Meet The
2026 Speakers
Bringing diverse perspectives to one stage, united by a shared commitment to ideas that inspire, challenge, and create meaningful impact.
TeKenya Johnson
The Courage to Rebuild: Examine. Release. Rebuild. Rise.
The Courage to Rebuild explores what happens after survival—when simply making it through is no longer enough and the real work of rebuilding begins. Drawing from her own journey of faith, perseverance, family, and personal transformation, TeKenya Johnson shares how difficult seasons can become preparation for a new beginning.
Through the framework Examine, Release, Rebuild, and Rise, she challenges audiences to honestly confront what has changed, let go of what can no longer move forward with them, rebuild with intention, and step boldly into the next season of their lives. Her message is a reminder that a comeback is not always about returning to who you were—it can be about becoming who you were meant to be.
Mr. Selwyn Willis
From Charity to Change: Rethinking How We Give
We see the need. We respond. We give. But are we truly changing lives—or simply sustaining survival?
Selwyn Willis challenges the way we think about giving, urging a shift from short-term relief to long-term impact. Drawing from decades of leadership in the nonprofit sector, he explores how more intentional, strategic approaches can create sustainable change in communities.
This talk is a call to move beyond charity—and toward transformation.
Dr Lendy Spires
Still Becoming: Innovation Has No Age Limit
In a world changing faster than ever through technology and artificial intelligence, many people feel like they are being left behind—especially older generations. But Bishop Juanita W. Morris believes innovation is not about age. It is about willingness.
Bishop Morris shares her journey of witnessing the world evolve from handwritten letters and rotary phones to smartphones and AI. Through wisdom, faith, leadership, and life experience, she reminds us that growth never stops and purpose does not expire with age.
This inspiring TEDx talk encourages people of every generation to continue learning, adapting, and embracing change while holding on to humanity, compassion, and connection.
Because no matter your age… you are still becoming.
Frank Mesina
The Right to Become: Reinventing Yourself Beyond the Limits of Ego
The Right to Become: Reinventing Yourself Beyond the Limits of Ego explores how perseverance is not only about surviving adversity, but about continuing to become. Drawing from his experiences with hardship, reinvention, generosity, and service, Frank Mesina challenges audiences to reconsider the meaning they give to their past, release the limitations of ego, and discover the freedom that comes from living beyond self. His message invites us to see our hardest chapters not as endings, but as opportunities to grow, give, and become something greater.
Heather Gill
The Table of Remembrance
The Table of Remembrance explores what happens after perseverance has done its job and carried us through life’s hardest seasons. Drawing from her own experiences with transition, loss, changing beliefs, and starting over, Heather Gill examines the parts of ourselves that can get left behind when survival becomes the priority.
Through the image of a remembrance table, she invites us to look back with honesty and compassion—not to relive the past, but to reclaim the voice, wonder, strength, and identity that difficult seasons may have buried. Her message challenges the idea that healing always means becoming someone new and offers a different possibility: sometimes wholeness comes from making room for every version of ourselves that helped us get here.
Perseverance gets you through. Remembrance brings you home.
R.Andrew Howard Jr
Potential Is Not a Promise: Becoming More Than You Thought Possible
We often celebrate potential as if it guarantees success—what if it doesn’t? In this compelling talk, the speaker challenges the common belief that talent and ability alone determine our future. Instead, he reveals that potential is only a starting point, not a promise.
Through powerful insights and relatable reflections, the talk explores how passion gives direction, action drives growth, and meaningful progress begins when we choose to move forward—even without certainty. Audiences will be encouraged to rethink how they view their own abilities and inspired to take ownership of their journey.
This talk offers a fresh perspective on what it truly takes to grow, evolve, and become more than we ever imagined possible.
Sarina Nguyen
From growing up in Vietnam without electricity or running water and living in a Buddhist temple to working three jobs while attending school full time in the United States, Sarina Nguyen shares a journey shaped by sacrifice, uncertainty, and determination. Her mother’s hard work opened the door to opportunity, but building a new life still meant facing hunger and financial hardship while pursuing an education.
Through her story, Sarina explores how perseverance and everyday choices can help us move beyond survival. Her talk invites us to consider how we can begin creating possibilities for our future—even when our present circumstances make that future difficult to imagine.
