Black Girl Convention: Speaker Workshop with TEDxBristol

Black Girl Convention and TedxBristol are on the lookout for inspiring stories and great ideas worth spreading that can become talks!

WHY BGC x TEDxBristol?

BGC Founder Mena Fombo spoke at TedxBristol 2017, with her inspiring talk No. You Cannot Touch My Hair to an audience of over 2000 people – which has since gone on to receive almost 900k views and regularly used as a resource around the world in both work places and education establishments.

“Speaking at TEDxBristol really helped me to share a powerful message to a global audience and also influenced my motivation for launching BGC. I really love seeing our community flourish so will always strive to support more of the BGC family to pitch for talks”. - Dr. Mena Fombo

At BGC we believe everyone has a story and so in 2019 we hosted our first BGC x TEDxBristol session, with two attendees Tegan Vincent-Cooke and Muneera Pilgrim going on to pitch and secure talks with TEDxBristol.

A number of other attendees went on to speak at the BGC’s main convention that year as well. We were also blessed at BGC2019 with a sneak preview of Aisha Thomas’ Representation Matters TEDx talk.

“I’ve learnt how to be authentic in the stories I wanna tell”

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“I’ve learnt how to be authentic in the stories I wanna tell” 〰️

Vanessa Maria, Attendee 2019

SOLD OUT - Join the waitlist

WATCH Highlights from BGC x TEDxBristol workshop 2019

THE WORKSHOP

This workshop is a great opportunity to explore;

Your ideas worth spreading
Finding your story
Understand the fundamentals of what makes a great talk
How to structure and pitch your idea

Mena Fombo will be your event host, we'll hear from new TEDxBristol Director Paul Wise and hear more about what his team is looking for in a great talk, we’ll be joined by our panel of past TEDx speakers and there will be a practical session from TEDxBristol Speaker Coach Barney Grenfell who has supported over 40 TEDx speakers curate their talks since 2017.

THE AGENDA

6pm Arrivals & Connecting

6.30pm Welcome and intro Mena Fombo

6.35pm Overview - TEDx Bristol - Paul Wiseall

6.40pm TEDx Speakers Lighting Panel with Q&A - Host Mena Fombo

7.10pm Break

7.20pm Finding Your Story: Speaker Workshop – Barney Grenfell

8.30pm Workshop Close & Networking

9pm End

MORE DETAILS

TedxBristol are accepting final applications for talks in the weeks following this event.

Expression of interest for speakers at our main Black Girl Convention event will open next month.

SOLD OUT - JOIN THE WAITLIST

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Black women and non binary folk of African & Caribbean heritage, aged 18+

Those interested in pitching talks or public speaking in general

RESPECT THE SPACE

We request everyone attending BGC spaces uphold our culture of respect for all.

We aim to create purposeful spaces and request your understanding if you fall outside our community to NOT try to attend.

HOW TO BOOK

Places are free to you, but limited to ensure participants get the best learning from the session. Register for your place now (eventbrite link)

This event is in person only. No ticket no entry.

Your Speakers

See who you’ll be hearing from on April 25th!

Muneera Pilgrim

Muneera Pilgrim is an international Poet, Cultural Producer, Writer, Community Researcher, Broadcaster, TEDx Speaker and WOW Festival Speaker. She conducts workshops, shares art, guest lectures, hosts, and finds alternative ways to educate and exchange ideas while focusing on methodologies of empowerment for non-centred people. At heart, Muneera is a storyteller, concerned with telling stories to disrupt mainstream narratives of non centred people globally.
Her Debut Poetry collection 'That Day She’ll Proclaim Her Chronicles’ was released in November 2021 through Burning Eye Books.
Aisha Thomas

Aisha is a born and bred Bristolian. She studied law at the University of the West of England but switched to education in 2010. In September 2016 Aisha became City Academy’s Assistant Principal and Specialist Leader in Education for EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) and Community.
Recently Aisha presented a BBC documentary about the lack of black teachers in Bristol and collaborated with city partners to launch the ‘Bristol One Curriculum’. This aims to create a more equitable representation of black history, achievement and culture in Bristol, Britain and globally.
Teegan Vincent-Cooke

Tegan Vincent-Cooke is an 18-year-old Bristolian with a passion for life – especially horses and digital media!
In 2016 she started a YouTube channel, creating inspiring, motivational videos and animations about her experiences of living with a disability, which went viral.
Tegan is also a talented horse rider, and has been riding for 14 years. Some of her proudest achievements include winning the National RDA Dressage Championship four times and being selected to be on the British Dressage Team.