Sex, Slacktivism, and How Not to Change the World

Decribe your idea

Family Planning is a touchy subject here in the US. Imagine how difficult it is to talk about in Ethiopia where girls in their early teens are married off to older men and begin having children, while any talk of contraceptives or sex is strictly taboo. Through a short video and discussion, I will tell the stories of an amazing group of women AND men who wanted to change their communities from the inside out. They led their friends and neighbors in self-discovery to determine the roots of poverty in their community and came to the realization that over-population was a burden they could no longer bear. Join me to hear their personal stories and to learn why community change is most effective when led and managed from the inside.

Why do you want to share your idea with TEDxUChicago in 2013?

Most nonprofits and aid organizations subscribe to the idea that community-led development is important, sustainable, and necessary…on paper. However, when it comes time to make a change in the world, we too often resort to heavy-handed, large-scale development efforts run from offices far away, and far removed , rather than empowering locals to address their own problems. I want to talk about how community-led development is the most effective and sustainable way to fight poverty; and as an added benefit, it costs less to implement. In the wake of KONY:2012, I believe the time has come for a frank discussion about locals changing their own lots in life.

How will you share your idea in a creative way?

I will share an engaging video, tell personal stories from the women and men in the affected communities, and use a few key slides of data to illustrate my discussion.

Discussion

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