Elizabeth Tsung

Take everything personally and think the worst of any situation? Overwhelmed with your job or at school? Say self-deprecating things about yourself, or think the same of other people? If you can relate to any of this, it’s a sure sign you need to take better care of yourself, because happiness and healing truly comes from within.

About a year ago, I was working at a small company of less than 10 employees. I didn’t feel valued, and everyone around me berated one another. Although I was fortunate enough to escape being treated with derision by my coworkers, I’m positive had I stayed any longer, it wouldn’t have been the case.

Survivors need support, but often, when they reach out, they are met with responses that only cause further trauma. The impact of these responses is immense.

Not only are TED Talks by women of color severely underrepresented, what was once seen as a thoughtful resource as a platform for those who wanted to share their ideas with the world has become an exclusive, rich, white boy’s club. In 2017, the basic membership level will begin at $8,500 per person, which will also include networking tools and conference DVDs. Why aren’t the talks about humans around the world who don’t even have access to basic human needs viewed as much as talks on leadership and getting rich quicker? It’s time we reevaluated what we find successful, and what ideas are more worth sharing. With that said, here are a few incredible TED Talks by women of color you should know about.