Where are Next Gen TED-Ed Speakers Finding Mentors and What Topics are They Picking?

Now in our fifth season of Être TED-Ed, the breadth and depth of topics this year are astounding. From the power of pop-ups to how girls are portrayed in media...from deaf awareness to deepening access to education...from class status to clean water to clear-eyed entrepreneurship, the topics on Être's 2025 roster are off the charts.

And our speakers' locations are across the map! Hailing from 15 US states and 7 countries, Season 5 of Être's TED-Ed series is bringing over 60 global girls to the iconic TED-Ed mic on a single day to share big ideas.

One question we often get at this point is who mentors these speakers? It's a good question, as the mentorship aspect of Être's TED-Ed program sets it apart from others - each young speaker is paired with a rockstar woman leading in the field being discussed. A full list will come later, but for now see the graphic above for early hints.

Another question we get right now is what exactly are these speakers talking about? It's another great query, as the global nature of our program means girls are bringing worldwide perspectives and experiences to their talks, enriching the TED-Ed community as a whole. Below then, and in no particular order, is a sneak peek at most of Être's 2025 TED-Ed talk titles:

• The Culture of Pop-Ups and Why They're Popping Up Everywhere

• Why the World Needs Big Hair and Big Dreams

• See It With Me: Brain Computer Interfaces and Restoring Sight to the Blind

• How We Can Stop Letting Algorithms Control Our Perspective

• Music To My Ears: How Songs Can Change Our Mental State

• Historical Bias and the Importance of Minority Representation in Global Politics

• Why We Need AI-Optimized Education, But Not AI Teachers

• Building a Green Economy with Youth-Powered Policy

• AP Language and Composition: Cultivating Creativity or Crushing Curiosity?

• Taking Aim and Thriving as a Student Athlete

• The Butterfly Effect of a Latina in STEM — How Empowering One Girl Helps a Community Take Flight

• Harping on Community Service: A Young Harpist is Changing the World

• Storytelling as Modern-Day Medicine

• Why Leading Instead of Following Leads to a Bigger Life

• How Models (and Role Models) Are Breaking Societal Stereotypes

• I'm Underwater: Imposter Syndrome and Being Underestimated

• Resilience in Silence: Amplifying Deaf Awareness

• The Future of Education: Making Learning More Inclusive

• How Women Have Overcome Challenges to Revolutionize the Music Industry

• Who Decides What DNA We’re Allowed to Make?

• The Social Consequences of Overconsumption

• Breaking the Stigma: Why Mental Health Deserves the Same Care as Physical Health

• What Evolution Actually Teaches Us About AI

• Does Exposure to Media Encourage or Alienate Leadership in Girls?

• Why Impacting the World Through Musical Theater is Difficult...But Essential

• Good Grief: Managing to Stay Afloat as a Teen Today

• Neuromarketing, Media and Next Gen Repping

• Comparison Culture and Teenage Health

• How Access to Education Can Impact Refugees and Marginalized Communities

• Paging Barbie, MD: Stereotypes in the Medical World

• When You're Allergic to, Literally, the World

• How Startups Actually...Start

• How Humor Fuels an Empowered Life: Stand Up and Say It

• Leading Through Loss: How Grief Shapes Extraordinary Leaders

• Why We Must Redesign the Education System, Not Just Survive It

• How a Glass of Clean Water Can Save the World for Girls

• What You See and What I Hear: Deaf Awareness

• Starting Early in Salta: How Students Can Expand Their Minds Earlier Than You Think

• Bet on Your Mindset: It's the Key to a Meaningful LIfe

• Why Early Activism is Trending Right Now

• Behind the Stage of Being a Princess

• A Little AI Can Solve Big Problems: Helping Research Reach Higher

• Microfinance and How Women Can Uplift Global Economies

• The Globe is My Bucket List: The Call to Explore

• Why Closing the Literacy Gap is Not Up for Debate

• Poor at Birth, Poor for Life: Is the American Dream a Lie?

• What I Wouldn’t Tell My Younger Self: All The Worlds A Stage

• Women, Cardiac Arrest, and the Simple Fix that Could Save Lives

• It's Okay to Call Yourself a Feminist...Really

• Storytelling and Shaping Our Self Worth with Words

• Messy, Bold & Brilliant: The Power of Imperfect Girls

• Time Out: The Misconception of Disobedience

• Locating Leadership: When Great Leaders Hide in Plain Sight

Some titles aren't finalized and others are being refined. But at first blush these topic choices tell us three things:

1. Girls today have big questions and are unrelentingly seeking answers;

2. Girls drawn to the TED-Ed platform also have answers in the form of proposals, non-profits and platforms offering actionable tips for global audiences; and

3. Women at leading companies are listening to those answers and stand ready to offer insight and advice to move these ideas forward. Interested in being a TED-Ed mentor yourself? DM me here & let's chat!

This is the magic of Être TED-Ed - that girls in our clubs across the globe can meet monthly, hear each others' topic choices and give feedback, and then unite as one class on one day to tell the world.

Where will tomorrow's leaders come from? We can't say for sure, but a safe bet says they're stepping off a red circle of carpet having given the first of many game-changing talks on the TED-Ed stage.

Être is unspeakably proud to be handing them the mic.

Looking forward,

Illana

ÊXTRAS: Here are three more ways to view Être TED-Ed speakers you won't want to miss: Check out our website's TED-Ed page, visit us on YouTube to watch full livestream versions, and keep watching here on Insta as we post highlights of Être TED-Ed progress!