Putting Humanity Back into Human Rights: Marie Marjarais Smith at TEDxGreenville 2014

"Are you comfortable in your seats?" Marie Majarais Smith asks the audience upon hitting the stage. "I hope so. Because after this talk, you won't be." This passionate human rights advocate relates a shocking true story of abuse, brutal beating, and rape. We learn that it happened in retaliation for the woman reporting her husband for abuse, and that the retaliation was by her husband's family. Horrifying stuff, but that's not all. With a tense and dramatic build-up, we learn that the woman is an undocumented resident — a resident of Greer, South Carolina. This heinous crime took place not in a third world country but just a few miles from where the TEDxGreenville audience sat. The woman did not get legal assistance or adequate medical help. "In a country that prides itself in law and order, liberty, and justice...she received none," says Marie. "If we believe as a community in human rights, we need to stand up for rights of others right here in our community. There are no humans that are more human than the next person."

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)