Toyosi Olola

Activist, Change Agent, Connector, Educator/Teacher, Entrepreneur, Event planner, Idea generator, Journalist, Life mentor, Project manager, World traveler

Toyosi lives and works in Grand Forks, North Dakota. She is currently a Doctoral Candidate at the University of North Dakota where she is studying for a Communications, Ph.D. She holds the license for TEDxUofNorthDakota, the first TEDx event in the university. Although she is not physically in her home country, she has been a driver for TEDx events in Ondo state and was the Co-organizer for TEDxYabastreet. Having a stint in journalism and media communications in Nigeria, she went on to study for her master's in America. Toyosi holds two master's Degrees in communication (mass media, organizational communication, and media analysis), from the University of Benin in Nigeria and Tarleton State University, in Texas. She is a health communication researcher who approaches addiction to the internet and social media from a user choice paradigm rather than demonizing social media. She is a strong advocate for wholesome human happiness and is regarded in her community as a Joyologist!

Women Development, Safe spaces for children, Media usage, Psychology

My TED journey began in 2009 when all public universities in Nigeria embarked on a 7-month strike and I decided to devote the time to personal development. Since audiobooks were not easily accessible, I found TED talks online and it filled my deep craving for enriched knowledge. There were no TEDx events near my city, hence when the opportunity came to attend and organize one, I fully embraced it. While it is beautiful to watch online, it is a whole new experience to actually have the TEDx experience. It is food to the brain and a catalyst to the unchartered recess of the human mind.

Mindful listening plus the ability to accurately decipher a person's character simply from their pictures no matter how photoshopped it is.