Own it -- Introducing the dream director | Tim Shriver | TEDxManhattanBeach

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Future Project Leader Tim Shriver shares the story of young people who are taking ownership of their education experience and transforming their schools from the inside out. He introduces us to a new character, the Dream Director, who is playing a critical role in making that possible. Tim reminds us that Dream Directors have always been around us -- a family member, friend, or mentor -- but that our encounter with one has been left to chance. He challenges us to take on our own dreams for the world -- and become a Dream Director for the people we care about most.

Tim’s dream is for every young person in this country to know exactly how he or she is a “game changer.” Lucky for him he gets to chase this dream every day at work with The Future Project, a national movement that empowers young people to identify their dreams and build game-changing projects that put those dreams in action at school. As a Dream Director at a New York City high school, he’s organized and inspired youth-led change to give students a sense of ownership over their education. They started jewelry businesses and published books of poetry, built mobile app games and took the stage for the first time – and inspired their classmates to pursue their own dreams.

The roots of his work lie in his life-long participation in the Special Olympics and his experience as co-founder of “Spread the Word to End the Word”, a global campaign Tim helped launch six years ago as a sophomore in college to end the casual and pejorative use of the word “retard.” Through this work, Tim experienced first hand the power of young people to change the game.

The “Game Changer” he most admires is: Loretta Claiborne, because she has shattered all expectations the world had for her and the life she was given, motivated millions of people to see their own power and beauty and inspired him with her relentless joy, gratitude, and humility every time he has been lucky enough to sit down next to her.

Tim’s favorite TED talk: “The danger of a single story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie


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