Thank you for your interest in applying to be a featured speaker at IC Everywhere 2020. This year at International Convention, we will be looking at our stories - who we are, how we got here, and where we want to go. We firmly believe in the power of you, the USYers, and hope that through this initiative we will engage, inspire, and strengthen our USY community. As USYers, we continue to initiate remarkable change within our society, and it is our hope that at IC Everywhere, we will celebrate these incredible achievements.

In the past, USY Talks have followed a similar format to TED talks, a short 5-15 minute presentation highlighting a particular moment or story in one’s life. This year, however, is not like any other year. For any USYer with a new, creative, and engaging idea for how to present a USY Talk, we would love to hear your ideas and see your creativity on display. For inspiration, consider Kobe Bryant's mini-documentary "Dear Basketball," check it out here: https://youtu.be/1FUr4tFyKW0

For any USYers who would rather stick to the conventional TED Talk format, that's totally okay too! For examples of the TED-like presentation style, please visit the following link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TEDtalksDirector

In order to be considered to deliver a USY Talk at IC, please complete the following steps:

1. Fill out this form in a complete and thorough manner.

2. At the end of this form, please select someone to serve as your reference. This should be a person who can speak to your character and ability to serve as an impactful storyteller. Please ask your Recommender to send their Letter of Reference on your behalf to usytalks@gmail.com.

*Your application will not be considered complete until all three components have been submitted. All applications and videos must be submitted and completed by Friday, November 20th BEFORE Shabbat Local Time in order to be considered.*

Prior to completing your application, please note that if accepted to speak, you will be expected to dedicate 5-7 weeks (from 11/20 - 12/13) in order to effectively plan, practice, and execute your USY Talk. Speakers will be required to schedule regular meetings with IC Co-Chairs and USY professional staff to develop their talks and strongly encouraged to set aside personal time to individually prepare.

We look forward to reading your application and seeing you December 27th-30th across North America!

B'ahava,
Sam Bloch, Reena Bromberg Gaber, and Jacob Ellenbogen, IC Co-Chairs 2020