My TEDx talk is TOMORROW!

Tomorrow is a big day — I’ll be stepping onto the red dot to deliver my talk at the TEDxRound Rock Women conference, “Own It.” I applied because I’ve been challenging myself to “stop preaching to the choir after they joined the choir” and take the message of arts education, creativity, and confidence to new audiences. I’m deeply honored to have been selected from almost 200 applicants to be one of 20 speakers.

Preparing this talk has been an inspiring, humbling, and growth-filled journey. It reminded me exactly why we fight for fine arts education: because performance, creativity, courage, and connection truly shape who we become. And tomorrow, I get one shot — just like the performers and educators I’m advocating for.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the PAE/SAE and overall arts education community. Their support, passion, and belief in this mission fuel everything I do. I’m also carrying with me the legacy of the teachers who changed my life — my first art teacher, my mom, my band director Gary Markham, my drum corps instructor Catherine Float, and Tom Mitchell, who insisted I was a drum set player long before I believed it. They are no longer here, but their impact lives in every step I take on that stage.

My hope is that this talk becomes a powerful tool for all of us — something everyone can share to help elevate arts educators, inspire parents, and strengthen advocacy for future generations. Once the video is released, I can’t wait to pass it along so together we can amplify the message.

Thank you for standing with me. I feel your support more than you know.

With gratitude,

Trina