Embrace. That was this year’s theme for the seventh annual Irvine Talks performance, an event in collaboration with IPSF where high school students across Irvine get a platform to share their stories through music, speeches, poetry or dance. Three Northwood students, freshman Amber Chih and juniors Seohyun Ryu and Akhila Dhurjati, were all involved in Irvine Talks from behind the scenes to the center stage. Here is how Irvine Talks and learning to “embrace” has impacted the lives of a performer, a graphic designer and a videographer.
Amber Chih embraces her Tourettes
Chih is diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, a condition that causes sudden twitches, movements or sounds that a person cannot control. Growing up in Taiwan with stigmas regarding disabilities like Tourette syndrome, she was never fully diagnosed until moving to the U.S.
“When I first heard I had Tourette’s, I would have rather believed I was possessed,” Chih said. “The way the doctor framed it, it was ‘Oh, you’re disabled’ and I couldn’t believe it because how could I be disabled if I wasn’t in a wheelchair or a hospital?”
Although it took her and her parents time to get used to the fact that the tics weren’t going to leave, Chih learned that her condition didn’t have to be a limitation in her life. Performing at Irvine Talks gave her the platform to raise awareness about her disability.
“Irvine Talks has helped me come to terms with how I’ve grown alongside my disorder,” Chih said. “Through the process of writing my speech, editing it, memorizing it and performing it, I’ve been able to look back and see how much I’ve progressed.”
Seohyun Ryu embraces the community
Ryu moved to Northwood during her freshman year of high school. While she got used to the school’s environment, Ryu felt like there was more to Irvine that she was missing. After attending an Irvine Talks performance in her sophomore year, she was inspired to become more involved and step out of her comfort zone.
“Irvine Talks is the one event that helped me get out of my little shell and embrace what the community had to offer,” Ryu said. “I loved how there were a bunch of students from across IUSD, so when I heard they were looking for a publicist, I immediately tried out and got in.”
It was initially stressful for Ryu to take on a leadership role; however, throughout her time in Irvine Talks, she has been able to develop her artistic abilities and gain more confidence to immerse herself in the community, learning a little more about herself and others through Irvine Talks.
“The important thing about performers is that they need the courage to be vulnerable,” Ryu said. “But, as a board, we have to listen well, and I feel that listening is as important as talking. If we get to listen to the people around us, we also get to reflect on our own experiences”
Akhila Dhurjati embraces different perspectives
Dhurjati, like Ryu, came to learn about Irvine Talks after attending a performance her freshman year. Inspired by the stories she heard, Dhurjati began volunteering to help prepare for and run the event her sophomore year, before she eventually became the event’s videographer to capture the performances and share them online, utilizing her experience in NTV.
“Irvine Talks allows high schoolers to be emotionally vulnerable and share their stories,” Dhurjati said. “It celebrates the beauty of human experience and shows them that they are not alone in their struggles.”
While being tasked with filming and working alongside Irvine students was far from a new experience for her, Irvine Talks was eye-opening for Dhurjati to appreciate what her peers had to say and embrace the experience with an open mind.
“Irvine Talks introduced me to such a large community of people,” Dhurjati said. “I feel comforted and safe around them and they taught me how to widen my perspective.”