TED talk June 2010

The Gift of Action

June's TEDxCreative Coast in Savannah was a powerful reminder of how important courage and persistence are in making change. It was an honor to present alongside these people who have really embodied their convictions. Theory, debate and consensus have their place, but nothing replaces the gift of action.

Among those whose actions spoke loudly and with meaning:

• Davena & Tony Jordan. The couple lead AWOL. The group's mission is to promote and provide self-awareness through the use of poetry, hip-hop and storytelling. They have given opportunities to hundreds of teens to express themselves and develop their talent and self-confidence. The teens have, in turn, created successful and fruitful lives.

• The Jordan's partnered with technology guru Murray Wilson to deliver Refresh Savannah. Together they've trained young adults how to repair, restore and upgrade used computers to be distributed to community groups, schools and individuals who otherwise struggle to afford the latest technology.

• Teri Schell showed the 120 people gathered at Meddin Studios a photo of five generations of women in her family who grew their own food. I'm not sure anyone had ever seen such a thing! Teri has taken her complicated personal relationship with food and translated it into the Forsyth Farmers' Market. The innovative Savannah Local Food Collaborative makes it simple for people to use food stamps to purchase locally grown food – supporting both healthier eating and the prospects of local small farmers.

• America's research universities are holding out on us as taxpayers and consumers, says John C. Bacon, chief executive at IP2Biz. It is easier today for researchers to apply for a new project grant than it is to commercialize or develop their existing inventions and innovations. Bacon has taken it on his mission to find homes for many of these developments.

• Catherine Killingsworth exudes an enthusiasm for the written word that seems out of place in a woman of her 20-something generation. Shouldn't she be teaching students how to master the twitterized 140 character story? No, she has something else in mind. Through the Deep Center, she is teaching pre-teens and teens how to organize their thoughts, express themselves coherently and develop their critical and creative thinking. Then she publishes them in book form to show to the world. Inspiring.