Behind the Scenes of the TEDxYouth@Laredo Conference

Saturday, January 25th, 2014 marked a monumental day in Laredo's history. The Guerra Reception Hall hosted the first ever TEDxYouth@Laredo conference, brings forth the likes of Congressman Joaquin Castro, as well as countless talented locals. The importance of hosting an independent TED event is not something that should be overlooked. All across the continent, specialized TED conferences are held to showcase the importance of making a difference and inspiring individuals to set forth in pursuit of their goals through motivational eighteen minute talks. This year's conference was no exception; it was based around the theme of home, proclaiming the idea that hometowns are sacred places filled with possibilities and hold a crucial place within our identities. In addition to the esteemed Congressman, the exciting line-up was as follows: Ricardo Vazquez De Lara, University of Texas business student; Allison Ramirez, fashion blogger; Dr. Ray Keck, president of Texas A & M International University (TAMIU); Arturo Elizondo, Harvard student; Alejandra Avila, UT Law student; and Aly Tadros, singer/songwriter.

As mentioned by the event's speaker curator, Sergio Perez, "The sheer fact that we were able to bring such a renowned event to a border town like Laredo is almost unbelieveable." The TEDx team worked months in advance, securing speakers, crafting the intricate stage design, as well as instilling excitement in the hearts of fellow TAMIU students to attend. Although they were put through a challenging application process, the team's vision ultimately caught the attention of the TED organization as they received clearance to host the event.The conference's primary goal, as detailed by Perez, was to "put a spin on the current perspective of home. Lots of students tend to see both Laredo and TAMIU as a mere gateway to the remainder of their lives. Our main hope was to remix this notion and showcase the fact that no matter where you may find yourself, home will always be a crucial part of your existence. Ultimately, we wanted the audience to leave with a sense of pride in their hometowns and to truly realize that they have the potential to make a difference, no matter where they reside."

From 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., the audience was given the opportunity to experience the seven speakers explain the importance of home through their own unique stories. Upon the conference's completion, a sense of excitement and gratitude filled the room as the audience was given the opportunity to converse with the speakers. "We received such amazing feedback," exclaimed Perez, "Everyone adored our speakers and were truly inspired by the various messages they shared." As for the future, Perez is absolutely certain that more TED events will take place in Laredo. The team collectively hopes to continue setting the bar higher by inviting notable public figures and expanding their targeted audience of youth to Laredo citizens as a whole.

As with all other TED talks, each speaker was filmed and their inspirational speeches can be found on the TEDxYouth YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/TEDxYouth?feature=watch. For more information regarding this groundbreaking event and its curators, visit http://www.strikingly.com/tedxyouthlaredo.

Allison Ramirez may be contacted at allison.ramirez@tamiu.edu.