FHC Inspires Q&As 2022: Jia Niemeyer

Name: Jia Niemeyer

Position: Speaker

TED Talk Title: Impacts of Assumptions

Why did you apply to be a speaker?

“I [used] to have trouble speaking, especially in front of large groups of people. I found myself stuttering with my heart racing. I knew that speaking is a life skill that is crucial to sharing your own ideas. So in sixth grade, I chose to change. Doing my TED Talk for FHC Inspires was just the next step in my journey of becoming a better speaker.”

How are you feeling about speaking at FHC Inspires?

“I am very excited, both because I can overcome my fears of speaking to a large crowd and to share a topic I feel is important for everyone to learn more about.”

What was the process of picking the perfect TedTalk topic?

“To be honest, it came quite easy to me. When brainstorming, I had three main ideas: acceptance, adoption, and judgment. [Sophomore] Noah Burke was sitting next to me, I was on the cusp of what I should do, and he was able to morph all my ideas into one. I wanted to do something along the lines of what judgment/assumptions I often get as an adoptee. Additionally, throughout my life, I’ve had to learn how to accept many events, one being many misunderstandings. [Noah] told me I could do all of them. He said this is something unique that not many people could touch on, and I could bring awareness. Although I have brought it to a broader scale, much of what I wanted to touch on is in my final TED Talk.”

What does your message mean to you?

“This TED Talk gave me an opportunity to share some of my life and hopefully, use it for some people to see a new perspective.”

Who is your target audience?

“Anyone can gain from hearing my TED Talk. The truth is, we all make assumptions. Whether they are big, like assumptions over race, or small like assuming people have a perfect life through social media. Assumptions come in the form of judgment, accusations, and even praise/compliments, but it’s important for everyone to be conscious of their actions.”

Did you ever see yourself speaking at FHC Inspires?

“Yes. I thought it was a great idea to improve my speaking skills ever since I saw the class above me do it.”

What are you doing to prepare for the big night?

“[It is taking] lots of practice.”

How does your Google Slide presentation reflect your topic? 

“It helps the audience gain a visual understanding along with my speech.”