Diversity Of Thought | Vidya Spandana | TEDxPortland

For our society to move towards a more inclusive consciousness, diversity must be explored through thought and perspective, not by race or gender. As a teenager, Vidya Spandana cofounded , turning it into a multi-million dollar business by the time she earned her computer science and engineering degree. After extended emotional trauma and burnout, Vidya woke up one day and left her life and success behind. She spent three years traveling, studying the science of non-duality, teaching yoga, surfing, and making art. Vidya has since spent 15 years advising startups on strategic growth. In 2013, she became a Presidential Innovation Fellow working to bring President Obama’s Executive Order on Open Data to life, and working with federal agencies to prove how open data could drive economic growth in the world’s poorest countries. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at