Dessa
Singer, Wrapper & Writer

You’ve probably heard of Dessa from her performances at Glastonbury and Lollapalooza, as well as the #1 single from the Hamilton Mixtape, Congratulations (streamed over 5 million times). It’s thrilling to see artists of this caliber speak on the TEDx stage in Hong Kong, and we can’t wait to hear more about how her experiments in neuroscience (yes, neuroscience!) were a major source of inspiration in her latest critically acclaimed album, Chime. If you’re curious about just how music and science go hand in hand, this one is for you.

Ramona Pascual
Professional MMA Fighter

Professional fighter Ramona Pascual has a whole host of achievements under her belt, including being the first female ever to headline a fight in Hong Kong, and knowing the value of working hard and fighting for your dream against all odds. In her talk, she’ll be drawing on her own journey to self discovery, speaking on growing up in a traditional Chinese-Filipino home while pursuing quite the unconventional career, and how she faced up to her fears and emerged through them stronger than ever before. We’re expecting to walk away inspired and reaching for our own stars after this one!

Dennis Philipse
LGBT+ Proponent and Sports Enthusiast

Leader of the historic committee that won the bid to host the Gay Games in Hong Kong (for the first time ever!) and founder of Out in HK, Dennis Philipse definitely knows a thing or two about the LGBT+ community in Hong Kong. He’ll be chatting us through how he turned his negative emotions and experiences into a channel for positive change in the community as well as the blood, sweat and tears that went into winning the Gay Games bid for 2022, a monumental achievement.

Keisha Le’Maya Siriboe
Scholar, Global Student Leader & Literacy Innovator

If you’ve ever heard Keisha speak before, you already know that she has the ability to draw you into her talks in just a few short minutes. A doctoral candidate studying English-language education at the University of Hong Kong, Keisha will be discussing how practicing and enjoying early literacy activities between parents and children can positively impact the home environment. As an avid reader from a young age, personally I’m glad my reading habits were a good thing to pick up, even if it landed me with glasses when I was seven!

Tom Egerton
Conscientious Bar Manager

With efforts to live a sustainable and eco-conscious life in Hong Kong at an all time high, it’s no surprise that we’re excited to see Tom Egerton sharing his insights on the TEDx stage this year. He’ll be discussing the importance of crafting drinks that maximise ingredients while minimising waste, as well as how the industry can work together to reduce, reuse and recycle ingredients and thus contribute less to our growing landfill problem. As Bar Manager of Potato Head Hong Kong, rest assured Tom knows exactly what he’s talking about when it comes to hospitality. If you’re looking to learn more about making a more eco conscious change in your life, Tom’s the one to listen to.

Read more: Eco Friendly Dining: These Hong Kong Restaurants Are Saying No to Single-Use Plastic

Darius Dzadu Agbeko Kokou
Human Rights Advocate

We’ve witnessed increasing xenophobia across the world when it comes to the refugee crisis, and it’s an issue that we must address within our city as well. As captain of the All Black Football Club, Darius Kokou knows a thing or two about bridging the social and cultural gap between refugees, locals and ethnic minorities in Hong Kong and he’ll be bringing his own perspective and story to life on the TEDx stage. He’ll be speaking about the positive social and economic contributions refugees can make in the city, as well as discussing his personal struggles with assimilating into the community. You can expect thought provoking insights and surprising stories from his experiences as a refugee in Hong Kong.