hello I’m jazz I do you or did you ever feel like in a small town there wasn’t
feel like in a small town there wasn’t
feel like in a small town there wasn’t much change or possibility that could
much change or possibility that could
much change or possibility that could happen it just seemed like a boring town
happen it just seemed like a boring town
happen it just seemed like a boring town of 20,000 people for many people here
of 20,000 people for many people here
of 20,000 people for many people here welcome to Brookings South Dakota you
welcome to Brookings South Dakota you
welcome to Brookings South Dakota you may view this town as I just described
may view this town as I just described
may view this town as I just described but wait change doesn’t have to be
but wait change doesn’t have to be
but wait change doesn’t have to be extreme it doesn’t have to be an
extreme it doesn’t have to be an
extreme it doesn’t have to be an invention or make you famous it just has
invention or make you famous it just has
invention or make you famous it just has to be an idea Brookings and many towns
to be an idea Brookings and many towns
to be an idea Brookings and many towns like Brookings are small less known
like Brookings are small less known
like Brookings are small less known towns that are full of innovative
towns that are full of innovative
towns that are full of innovative possibility I moved here as a fifth
possibility I moved here as a fifth
possibility I moved here as a fifth grader in 2015 it came from Detroit
grader in 2015 it came from Detroit
grader in 2015 it came from Detroit Michigan so my parents would always
Michigan so my parents would always
Michigan so my parents would always drive me downtown and show me the old
drive me downtown and show me the old
drive me downtown and show me the old crumbling train stations opera houses
crumbling train stations opera houses
crumbling train stations opera houses and office buildings many people would
and office buildings many people would
and office buildings many people would think of it as just trash does the pile
think of it as just trash does the pile
think of it as just trash does the pile of junk on the road that should be
of junk on the road that should be
of junk on the road that should be replaced by a new building it was the
replaced by a new building it was the
replaced by a new building it was the same with what I called Detroit letters
same with what I called Detroit letters
same with what I called Detroit letters also known as graffiti but no it wasn’t
also known as graffiti but no it wasn’t
also known as graffiti but no it wasn’t just the bits and pieces leftover from a
just the bits and pieces leftover from a
just the bits and pieces leftover from a building the letters weren’t paint on
building the letters weren’t paint on
building the letters weren’t paint on the wall to me they were both arts they
the wall to me they were both arts they
the wall to me they were both arts they brought character and meaning to the
brought character and meaning to the
brought character and meaning to the town something most days today seem to
town something most days today seem to
town something most days today seem to lack or lose in my mind the other
lack or lose in my mind the other
lack or lose in my mind the other buildings were the junk on the side of
buildings were the junk on the side of
buildings were the junk on the side of the road they didn’t bring the same
the road they didn’t bring the same
the road they didn’t bring the same meaning as the historic dilapidated
meaning as the historic dilapidated
meaning as the historic dilapidated buildings artists saw blank walls they
buildings artists saw blank walls they
buildings artists saw blank walls they took one look and called it a canvas
took one look and called it a canvas
took one look and called it a canvas most people look right through this now
most people look right through this now
most people look right through this now being used to the city when I’m when I
being used to the city when I’m when I
being used to the city when I’m when I was moving to South Dakota I didn’t know
was moving to South Dakota I didn’t know
was moving to South Dakota I didn’t know what to think I started having dreams
what to think I started having dreams
what to think I started having dreams and my friends and I wearing my little
and my friends and I wearing my little
and my friends and I wearing my little house on the prairie dress and bonnet I
house on the prairie dress and bonnet I
house on the prairie dress and bonnet I didn’t understand why everyone was
didn’t understand why everyone was
didn’t understand why everyone was looking at me strange I did however see
looking at me strange I did however see
looking at me strange I did however see plain fields of corn and soy so bland so
plain fields of corn and soy so bland so
plain fields of corn and soy so bland so brown so full a possum
brown so full a possum
brown so full a possum loyalty and just like a Detroit artist I
loyalty and just like a Detroit artist I
loyalty and just like a Detroit artist I told myself to make it my canvas it was
told myself to make it my canvas it was
told myself to make it my canvas it was my turn in my opportunity I was gonna
my turn in my opportunity I was gonna
my turn in my opportunity I was gonna change the world with corn soy and a
change the world with corn soy and a
change the world with corn soy and a packet of unclassified wildflower seeds
packet of unclassified wildflower seeds
packet of unclassified wildflower seeds that I got from TEDx Brookings when I
that I got from TEDx Brookings when I
that I got from TEDx Brookings when I was young I used to watch TED Talks of
was young I used to watch TED Talks of
was young I used to watch TED Talks of my dad all the time I didn’t realize how
my dad all the time I didn’t realize how
my dad all the time I didn’t realize how many lives the events impact or changed
many lives the events impact or changed
many lives the events impact or changed because of simple yet creative ideas I
because of simple yet creative ideas I
because of simple yet creative ideas I was inspired when I learned that
was inspired when I learned that
was inspired when I learned that Brookings had a TEDx event TEDx
Brookings had a TEDx event TEDx
Brookings had a TEDx event TEDx Brookings was the first TEDx event I had
Brookings was the first TEDx event I had
Brookings was the first TEDx event I had ever been to that was a year ago yeah I
ever been to that was a year ago yeah I
