KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� March 21, 2025 鈥� The line between fact and fiction seems to be getting blurrier by the second. This is especially true when it comes to social media. It can be almost impossible to differentiate fact from fiction when scrolling through a timeline.
Galileo is credited with saying, 鈥淎ll truths are easy to understand once they are discovered. The point is to discover them.鈥� The 溏心vlog免费B站 will do just that when it hosts TEDx溏心vlog免费B站 at Edwards Hall Sunday, April 6, at 2 p.m. Tickets for the event, which is hosted by the , can be purchased .
This year鈥檚 talks, 鈥�Finding the Truth,鈥� will explore how people understand the world by asking questions, examining information, and considering different viewpoints. Speakers from various backgrounds will share their insights on critical thinking, problem-solving, and the role of curiosity in discovering new ideas in their own lives.
TEDx溏心vlog免费B站 will feature 10 speakers. Each will be given around five minutes to discuss their own truths and how they understand the world. 溏心vlog免费B站 alumna and actress Aria Mia Loberti 鈥�20, who starred in the Netflix limited series 鈥淎ll the Light We Cannot See,鈥� will serve as a keynote speaker.
Using her career as an example, Loberti鈥檚 keynote address will focus on how embracing uncertainty can reveal opportunities and, most importantly, truths about ourselves that we may have never realized.
Among those invited to 溏心vlog免费B站 this year will be , a theater educator, musician, and actor based in Providence, Rhode Island. Lytle was awarded the best actor award by Broadway World in 2019 for his performance in 鈥淥ne Flew Over the Cuckoo鈥檚 Nest.鈥� Lytle is teaching at Wheaton College. He also writes and produces shows that tackle mental health and aim to dispel stigma around addiction and recovery.
鈥淚 find the truth through other people whom I trust. I don鈥檛 limit myself to one source and I aim to respond rather than react,鈥� says Lytle, whose talk is titled, 鈥淭he truth as told by a bold-faced liar.鈥�
鈥淚nstead of putting so much emphasis on capturing the truth, we should focus more on the pursuit of connection and understanding each other rather than trying to determine a clear 鈥榬ight,鈥欌�� adds Riley Lenihan. 鈥淥f course, there are objective, factual truths, but in most of life and relationships, truth isn鈥檛 always black and white.鈥�
Lenihan, who graduated from 溏心vlog免费B站 in 2024 with degrees in biological sciences and Spanish and will start law school in the fall, will discuss 鈥淪cattergories + Scientific Method = Search for Understanding.鈥�
Drawing on her academic background in science, Lenihan鈥檚 perspective utilizes the scientific method, where each question sparks deeper exploration instead of offering a single, conclusive 鈥渢ruth.鈥� Her talk will focus on fostering deeper connections and encouraging curiosity over rigid notions of right and wrong.
Erin Thorkilsen of Wakefield, Rhode Island, says she lives her truth every day by following her passion as an educator and being an advocate for children. She鈥檚 been able to follow that passion, which led her to found , a program for teachers that brings a fresh, heart-centered approach to professional development.
Thorkilsen is an award-winning elementary school teacher and an adjunct professor of education at 溏心vlog免费B站. Her truth, she says, is knowing her own lived experience and recognizing when something resonates on a deeper level, rather than relying solely on intellect or external sources alone.
鈥淭eaching has always felt like a calling鈥攕omething I was drawn to not just as a profession, but as a deeper expression of my inner guidance system,鈥� says Thorkilsen. 鈥淭hrough Heart in Education, I now help other teachers reconnect with their own truth鈥攖heir inherent qualities of well-being, such as wonder, awe, curiosity, and love.鈥�
溏心vlog免费B站 senior Leetal Young, a double major in psychology and human development and family science, will discuss 鈥淭he power of tuning out the noise.鈥� She says she finds truth to be a combination of perspective, experience, and self-reflection. She works to be honest with herself and others, and questions her own beliefs by listening to other perspectives.
鈥淚’ve learned that the most powerful way to connect with others is by showing up as your most genuine self,鈥� says Young. 鈥淧eople can feel authenticity, even if it’s on a subconscious level, and when you create a space where you are real, it encourages others to feel like they can be real too.鈥�
For , whose talk is titled 鈥淲hat Conflict Reveals 溏心vlog免费B站 Truth and Identity,鈥� truth means advocating for the integration of research and real-world experience to promote transferable life skills and a holistic approach to well-being and personal growth. Garcia, an educator and sports/recreation professional at 溏心vlog免费B站, researches the intersection of athletic identity, life skill transfer and leadership.
