Courtesy of blog.ted.com
August 2, 2021

The central topic of TEDMonterey’s Session 3 was on many of our minds: health. From the technology powering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to new Alzheimer’s treatment possibilities, these amazing speakers gave a glimpse at exciting new frontiers of medicine.

Jarrett’s talk focused on how stories keep people alive and help us remember, share and process the human experience. Equipped with sheets of paper and a mug full of markers, Jarrett J. Krosoczka took the audience on an autobiographical journey during a live drawing presentation. He began by drawing his younger self surrounded by his grandfather and the ancestors he was introduced to through family stories. Krosoczka used his sketchbook as a means of escape from the chaos of his upbringing and as a way to connect with his incarcerated mother, who was also an artist. As a teenager, he volunteered at a camp for children with cancer, befriending a four-year-old boy named Eric who had recently been diagnosed with Leukemia. Krosoczka’s drawing of Eric was vibrant, depicting the boy with a Power Rangers sword in hand and a huge grin. Krosoczka shared the difficulties of recounting his experience at the camp in his graphic memoir, Sunshine, and how its creation forced him to come face-to-face with unspoken losses. While this can be painful, he explained, stories are an opportunity to understand the human experience, deal with absence and bring loved ones back to life on the page.

For an inspiring visit with Jarrett, check his schedule for availability!