Pointed, Passionate Perspectives Ignite Inaugural TEDxShawUniversity

RALEIGH — Two Shaw University students and three entrepreneurs delivered ideas worth spreading during the inaugural TEDxShawUniversity in Estey Hall on Sunday.

Shaw University Student Body President Nakya Carter challenged the audience toward mindset change. Carter, a senior, explained how past experiences condition present reactions, which become default responses that can limit a growth mindset. People can overcome that by reflecting on their past, embracing their passion and standing firm in their vision, she said.

And it’s probably hard to believe Barack Obama and Beyonce and Michael Jordan are introverts, said Alaya Mack, a Shaw University junior. Her talk focused on the need to allow room for introverts like her to operate in solo spaces. Outcomes on work projects sometimes are sacrificed when introverts are forced to always collaborate within teams, Mack explained.

Shaw University alumna Evingerlean Blakney, the founder of Evingerlean Worldwide Inc. and Blakney Global Solutions Inc., said she overcame socioeconomic disadvantages with her intentionality and resourcefulness. She said she tapped into her tenacity, too. In order to succeed, it’s important to have a grateful attitude and both recognize and lean on a tribe of supporters, Blakney said.

Business innovator and technologist Sarah Glova underscored the importance of getting specific with personal goals. She said her concept of a single-page plan is applicable for even the loftiest goals. A pro tip Glova gave for goalsetting is incorporating milestones as sort of an accountability timeline.

Cynthia Barnes, founder of women. sell. better™, said people have the hardest time accepting compliments, and the inability to do so isn’t necessarily modesty but instead an engrained construct that can dim the light of women, in particular. For example, a man showing up to his child’s school to advocate for the kid is considered an involved dad, yet a woman doing the same is viewed as a helicopter mom, Barnes said. She encouraged the audience to embrace compliments simply by saying, “Thank you, it’s true.”

Shaw University is the second historically Black university to host TEDx speakers. TEDxShawUniversity organizer Sybil Stewart, an adjunct instructor at Shaw University, assembled a ladies-only lineup of speakers in order to lift female voices during Women’s History Month. Carlina Shotwell was the emcee.

The opportunity to grace the TEDx stage wasn’t lost on the students.

“Having this opportunity has definitely brought me out of my shell,” Mack said.

“It’s such a big platform,” Carter said.