Bridging Divides: From Idaho DJ to Migration Scholar | Jennifer Thornquest | TEDxGVAGrad скачать в хорошем качестве

Bridging Divides: From Idaho DJ to Migration Scholar | Jennifer Thornquest | TEDxGVAGrad

Jennifer Thornquest was a young mom of three—college wasn’t in the picture. Instead, she built a DJ business, playing music for predominantly white Idahoans and a few tables where Bosnia, Burma, Eritrea, Iran, Armenia, and Laos all sat together. Their common thread? They were former refugees, also teens of the '90s, also from the same rural town. Years later, her solo vigil on the I.B. Perrine Bridge during a heated refugee debate gained national attention and changed the course of her life. Now a migration scholar in Geneva, she explores the bridges we build in moments of disruption—because division shouldn’t stop us from engaging. It should be the reason we begin. Jennifer Thornquest is a curious researcher and creative leader. Her journey back to higher education began in 2015 when a heated debate over Syrian refugee resettlement divided her rural Idaho community. Confronted with how little she knew about the political forces shaping displacement, she staged a durational solo vigil on the bridge at the entrance to her town. Her quiet act of defiance gained national attention, making her an unexpected figurehead for welcoming refugees. The experience also changed the trajectory of her life. Now a Master’s student at the Graduate Institute in Geneva, her research explores participatory arts in peacebuilding and migration. Jennifer’s talk explores the bridge between realizing what she didn’t know, embracing solidarity, and the transformative impact of lifelong learning—the power of one person making one choice, one day at a time. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx