Kate Kirkwood
“Why you should worry about lead paint hazards in a NEW home”
TEDxWilmington Workshop // May 15, 2018
Getting ready for TEDxWilmington has been a challenging yet fascinating experience. I am a teacher, used to finding the right words to express my idea to different audiences. But 12 minutes? Wow! That time goes by so fast! My coach tells me to keep it to 11:00 or 11:30 so I can have room to let the talk “breath” add a last-minute thought, accommodate (hopefully) audience reaction. I keep trimming and recomposing, and I’m finding that I really can express my concepts and thoughts much more concisely than I originally could. This is a skill that will serve me well, long after this talk is over.
My call-to-action is so important to me because I know that we can save so many kids from getting lead poisoned, if we can just raise the awareness of parents and caregivers. If they know the dangers and possible permanent damage to kids exposed to this poison, they will take the necessary steps to protect the kids. They will test the houses, test the kids, and be sure to get rid of any items that contribute to the lead dust or chips in the home. Getting the word out to a group of caregivers, parents, grandparents who might not know – BEFORE the kids get sick, gives them time to take action and protect little ones. I am humbled and grateful to have this opportunity to spread the word!
Three weeks from today the talk will be over. I will have finished the memorization, the final selection of slides, the outfit, I will be thinking about how to get the word out about the talk once it is available. I’m looking forward to that time, but for now, I’d better get back to memorizing the words, and making sure I stay under 11 minutes and 30 seconds!
Kate Kirkwood is a mother of four and lives in New Hampshire. She holds several national and state lead certifications and has formed an educational company called Lead-EDU through which she offers training for contractors, landlords, do-it-yourselfers and parents. Kate has authored a children’s’ book, Skylar Learns About Lead Poisoning and is currently working on a series of books to be released later this year called “lead paint clear and simple”.