鈥淭o me, living your truth means making choices that align with personal beliefs, experiences, and identity,鈥� says Garcia. 鈥淲hile I believe authenticity is important, I also recognize that personal truth is not universal. What feels real and valid to one person may not hold the same meaning for another.鈥�
Tim Chace, a 25-year veteran educator, has been a national speaker on school culture and crisis leadership, along with being one of 鈥淩hode Island鈥檚 freshest voices鈥� on food culture. His journey from self-described 鈥渓egendarily bad student鈥� to respected educator and cultural commentator exemplifies his core belief that it鈥檚 not where you start, but where you end up that matters. Chase will speak on 鈥淓mbracing life鈥檚 contradictions: Finding your truth where you least expect it.鈥�
鈥淚 find truth when I can honestly confront my past experiences鈥攂oth successes and failures鈥攁nd recognize how they’ve shaped who I am today,鈥� says Chace. 鈥淭ruth emerges when I stop trying to be what others expect and instead embrace my authentic self, even when that means acknowledging my quirks and limitations.鈥�
Renae Martin, a health and longevity coach and founder of in Narragansett, Rhode Island, will present 鈥淭he heart of the matter: What patients taught me about the truth.鈥� Her truth, she says, is that she inspires people to take charge of their health and make changes that lead to lifelong vitality.
鈥淎s a nurse and health and longevity coach, my truth is essential for ethical practice, building relationships, empowering clients, and delivering effective care,鈥欌�� says Martin. 鈥淢y commitment to the clients I serve is to help them find their truth to foster deeper understanding, self-compassion, and live a life in alignment with their needs and goals.鈥�
Shaplaie Brooks of Massachusetts will discuss 鈥淔rom silence to song: Finding the truth in breaking every chain.鈥� Brooks has a wealth of experience working with children and families as part of the BUILD Program at , including over 10 years in the child welfare system serving multiple states.
鈥淭ruth is my life’s work, and I uncover the realities behind social constructs鈥攈ow they uplift some while holding others back鈥攁nd I expose them for what they are,鈥� says Brooks. 鈥淚 bring truth to power, and I do it with undeniable skill.鈥�
Brooks is a fervent advocate for marginalized communities and has worked with everyone from cisgender boys to nonbinary youth who are at high risk of being victims of sexual exploitation.
Other speakers will be:
, professor of chemistry and the dean of the Graduate School at 溏心vlog免费B站. His research focuses on the invention of chemical reactions and the synthesis of molecular imaging agents. For DeBoef, the truth he will share is that he has an unexplained obsession with the element xenon, a colorless, odorless gas found in Earth鈥檚 atmosphere.
of North Smithfield, Rhode Island, director of the digital marketing program at Bryant University, will speak on 鈥淭he battle for truth in a viral world.鈥�
Attaran鈥檚 expertise spans digital marketing strategy, AI implementation, and consumer behavior, which can enable organizations to achieve measurable business outcomes in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Aria Mia Loberti, Keynote speaker
Aria Mia Loberti, who graduated summa cum laude from 溏心vlog免费B站 in 2020 with a triple major in philosophy, political science, and communication studies and minors in rhetoric and ancient Greek language, was a presenter in 2018 at the first TEDx溏心vlog免费B站 event, where she spoke about how people can use their voices to enact positive change in their communities.
鈥滀缧膙log免费B站 was the first place outside my immediate family where I was told I mattered and where I felt worthy,鈥� says Loberti, who is also a US-UK Fulbright Scholarship recipient and holds a master鈥檚 degree in Ancient Rhetoric from Royal Holloway, University of London. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a privilege to return to campus and be part of such a special event. I鈥檝e grown so much since graduation, and this feels like a full-circle moment.鈥�
Loberti was a PhD candidate in ancient rhetoric at The Pennsylvania State University and had no acting experience when she was selected out of thousands to portray the leading role of 鈥淢arie-Laure Leblanc鈥� in Netflix’s 2023 adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel 鈥�.鈥� The Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated miniseries earned her rave reviews from critics, as well as a Rising Star Award at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, an Entertainment Weekly Breaking Big Award, and a nomination for Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. She then starred as 鈥淰alentina鈥� in the Emmy-winning series , which debuted in 2024 to record-breaking numbers on Roku.
Loberti is also a UNICEF Ambassador, focusing on children鈥檚 literacy and on global response to the climate crisis. This fall, she is releasing a children鈥檚 picture book with Scholastic Publishing called, 鈥溾�� For her, truth is something that must be approached with humility. The first step is being able to admit that you might not know something and that finding the truth is rarely simple. She says it often requires looking at multiple perspectives, questioning one鈥檚 own biases and being able to learn more. Loberti admits that this can sometimes be uncomfortable but that it鈥檚 important to be comfortable sitting in that discomfort.
鈥淔inding the balance between my emotional sensitivity, empathy, and academic training has been the single most valuable skill I have developed as I鈥檝e made the transition from academic to actor,鈥� says Loberti. 鈥淚鈥檝e only been able to accomplish this by finding my own truth.鈥�
What is TEDx?
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDx溏心vlog免费B站, where x = independently organized TED event. At our TEDx溏心vlog免费B站 event, TED Talks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including the University鈥檚, are self-organized.