To Me, With Love: My journey through poetry | Nicola Daniel-Symonette | TEDxMiramar Youth

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Poet Nicola Daniel-Symonette shares a gripping and deeply reflective TEDx talk about the beauty and complexity of mentorship. How the people who shape us can be inspiring, imperfect, and sometimes unexpectedly human. From a high-school literature teacher who awakened her love of Shakespeare, Achebe, Chaucer, and Brontë, to the moment a cherished mentor overstepped a boundary, Nicola reveals how guidance can empower us… and how growth sometimes requires stepping beyond the ones who once taught us.
With lyrical language and emotional clarity, she explores gratitude, disappointment, resilience, and the journey of becoming the author of your own identity.
“A mentor’s purpose may be brief, imperfect… but never wasted.”
#TEDx #NicolaDanielSymonette #Mentorship #Growth #Poetry #LifeLessons #Becoming
Nicola is a dynamic voice in the intersection of creativity, resilience, and reinvention. She brings a fresh perspective shaped by diverse experiences and an unshakable belief in the power of storytelling to spark transformation. Nicola is driven by a single question: What if we dared to think differently?
Her TEDx talk explores the forces that shape our choices—and how reclaiming our narrative can unlock extraordinary potential. Nicola challenges audiences to embrace discomfort, lean into curiosity, and rewrite the rules of what’s possible.
When she’s not on stage, Nicola is writing. Her work continues to ripple far beyond the mic. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx