Kimberly Lindquist

Christian, Concerned citizen, Musician, Student

I am an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and through this organization I take part in local relief efforts for people in need. It is an incredibly meaningful experience to make a difference to someone’s life and to see perspectives outside my own. The church is central to my life and motivates me to be better in everything I do. I enjoy math and physics and am pursuing those interests through advanced courses in school and also personal research. I love learning and serving others, which is why I am looking forward to organizing a TEDx conference.

I am passionate about learning, in all forms. I am particularly fascinated by attempts to explain the world through math and physics. I love understanding what goes on around me and I fell like I am allowed to be a part of it. To me, it represents the process of asking and exploring questions. It is inspiring to consider that the investigation of the universe could go on forever.

An idea worth spreading is the concept of listening to your enemy and being open-minded. An idea that seems so simple, seems to have forgotten by our society. At a time with extreme political polarization, we become intolerant, often dismissing the other side as ignorant to avoid engaging with their argument. Unwilling to be proven wrong, we avoid talking to the other side and surround ourselves with like-minded individuals, only furthering the polarization of our society. Listening is what allows ideas to spread. If we do not listen to others, how can we ask them to listen to us? Understanding as many perspectives as we can makes our own ideas more informed. Even if we disagree with someone's opinion, listening to their argument inspires tolerance, a stand against prejudice and conflict.

The TED organization has always perfectly complimented my desire to learn and to understand multiple perspectives. As a kid, TED Talks meant inspiration and I looked forward to them. As I've gotten older, I've had the opportunity to work with TED more frequently and am in communication with figures associated with the organization including Dr. David Miyashiro of the El Cajon Valley Union School District, to find out how I can make TED a bigger part of my community.