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Looking for inspiration? Look no further. In this five part series, fifty talented black women from across the globe share their powerful words of wisdom.

Part 1: 50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

Starting here, enjoy 50 thought provoking TED talks by 50 super talented black women in this five part series. 

Featured in Part 1:

ELIZABETH NYAMAYARO | TEDWomen 2015 An invitation to men who want a better world for women.

AMMA ASANTE | TEDxBrixton The power of defining yourself.

RAKIA REYNOLDS | TEDxBarnardCollege Rules of the road on your journey to success.

SARAH LEWIS |TED2014 Embrace the near win.

ANNE-MARIE IMAFIDON | TEDxBarcelonaED Let’s save the world with girl-led startups.

SOMARA THEODORE | TEDxCreativeCoast The evolving identity of a first generation American.

MEMORY CHAMPITI | TEDxYouth@Lilongwe Local charity: Yes you can.

DR MAGGIE ADERIN-POCOCK | TEDxHousesofParliament The dawn of a new space era.

NOZIPO MARAIRE | TEDxHarare Indigenous versus indi-genius.

FELICIA HATCHER | TEDxJamaica Tell your failure story.

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Part 2: 50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

This is part two of our series of five posts sharing TED talks by fifty talented black women from across the globe.

Featured in Part 2:

PANASHE CHIGUMADZI | TEDxJohannesburg A new self-identity for Africans.

MAJORA CARTER | TEDxMidWest Three stories of local eco-entrepreneurship.

PATRICIA OBO-NAI | TEDxLabone The age of the girl geek.

LATISHA CAMPBELL | TEDxYale I am a radical: changing the odds. 

CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE | TEDxEuston We should all be feminists.

ANGELA JACKSON | TEDxProvidence Turning urban youth into global citizens.

MAAMEYAA BOAFO | TEDxAccra Being the real me without apology.

OLA OREKUNRIN | TEDxBerlinSalon Womenomics.

MELLODY HOBSON | TED2014 Color blind or color brave? 

MAGATTE WADE | TEDxUFM Disruptive Brands as Cultural Innovation.

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Part 3: 50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

This is part three of our series of five posts sharing TED talks by fifty talented black women from across the globe.

Featured in Part 3:

THANDIE NEWTON | TEDGlobal 2011

Actor Thandie Newton tells the story of finding her “otherness.”

MINNA SALAMI | TEDxBrixton To change the world, change your illusions.

TARA WILKINSON-MCCLEAN | TEDxBridgetown Re-imaging wealth in global media.

PENINAH NTHENYA MUSYIMI | TEDxAmsterdam I am the change. 

THELMA GOLDEN | TEDxHarlem Innovation Through Art – The Preposition Problematic.

MICHAELA DEPRINCE | TEDxAmsterdam From “devil’s child” to star ballerina. 

SHAKIRAH BOURNE | TEDxBridgetown The curse of the starving artist. 

KIMBERLY BRYANT | TEDxKC Defy Impossible.

ZAIN ASHER | TEDxEuston Trust your struggle.

ALLYSON HOBBS | TEDxStanford The chosen exile of racial “passing.”

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Part 4: 50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

This is part four of our series of five posts sharing TED talks by fifty talented black women from across the globe.

Featured in Part 4:

HANNAH POOL | TEDxEuston Discovering myself while discovering Erithrea.

JASMINE BURTON | TEDxAtlanta Innovation to sanitation through empathic design.

KAKENYA NTAIYA | TEDxMidAtlantic A girl who demanded school.

MAHLET AFEWORK | TEDxPlaceDesNations Ancient tradition/modern fashion. 

FADEKEMI AKINFADERIN-AGARAU | TEDxEuston Finding my calling.

RAPELANG RABANA | TEDxCapeTown Using mobiles to rekindle learning.

PATIENCE MTHUNZI | TED2015 Could we cure HIV with lasers? 

SAEEDA WRIGHT | TEDxConcordiaUPortland The ultimate selfie – love. 

ORY OKOLLOH | TEDGlobal 2007 How I became an activist. 

SADA MIRE|TEDxEuston Cultural heritage: a basic human need. 

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Part 5: 50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

This is the final part of our series of five posts sharing TED talks by fifty talented black women from across the globe.

Featured in Part 5:

ANGELA PATTON |TEDxWomen 2012 A father-daughter dance… in prison.

JULIANA ROTICH |TEDGlobal 2013 Meet BRCK, internet access built for Africa.

CATHERINE PHIRI |TEDxEuston Debunking the made-for-Africa script. 

TALITHIA WILLIAMS | TEDxClaremontColleges Own your body’s data.

JEPCHUMBA|TEDxEuston Asking Why.

CHINWE ONYEAGORO | TEDxWindyCity I’m an inefficient market entrepreneur.

DAYO OLOPADE | TEDTalentSearch The new African narrative.

NDIDI NWUNELI | TEDxEuston Rage for Change.

MAYA PENN | TEDWomen 2013 Meet a young entrepreneur, cartoonist, designer, activist Maya Penn.

DR MAMPHELA RAMPHELE |TEDxCapeTownED Rising to our citizens’ responsibility.

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“The double agent for the patriarchy is basically just a woman who perhaps unknowingly is still putting the patriarchal narrative out into the world. Is still benefitting off, profiting off and selling a patriarchal narrative to other women. But it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. You know, just because you look like a woman, we trust you and we think you’re on our side, but you are selling us something that really doesn’t make us feel good. You’re selling us an ideal, a body shape, a problem with our wrinkles, a problem with ageing, a problem with gravity, a problem with any kind of body fat. You’re selling us self-consciousness. The same poison that made you clearly develop some sort of body dysmorphia or facial dysmorphia, you are now pouring back into the world. You’re like recycling hatred. I find that really dangerous and I think it’s unacceptable and I don’t care if you’re a woman. I think constructive criticism is needed for anyone to ever evolve. For our gender to evolve we need some sort of constructive criticism. As long as we do it in a somewhat careful way. (…) So many of the worst things in the world have happened motivated by greed. And I just don’t think that’s an acceptable excuse anymore. How much money do you need? Really how much money do you need? How much money do any of these huge influencers who are worth millions or billions sometimes… why are they still promoting appetite-suppressant lollipops to young girls? And it’s not a fight against obesity. They have young, already slim girls, in their adverts for Flat Tummy company, this company that are absolutely everywhere, and they’re even being advertised in some of the most mainstream magazines, women’s magazines, and they have a billboard in Times Square. The money is built on the blood and tears of young women who believe in them, who follow them, who look up to them like the big sister they never had. It’s so upsetting and it feels like such a betrayal against women.”

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