TEDx event

TEDxMiami Coral Park Senior High School

How Opportunities Shape Futures

DateOctober 16, 20261:00 PM - 2:10 PM (GMT-4)
LocationMiami, Florida, United States
FormatYouth

This event is invite-only.

This event explores how access, decisions, environments, and moments of change influence the paths individuals and communities take. From education and identity to innovation and social systems, each talk examines the forces that open — or limit — possibility. We bring together a diverse group of speakers who present ideas worth spreading: ideas that challenge assumptions, introduce new perspectives, and encourage deeper thinking. Through a range of disciplines and experiences, the afternoon highlights not just personal journeys, but the broader insights behind them — offering the audience new ways to understand opportunity, growth, and the future.

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

  • Clint John Jr.

    Executive Director @ Virtutem Populo

    Raised by a single mother and a Jamaican grandmother who immigrated to Miami to clean homes and care for the sick, Clint learned early that opportunity is not distributed equally. He has since dedicated himself to opening doors for other students. Today, he serves as the elected Legislative Liaison representing more than 330,000 Miami-Dade students, advises the Mayor’s Office on civic infrastructure, and has testified before the County Commission. In 2026, Clint was named Florida’s Youth Advocate of the Year. He has keynoted for Teach For America and the Florida PTA, won Miami-Dade’s Piano Slam spoken-word competition, and founded Catalyst Rising to advance civic causes through strategy and storytelling. His guiding belief is simple: opportunity is a chain of custody, and he intends to be the place it never breaks.

  • Liliya Strong

    Founder @ Stocks for Women

    An investor, educator, and former equity research analyst, Strong helps women and the next generation understand how the stock market works. She immigrated to the U.S. with $600, no English, and no connections before graduating cum laude from Columbia University with a degree in Economics and spending more than 15 years in equity research. Through disciplined, long-term investing, she built her own financial independence and later had the opportunity to attend a private dinner with Warren Buffett. Today, she focuses on making investing accessible through calm, practical, evidence-based education, particularly for women historically excluded from financial conversations and young people seeking a clear, confident foundation for building wealth.

  • Melanie Ervin

    Founder @ Blessed to be a Blessing Collective

    An educator with more than two decades of experience, Melanie Ervin has dedicated her career to helping young people and families thrive. Guided by her faith and commitment to service, she founded Blessed to Be a Blessing Collective, Inc., a nonprofit that inspires hope and strengthens communities through education, mentorship, and outreach. The organization expands access to STEM and STEAM opportunities for students regardless of financial circumstances while encouraging individuals to use their own resources and talents in service of others. Through her work in education, Ervin also advocates for emotional well-being and challenges the stigma that can prevent people—particularly those in underserved communities—from seeking support. Her leadership reflects a central conviction: opportunity becomes most powerful when it is shared.

  • Vanessa Garcia

    President of On-Site Integration @ Literary Speaking

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Organizing team