Creating A Community And Finding Purpose | Stephen Jon Thompson | TEDxCarsonCity

Summary

The speaker shares a remarkable journey from childhood hardship to professional success, highlighting the transformative power of community and personal connections. Abandoned at age 9 and living through foster care and juvenile hall, he discovered belonging and purpose by forming friendships and engaging with supportive networks. These early experiences shaped his career in Silicon Valley, where he thrives on connecting people and building relationships. Emphasizing the importance of nurturing bonds, he encourages others to actively create their own communities through small, meaningful interactions, illustrating that resilience, growth, and opportunity are deeply tied to human connection.

Takeaways

• 😀 Community is built through personal connections, shared experiences, and mutual support.
• 😀 Early life challenges, including abandonment, poverty, and foster care, shaped the speaker's resilience and desire for connection.
• 😀 Experiencing structure and care in a juvenile hall provided the speaker with a sense of normalcy and belonging.
• 😀 Making friends and engaging with diverse individuals created a supportive network that became the foundation of the speaker's life.
• 😀 Participation in communal activities, like church, sports, and music, strengthens bonds and builds trust.
• 😀 Acts of generosity, hospitality, and shared meals foster deeper relationships and a sense of family.
• 😀 Personal networks are crucial for opportunities, career growth, and overcoming systemic barriers.
• 😀 Success is often a product of community support rather than individual effort alone.
• 😀 Engaging actively with others—through conversation, volunteering, and shared experiences—nurtures lasting connections.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of building inclusive, borderless communities that value connection over background or circumstance.
• 😀 Mentorship and mutual support play a pivotal role in enabling personal growth and professional success.
• 😀 Small, consistent acts of kindness and engagement have a profound impact on both individuals and the broader community.

Q & A

What early life challenges did the speaker face?

The speaker grew up as the eldest of five siblings and experienced abandonment when his mother left. He lived in hotels, cars, shelters, and foster homes, endured malnutrition, violence, and instability, and was placed in juvenile hall at a young age.

How did the speaker find a sense of belonging for the first time?

The speaker found a sense of belonging in a jail cell and later at the Northern Nevada Children's Home. The routine, structure, and access to food and books provided stability that he had never experienced, making him feel cared for and part of a community.

What role did community play in the speaker’s life?

Community provided the speaker with connection, support, and a sense of family. Through friendships, shared experiences, and acts of kindness, he developed a network that nurtured him and helped him grow personally and professionally.

How did the speaker begin to build his network at a young age?

He actively made friends across different parts of town, including at school, church, basketball courts, and events. He nurtured these relationships by participating in family gatherings, holidays, and everyday interactions, fostering deep connections.

What lessons did the speaker learn from his community experiences?

He learned the importance of connection, the value of supporting others, and that building relationships requires consistent effort. He also realized that success and belonging are often tied to strong personal networks.

How did the speaker’s early networking experiences influence his career?

His ability to connect with others and build relationships directly translated into his career in talent acquisition, where he helps companies like Google, Apple, and LinkedIn find top talent. The skills of networking and relationship-building developed in childhood became foundational for his professional success.

What statistics about foster care does the speaker highlight?

He notes that 400,000 children are in foster care in the U.S., with 23,000 turning 18 and leaving the system annually. One in five becomes homeless, 71% of girls are pregnant by 21, less than 3% earn a college degree, and one in four experiences PTSD, twice the rate of U.S. war veterans.

How did personal connections help the speaker access education opportunities?

When he was initially rejected from a university, a friend provided a reference, which helped him gain acceptance. This demonstrates how personal networks can create opportunities that might not be available otherwise.

What advice does the speaker give for building a strong community today?

He advises engaging with people through simple acts like having coffee with strangers, cheering at local events, volunteering, or reaching out to friends online. Consistent effort to connect, support, and engage with others builds strong, meaningful networks.

How does the speaker define his ideal community?

His ideal community is one bound by connection and support, not limited by geography, background, or beliefs. It’s a network where people help and cheer for each other, creating belonging and opportunity.

What is the overarching message of the speaker’s story?

The story emphasizes that personal connections and community are critical for resilience, growth, and success. Even in the face of hardship, building relationships and networks can create opportunities and a sense of belonging that transforms lives.