Madura's talk will be a testament to the power of language: how it felt to listen to her poem read in the United Nations and to host Edmonton’s first two open mics for youth. She holds the power to speak her thoughts in high regard and hopes to convey that through her experiences and beliefs.

Madura has loved words for as long as she can remember. A senior at Old Scona Academic High School, she is a fervent speaker, debater, poet, writer and reader. This has given her great respect for self-expression and all it can implicate in the empowerment of youth. Self-expression and language can produce unique ideas that have changed the world, but can also create spaces to discuss contentious issues of relevance and empower young people to pursue their passions. Having volunteered with vulnerable persons who do not have access to platforms for speech, and having herself participated in various poetry readings and speech competitions she understands the need for opportunities to speak.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx