Tommy Hani Tria Putra

Foodie, Student

I am the Lead Organizer of TEDxUniversitasAirlangga 2025 and a Management student at Universitas Airlangga. My journey with TEDx began in 2024, when I served as a curator—an experience that deepened my belief in the power of ideas to change everything. That belief is what led me to take on the responsibility of leading TEDxUniversitasAirlangga this year. Through our 2025 theme, “Within the Shadeline,” I hope to uncover the unseen narratives that often go unnoticed in our fast-moving world. As Lead Organizer, I strive to build a team culture rooted in creativity, collaboration, and a sense of belonging—where we are more than just work colleagues. I believe in a process-oriented approach, where every step matters just as much as the final result.

I’m passionate about creating meaningful opportunities—ones that don’t just spark inspiration on stage, but ripple behind the scenes, into the lives of those who build the experience from the ground up. TEDxUniversitasAirlangga, for me, is more than an event; it’s a living space for empowerment—a place where ideas are not only heard, but lived, shared, and embodied by every hand that touches the process. I believe that the true power of TEDx doesn’t lie only in the spotlight—it also exists in the quiet hours of planning, the late-night reflections, the moments of doubt, and the courage to keep going anyway. I want every committee member to feel that they are not merely executing a program, but becoming part of a culture—one that values creativity, collaboration, vulnerability, and growth. A culture where we are more than just colleagues—we are co-dreamers, co-learners, and co-creators. My passion is rooted in the idea that learning is a lifelong, infinite cycle. Not the kind confined to books or lectures, but the kind that emerges when we truly listen—to ideas, to others, and to ourselves. I believe in the kind of learning that humbles you, challenges your assumptions, and invites you to become more than who you were yesterday. Through TEDxUniversitasAirlangga 2025 and our theme “Within the Shadeline,” I want to build an ecosystem where every person—audience, team, speaker, and partner—walks away with something deeper: a new question, a renewed sense of purpose, or a rediscovered part of themselves. Because I believe the best kind of event doesn’t just end—it echoes, transforms, and lingers in the hearts of those who dared to be part of it.

Creativity is not a spark reserved for the gifted—it is a quiet force that lives in each of us, waiting to be seen, nurtured, and shared. It shows up in the way we listen, lead, and build with others. When we stop treating creativity as a product and begin honoring it as a process—messy, collaborative, uncertain—we begin to see that the most powerful ideas don’t arrive fully formed, but unfold in spaces of trust and openness. In a world that often values results over reflection, I believe in returning to the unseen—the shadowed corners of our thoughts, the voices not yet heard, and the raw, unfinished edges of imagination. Because it’s there—in the shadeline—that creativity grows not just as expression, but as connection, culture, and change.

Communication, Leadership

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been doubted. I wasn’t the loudest in the room, or the one people expected to lead. When I was applying to universities, I faced one rejection after another. Each time, the world seemed to whisper the same thing: “You’re not enough.” And maybe, at some point, I almost believed it. But there was a quiet voice inside me that refused to give in—the voice that said, “Try again.” So I did. I kept going. Even after getting into university, the doubts didn’t end. I applied to become a lead organizer for other projects—and was rejected again. I was told, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, that I wasn’t “ready,” that I didn’t “have what it takes.” Some smiled politely, while others questioned why I dared to aim so high. But I held on. Not out of arrogance, but out of belief—belief that effort matters, that growth is real, and that just because someone else can’t see your worth, doesn’t mean it’s not there. When I applied to be the Lead Organizer of TEDxUniversitasAirlangga, people doubted me again. They said I couldn’t do it—that I wasn’t the “type” to lead something this big. But I showed up anyway. I carried not just my ideas, but my entire story into the room. And this time… I made it. But even then—even after being chosen—people still questioned me. They said I didn’t look like a leader. That I was too soft-spoken, too quiet, too idealistic. Still, I stayed. What I want to share through this story is simple, but important: That rejection doesn’t mean the end. That being doubted doesn’t make you unworthy. That even if you’re not the “typical” leader, your voice matters. That quiet people can create loud impact. I want others—especially students, dreamers, and those still trying to find their way—to know that they don’t need to wait for validation to start. I want them to know that every “no” can carry them closer to their own “yes,” if they keep choosing to grow. I want them to see that leadership is not about perfection, but about presence. Because your worth is never decided by those who don’t see you clearly. It’s shaped by how you choose to keep going—despite it all. This is my TED story. And I hope, in some way, it helps someone else write theirs.

People don’t often realize that I’m good at making new friends—not just in the surface-level way of small talk or polite introductions, but in the kind of way that seeks to understand, to connect beyond the obvious. I find joy in listening to the stories people don’t always get the chance to tell. I notice the pauses between their sentences, the flickers in their eyes when they speak about something they love, or something they’ve lost. To me, friendship isn’t built in grand gestures—it’s formed quietly, in shared silences, in questions that linger, and in the comfort of being seen without having to perform. I’ve always believed that everyone carries a hidden universe within them—and perhaps that’s why I’m also drawn to books. There’s something sacred about holding a world in your hands. Reading has taught me to live many lives, to step into the shoes of those who are nothing like me, and to sit with questions that don’t always have answers. Through pages, I’ve wandered through time, grieved with strangers, and found pieces of myself in characters I never expected to relate to. These two things—making connections and reading stories—may seem quiet, but they shape the way I see the world. They remind me that every person has depth, that kindness isn’t always loud, and that curiosity is one of the purest forms of love. Whether through a passing conversation or the turning of a page, I try to approach life with open hands, always ready to discover something—someone—I didn’t yet understand. And maybe that’s what I’m truly good at: finding meaning in the seemingly small things, and building bridges where others see distance. Because in the end, every friendship starts with a moment of courage, and every great idea begins as a story waiting to be read.