The TED talk I watched was given by DeAndrea Salvador, and her speech was labeled “How we can make energy more affordable for low-income families.” In a short but moving speech, Salvador shared some interesting points on how to lower the price of energy.
Salvador’s main thesis was, “The price of energy for lower-income families must be lowered.” She begins the TED talk with a sweet story from her childhood where she recalls standing in front of her grandmother’s AC on a hot, summer day. Following that story, she shares with the audience how many people in her neighborhood did not have this seemingly senseless luxury. How many times have you been grateful to afford AC and heat? Probably not often. However, for the lower income families, they are forced to beg to stay warm for just one day in December. This is one of the more important ideas I took from the talk. How difficult it is for some to obtain energy while others (like me) take the heat for granted. I never even imagined having to choose between receiving medicine, eating, or staying warm.
Another important point Salvador made during her speech was a statistic she gave. The average American spends 3% of their income of energy compared to low-income and rural populations. In these areas, they are spending anywhere from 20% to 30% of their income on energy. She followed it with an even more moving statistic that over 25 million people in America skipped meals last year in order to afford energy. These two statistics together as a 1-2 punch really stood out to me. Can you imagine having to choose between food and energy? Salvador really proved her thesis here. No one should have to make this decision.
Before watching the speech, I knew nothing about the affordability of energy. After listening to Salvador speak, I feel much more well-informed. There are times when I can hear a speech and gain no knowledge at all. Speeches where it seems the speaker just rambled for five to six minutes, but Salvador loaded her speech with background information on the situation, statistics of energy cost, and solutions to how we can fix the problem. In addition, she was able to keep me interested enough to hear her words being spoken. Sometimes, whether or not the speaker gives all the information, it can still feel as though you have learned nothing if they use incomprehensible language.
Salvador’s use of rhetorical devices was definitely strong in her speech. As I earlier mentioned, the logos she used was intense. When you hear a big number like 25 million, odds are you will stop and listen to the following information. Not only was it attention grabbing, but (sorry to reiterate) it also proved her point well. Salvador also utilized pathos in her TED talk. She included a brief, real-life example. To evoke emotion from the audience, she wanted them to imagine having to choose one of the three things for their own daughter: medical care, heat, or food. It, at least for me, put things into perspective.
Salvador gave a perfect example of delivering a speech rather than doing a presentation. She stole the crowd’s attention right from the beginning with her hook childhood story and kept them interested with statistics and emotional inclusions. Salvador gave a more personal tone as used in a speech rather than the formal tone presenters use. Although Salvador did include a visual aid in her speech, she kept her eyes and focus on the audience rather than interacting with a PowerPoint. Finally, to bring home the gold, Salvador shared her ideas in a way that everyone felt they could understand. At times during presentations, people listening could feel like the idea was over their heads. Salvador made sure her concepts were comprehensible.