TEDx Organizers

technology, making world a better place.

Listening to music and dancing.

I was fortunate to have had unique experiences in my upbringing. I was born in Pakistan, but grew up in different parts of America and Australia. Growing up, it was difficult to define what home was. Often times, I felt like the only “X” in the room, and as a young kid I often had to explain to students, teachers, and parents differences such as religion, my name, and what I couldn’t eat. Nonetheless, these challenges helped mold the way I think and taught me to be more tolerant and open minded. In high school, I did not know what I wanted to do after graduating, so I started looking for work and volunteering opportunities. This led to a summer internship before my junior year of high school, where I helped run code-writing programs for kids. I also worked at a number of places for extra money on the side, but none were ever fulfilling. As I entered college, a few friends that I met in my dorm hall began an idea to start an organization on campus to target at-risk youth to support getting them into college. From there, we launched a number a of College Recruitment Tours in the Bay Area and Southern California to promote and mentor access to higher education. This last year, I was accepted into the University Innovation Fellows program operated by Stanford University’s d.school. Through an intensive design thinking curriculum, I was involved in innovation projects at Menlo College to improve the campus, such as hosting a social innovation-themed Startup Weekend. This recent experience has motivated me into being a change agent by using social impact as a vehicle for innovation. What am I passionate about? My upbringing and experiences are connected to the message I want leave with others. My passions lead to entrepreneurship and creating positive change for social impact. The area of social impact that I am passionate about is creating access to education for underrepresented youth. These topics tie into social justice, diversity, and using technology for good.

Exploring—almost 1/3 of the world's countries so far. Cultures. Walkable, human-scale and green communities. Beautiful low-rise cities and villages. Helping young people grow. Invention.

life, enjoying what we have in front of us every day. Continue learning, meeting people and making new friends.

Education, Equality and Equity. I focus on 'access' as a way to achieve these.

Teaching, learning, reading and exploring

Sustainability, Design, Good Governance

Networking,