ever been to that was a year ago yeah I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for
wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for
wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for TEDx I lived in a big city for eight or
TEDx I lived in a big city for eight or
TEDx I lived in a big city for eight or so years and not once was I given the
so years and not once was I given the
so years and not once was I given the opportunity to go to TEDx events I had
opportunity to go to TEDx events I had
opportunity to go to TEDx events I had to move to a small town for such an
to move to a small town for such an
to move to a small town for such an opportunity now it took some time to
opportunity now it took some time to
opportunity now it took some time to think about what picture to paint or a
think about what picture to paint or a
think about what picture to paint or a problem to solve but eventually it came
problem to solve but eventually it came
problem to solve but eventually it came to me
to me
to me if Brookings had a TEDx event why
if Brookings had a TEDx event why
if Brookings had a TEDx event why couldn’t I and in May of last year I did
couldn’t I and in May of last year I did
couldn’t I and in May of last year I did just that I hosted the first ever youth
just that I hosted the first ever youth
just that I hosted the first ever youth organized TEDx youth event in South
organized TEDx youth event in South
organized TEDx youth event in South Dakota ten expire near Park kids
I was thrilled with many individuals and
I was thrilled with many individuals and local businesses supported the events
local businesses supported the events
local businesses supported the events the event was a huge success
we couldn’t have live speakers because
we couldn’t have live speakers because it was the first event but we could have
it was the first event but we could have
it was the first event but we could have live performance breaks in between short
live performance breaks in between short
live performance breaks in between short talks by young leaders from around the
talks by young leaders from around the
talks by young leaders from around the world our first performance was a Native
world our first performance was a Native
world our first performance was a Native American hoop dancer from Bushnell South
American hoop dancer from Bushnell South
American hoop dancer from Bushnell South Dakota another was the youngest person
Dakota another was the youngest person
Dakota another was the youngest person to win the title of world champion yo-yo
to win the title of world champion yo-yo
to win the title of world champion yo-yo master he won the competition at age 11
master he won the competition at age 11
master he won the competition at age 11 we also had many fun activities like
we also had many fun activities like
we also had many fun activities like soap fealty and creating electric
soap fealty and creating electric
soap fealty and creating electric circuits because we are on a farm
circuits because we are on a farm
circuits because we are on a farm everyone had a chance to interact with
everyone had a chance to interact with
everyone had a chance to interact with the different farm animals during the
the different farm animals during the
the different farm animals during the event all of the attendees planted the
event all of the attendees planted the
event all of the attendees planted the unclassified wild flower seeds in a
unclassified wild flower seeds in a
unclassified wild flower seeds in a small garden the garden was also
small garden the garden was also
small garden the garden was also youngbeom to add character to it and
youngbeom to add character to it and
youngbeom to add character to it and make it its own the flowers represented
make it its own the flowers represented
make it its own the flowers represented the blooming and blossoming of new ideas
the blooming and blossoming of new ideas
the blooming and blossoming of new ideas and only a few months later this is what
and only a few months later this is what
and only a few months later this is what it looked like
it looked like
it looked like I want people my age to know that is
I want people my age to know that is
I want people my age to know that is never too early to start changing the
never too early to start changing the
never too early to start changing the world it may be hard for her kids to
world it may be hard for her kids to
world it may be hard for her kids to relate to other accomplished adults but
relate to other accomplished adults but
relate to other accomplished adults but they may be inspired by other kids who
they may be inspired by other kids who
they may be inspired by other kids who are going through the same learning
are going through the same learning
are going through the same learning process as them because of my event I
process as them because of my event I
process as them because of my event I believe my friends are more aware of
believe my friends are more aware of
believe my friends are more aware of things that they can do to change the
things that they can do to change the
things that they can do to change the world to following my event evidence
world to following my event evidence
world to following my event evidence that I had changed brookings started to
that I had changed brookings started to
that I had changed brookings started to appear for instance the fiberwerx guild
appear for instance the fiberwerx guild
appear for instance the fiberwerx guild downtown brookings started having
downtown brookings started having
downtown brookings started having yarn-bombing events so just remember
yarn-bombing events so just remember
yarn-bombing events so just remember this if change isn’t worthwhile or isn’t
this if change isn’t worthwhile or isn’t
this if change isn’t worthwhile or isn’t possible in a small town then why am i
possible in a small town then why am i
possible in a small town then why am i standing right here today and how was
standing right here today and how was
standing right here today and how was TEDx working as the first TEDx event I
TEDx working as the first TEDx event I
TEDx working as the first TEDx event I had ever been to because the organizers
had ever been to because the organizers
had ever been to because the organizers of this event took the time to change a
of this event took the time to change a
of this event took the time to change a small part of my life and yours thank
small part of my life and yours thank
small part of my life and yours thank you
”
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