I’m Durrel K. Douglas, Curator of TEDxThirdWard, and I’m thrilled you’re here. This community is for dreamers, doers, and everyday storytellers who believe ideas can spark change. Let’s kick things off — introduce yourself in the comments: - Your name - Where you’re from - What bold idea or passion keeps you up at night I'll go first in the comments.

Yesterday we dropped the podcast episode with Dr. Amber Gunner. She was once right where you are - a TEDxThirdWard semi-finalist. With focus and persistence, she turned her idea into a talk that earned her a place on the stage as a finalist. In her talk, Dr. Gunner shared how burnout isn’t just about stress, it’s about disconnection. She showed us that real success isn’t doing it all alone, it’s having the courage to ask for help and letting community carry some of the load. Now you can hear her story and the big idea she shared on the TEDxThirdWard stage. It’s a powerful reminder of how far an idea can go when you commit to it. Poll: If you had to ask for help this week, what kind would make the biggest difference for you?

Semi-finalists — here’s something special for you. In this episode of the TEDxThirdWard podcast, Dr. Amber Gunner reflects on her own TEDx experience: the preparation, the challenges, and the insights she gained along the way. Her perspective is a powerful reminder that the TEDx stage is more than just a platform — it’s a process that transforms both the speaker and the audience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLvCGXG42e8 As you’re preparing your own submissions, take a listen and think about what lessons from her journey might apply to yours. What part of the TEDx process do you think will stretch you the most?

Hey hey, I was wondering if I missed it in an email somewhere. How many semifinalists are there? I feel like I have read everything line by line, multiple times, and I don't think I saw that... Or the instructions for part two but I figured that's by design and we'd find out soon. 😁

@Durrel Douglas what is the schedule of the bootcamp? What day and time will the sessions be held?