Akita International University. Before entering university, she traveled to Camini in the south of Italy for three months where she joined a NGO to volunteer and lived with the refugees there. Her work in Camini has been featured in the local newspaper of Akita. Currently, her focus is not just to acquire English, but to take advantage of it in order to tackle international issues. She continues to support her family in Camini by sending them clothes.
Natsumi Nishimura was born in Hokkaido, and is a freshman at Akita International University. Before entering university, she traveled to Camini in the south of Italy for three months where she joined a NGO to volunteer and lived with the refugees there. Her work in Camini has been featured in the local newspaper of Akita. Currently, her focus is not just to acquire English, but to take advantage of it in order to tackle international issues. She continues to support her family in Camini by sending them clothes.
Jaimie Monahan “Do something everyday that scares you.” - An ultramarathon and ice swimmer
I've swum the seven seas, I've swum in Antarctica in freezing waters, and I've swum polar ice miles. Why? Because I want to continue challenging myself and do something that scares me every day.
Jaimie Monahan is an ultramarathon and ice swimmer from New York City who has completed open water swimming on all seven continents. Jaimie holds two Guinness World Records and has been voted the World Open Water Swimming Association's Woman of the Year for the past two consecutive years. She is a cold-water swimmer and has represented the United States in over 30 countries as a seven-time US national champion in winter swimming and the inaugural winner of the International Winter Swimming Association’s World Cup. She is the world's first female “Ice cZero” swimmer under the IISA, the first person in history to complete an ice mile on all Seven Continents and has succeeded in the “Ice Sevens Challenge”.
Jaimie Monahan is an ultramarathon and ice swimmer from New York City who has completed open water swimming on all seven continents. Jaimie holds two Guinness World Records and has been voted the World Open Water Swimming Association's Woman of the Year for the past two consecutive years. She is a cold-water swimmer and has represented the United States in over 30 countries as a seven-time US national champion in winter swimming and the inaugural winner of the International Winter Swimming Association’s World Cup. She is the world's first female “Ice cZero” swimmer under the IISA, the first person in history to complete an ice mile on all Seven Continents and has succeeded in the “Ice Sevens Challenge”.
Myke Celis “YOUreka: Discovering personal breakthroughs from brokenness”
A celebrity life coach, bestselling author, serial entrepreneur and a multimedia host/personality,
YOUreka is a term I coined to describe that plot twist when you reach the lowest point in your life. It’s that life-changing AHA moment that hits you hard and makes you realize that there’s life after what broke you. Myke inspires others to discover the best version of themselves via #bestmeever, his self-actualization and personal breakthrough platform as a celebrity life coach, bestselling author, serial entrepreneur and a multimedia host/personality in the Philippines. When not busy giving talks, coaching, hosting or doing media guestings in between, he finds time to work out and travel, spreading good vibes and positivity while touching and changing one life at a time everywhere he goes.
YOUreka is a term I coined to describe that plot twist when you reach the lowest point in your life. It’s that life-changing AHA moment that hits you hard and makes you realize that there’s life after what broke you. Myke inspires others to discover the best version of themselves via #bestmeever, his self-actualization and personal breakthrough platform as a celebrity life coach, bestselling author, serial entrepreneur and a multimedia host/personality in the Philippines. When not busy giving talks, coaching, hosting or doing media guestings in between, he finds time to work out and travel, spreading good vibes and positivity while touching and changing one life at a time everywhere he goes.
2020 - Drive
2021 - Souvenear
2024 - Connect
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