My Experience as a part of the Encounters TEDEd club: Mikkah Damji

My name is Mikkah Damji and I am a Grade 11 student at Mulgrave School.

Being a member of the Encounters TEDEd club this year has been an incredible experience! Last year, I was a participant of the illuminaTED 2020 conference and had the opportunity to witness the amazing organization and experience the engaging conference, and I immediately knew after attending that this was something I wanted to be a part of. The Encounters TEDEd club has given me an opportunity and a platform to discuss one of the most important issues in our world and a topic I am incredibly passionate about in the form of a TEDEd Talk - the role of women in sports. As a Muslim, I explored this topic through the lens of faith - initially skeptical that I could find connections. I was surprised and happy to find meaningful connections that helped me understand the challenges from a new perspective. I also deepened my understanding of my own role in advocating for women in sports and being a global ambassador for something I believe in.

Encounters TEDEd has also helped me develop my leadership, communication, and collaboration skills, and has provided me with a welcoming space to discuss social and political issues with other youth. As the Event Planning and Logistics Team co-lead for the illuminaTED 2021 conference, it has felt great to be a part of something bigger than myself. Most importantly, it has felt incredible contributing to the creation of an event that connects youth from all over and ignites conversations on different important topics!