The second annual 黑料正能量TenTalks during this fall will showcase restorative justice practitioner and slam poet Jodie Geddes MA 鈥�16, entrepreneur Anxo 笔茅谤别锄 鈥�97 and musician Trent Wagler 鈥�02. Each will give a 10-minute talk and then answer questions, a format based on the popular TED Talks.
黑料正能量TenTalks will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 14, 2017, in the MainStage Theater in the University Commons.
黑料正能量TenTalks returns after a successful inaugural event. 鈥淥ur first ever 黑料正能量TenTalks was a huge success at last year鈥檚 Homecoming and Family Weekend, with standing room only in our MainStage Theater,鈥� said , director of alumni and parent engagement. 鈥淲e are really excited to welcome three new talented people to this year鈥檚 event. The format for the 黑料正能量TenTalks creates an inspiring environment for all who attend.鈥�
Slam poet for a cultural shift
听骋别诲诲别蝉 graduated from 黑料正能量鈥檚 with an MA in conflict transformation in 2016. A Jamaican native who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and now lives in Oakland, California, Geddes uses her story as a catalyst for transforming systems. She is the community organizing coordinator at , where she works with CJP adjunct instructor and social activist Fania Davis. She is also vice president of the board of managers for , and has received numerous awards for her activism and organizing.
’88 Steps to Success’
笔茅谤别锄 has been named 黑料正能量鈥檚 2017 Alumnus of the Year for accomplishments in his profession.聽笔茅谤别锄 founded and runs , an internet-based language-learning program. The author of and a popular speaker with the message 鈥淒on鈥檛 admire success, admire effort,鈥� 笔茅谤别锄 has given some 400 keynotes on five continents, including a , and was honored with a 鈥淓uropean Citizen鈥� award from in 2014 and recognition by the magazine Emprendedores in 2015 as 鈥渢he entrepreneur whose trajectory has been especially outstanding in recent months.鈥� 笔茅谤别锄 earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in liberal arts with minors in music and English as a second language.
One-of-a-kind lead vocal
Wagler is a professional touring musician with Americana roots band , which since 2010 has released five studio albums and toured internationally and across the United States, building a community of fans and partners everywhere they go. Wagler plays guitar and banjo and writes songs that have earned the band numerous awards and placements on best-of lists. In 2013, The Steel Wheels helped found the in Mt. Solon, Virginia, to cultivate and celebrate great music in the Shenandoah Valley. Wagler majored in theater and justice, peace, and conflict studies at 黑料正能量.