Beyond Survival: Creating a Future Before You Can See It
Dr Ron Beyers
Idea Worth Spreading
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Phumzile E Motloung
The Price of Becoming: Stubborn Faith When the World Says No
What does it really cost to become the person you dream of being? Phumzile Emmah Motloung explores the sacrifices, rejection, and uncertainty that often accompany personal growth. Drawing on her journey in education, creative work, and leadership, she examines the difference between sacrifices that develop us and those that diminish us. Her talk presents perseverance as a conscious commitment to keep learning and growing, while remaining willing to change direction. At its heart is an invitation to believe in your potential without making universal approval or immediate success a condition for continuing.
Christopher Luke-Peers
The Second Stroke Nobody Talks About
Surviving a stroke is only the beginning.
After waking from a 14-day coma and beginning the long journey of learning to walk and speak again, Christopher-Luke Peers discovered another battle—one no doctor had prepared him for. While he was fighting for his life, the financial system never stopped. Bills accumulated, payments were missed, and the consequences of medical trauma continued long after the hospital stay had ended.
In this thought-provoking talk, Christopher-Luke challenges us to rethink how our financial systems respond to human crisis. Drawing from his own experience as a stroke survivor and financial architect, he explores why recovery shouldn't come with financial devastation and asks a powerful question: What if our financial infrastructure were designed to protect people when they are most vulnerable?
The Second Stroke Nobody Talks About is an invitation to imagine a future where innovation isn't measured only by technology or efficiency, but by the compassion built into the systems that shape our lives.
Kristy-Ann Govender
Idea Worth Spreading
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Clarence Jorif
Idea Worth Spreading
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Idea Worth Spreading
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Speaker Name
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Samkele Mbongisa
When You Forget Why You Started
What happens when the vision that once inspired you becomes the very thing that challenges you to keep going?
In “When You Forget Why You Started,” Samkele Mbongisa explores the powerful connection between perseverance, purpose, and the impact we make on others. Drawing from her personal journey as a final-year Psychology student at Nelson Mandela University and Founder of Ikhayalethu Visionaries, a youth-led organization dedicated to creating opportunities for young people in rural communities across the Eastern Cape, she shares the realities of pursuing a meaningful vision despite limited resources, uncertainty, and personal challenges.
Through her experiences in youth leadership and community development, Samkele challenges the traditional definition of success, reminding us that progress is not always measured by visible achievements or milestones, but often by the lives we touch along the way. She explores how moments of doubt, exhaustion, and uncertainty can cause us to lose sight of our original purpose—and how recognizing the difference we have already made can reignite our determination to continue.
Aligned with TEDxSummerstrand 2026's theme, “The Power of Perseverance,” her talk offers a compelling perspective on sustaining purpose without sacrificing personal well-being. Samkele invites audiences to reconsider what it truly means to persevere, emphasizing that perseverance is not about carrying every burden alone, but about finding strength in community, embracing growth, and remembering that even the smallest acts of impact can create lasting change.
Curtis Lee Corbins
Idea Worth Spreading
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Special AI Tribute
archbishop grady l morris, sr.
Celebrating the Life, Honoring the Voice, and Preserving the Legacy!
May your voice echo beyond this moment, your message endure through time, and your wisdom live on.
August 11, 1954 - March 31, 2026
Archbishop Grady L. Morris, Sr. was a man of unwavering faith, leadership, and service whose life was dedicated to uplifting others and building strong communities. A former athlete, military serviceman, law enforcement professional, and ultimately a respected spiritual leader, his journey reflected a life of discipline, purpose, and continual evolution. As Archbishop of New Covenant Family Church, he led with wisdom, integrity, and a deep commitment to empowering individuals to walk boldly in their calling.
Archbishop Morris was selected as the first speaker for TEDxSummerstrand, a reflection of the power and relevance of his voice. Although he passed before having the opportunity to deliver his talk on stage, his message lives on. His talk was recorded, submitted, and officially approved prior to his passing.
In honor of his life and legacy, TEDxSummerstrand proudly shares his message on this international stage—ensuring that his voice, his wisdom, and his impact continue to inspire audiences around the world.