The Hidden Power Behind Our Names | Graci Kim Cribbens | TEDxYouth@AvonRiver

In a world where identity and belonging are so often defined by our labels, diplomat and writer Graci Kim Cribbens asks the question: what is in a name? By exploring her experiences of adopting a pen name, only to reject it for her Korean roots, Graci's emotional and thought-provoking talk from TEDxYouth@AvonRiver 2018 will make you think twice about how you let labels define who you are. Graci Kim Cribbens is a New Zealand diplomat, writer, and social entrepreneur. Her career in the Foreign Service has taken her from negotiating wine trade agreements in South America, to walking down the red carpet in Beijing, to representing New Zealand at the World Trade Organisation in Geneva. Following stints in Taiwan and China, she is currently based back in Aotearoa with her husband and imaginary dog. When she’s not being a cheerleader for New Zealand, Graci writes Young Adult novels about magic and family under the name Graci Kim. Graci has also founded three start-ups in the creative tech space, including being the producer and host of online cooking show “Graci in the Kitchen”, which was broadcast on the Food Channel and the Tastemade Network, reaching almost a million viewers within its first year. A proud Kowi (Korean-Kiwi) raised in West Auckland, Graci is passionate about #ownvoices storytelling, youth empowerment, lifelong learning, and hacking the way to living our best lives. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx