TEDxUIUC

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Ernest Crim

  Ernest Crim III is an Emmy-nominated modern-day griot, Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Vanguard Award-winner, public educator, and cultural competency specialist who uses overlooked historical narratives as a catalyst for healing, justice, and transformation. As a former public school history teacher turned speaker, author, producer, and CEO of Crim’s Cultural Consulting, Ernest empowers schools, companies, and communities to bridge cultural divides through truth-telling, empathy, and antiracist education.

• Leonora LaPeter Anton

  Leonora LaPeter Anton is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist with 36 years of experience as a staff writer of both long-form and short narratives and investigations at five newspapers, including 23 years at the Tampa Bay Times.

• Paige Taylor

  Paige Taylor is a social media influencer with over 7 million followers across social platforms. Paige has built a devoted audience by sharing unfiltered perspectives on authenticity, self-discovery, and navigating culture in real time.

• Paul Rudolph

  Paul Rudolph is a musician, composer, instrument builder, and works for Sesame Street as vocal music director, music editor, and composer. He has 3 Emmy's for Music Editing, 11 collective Emmy's for Outstanding Children's Series, and 2 Emmy nominations for Music Direction.