A TEDx Talk is always a great way to deep dive into your favorite author, political activist or musical artist, but when drag performer and now New York City Council candidate recently gave a TEDx Talk in the gay haven of Provincetown, MA to a packed house, this one was a little bit different. While TEDx Talks almost always have a bit of inspiration behind their message, this is probably the first time that a performance of the toddler crowd smash “Baby Shark” is the source of the inspiration.
Quick backstory; Marti Gould Cummings performed at a drag brunch and while their performance of ‘Baby Shark” absolutely thrilled a young child & his mother and went viral, the internet trolls crawled out from under the bridges long enough to spread some predictable hate. Being on the receiving end of this kind of vitriol took Cummings’ already simmering activism to new heights. During their TEDx Talk, Cummings detailed how their perspective was changed after this one performance, and how “leading with kindness” remains the order of business.
Cummings’ TEDx Talk gained so much attention that one of the women that defined “internet bullying” and has made it her life’s mission to hold these bullies accountable is activist Monica Lewinsky. Lewinsky even sent this tweet to Cummings directly after being cited by Cummings as an inspiration for speaking out on cyber bullying.
As social media platforms are forced to be more stringent on users content and candidates like Elizabeth Warren hold social media platforms responsible for their own policies, having warriors like Cummings (and Lewinsky) on the front lines will hopefully help show the next generation that direct conversation, rather than scathing social media posts, are truly the best trend for them to start.
Check Out Marti’s Campaign For City Council @ https://martiformanhattan.com/