The Difference That Makes a Difference: Awa Ahmed at TEDxCharlottesville 2013

Hawa Ahmed did not grow up thinking she could attend college.



Born a refugee in Chad, Ahmed arrived in the United States with nothing but the clothes on her back. As she watched her parents struggle to make a living, college was simply a fantasy.



However, upon receiving a full scholarship to study at the University of Virginia, her whole world changed, catapulting a lifetime of unforeseeable opportunity.



Now a junior at UVA, Ahmed has been compelled to service ever since being granted a college education. This past summer, Ahmed rode her bike 4,265 miles across the continental United States. Averaging 80 miles a day, she biked for 11 and a half weeks to raise money and awareness for affordable housing.

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)

CREDITS:
Animations: www.joanhtobias.com
Film & Staging: www.theavcompany.net
Editing: MC2 Creative