Reclaim Your Roots | Aicha Manai | TEDxEspoo Youth

Aicha Manai was a Speaker at TEDxEspoo Youth 2025!

Ever been told you just need to “fit in”? What if the real problem is not you - but the system itself?

In this TEDx Talk, “Reclaim Your Roots”, we understand the meaning of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Aicha's eyes. It is not about helping people squeeze into spaces that were not built for them. It is about redesigning those spaces from ground up, so everyone truly belongs.

In this TEDx Talk, Aicha Manai takes the audience on a journey, drawing from her own upbringing as a multicultural child in Finland. From feeling ashamed to speak her home language in public, to understanding the layers as the child of a Finnish mother and a Tunisian father, this talk uncovers the cost of growing up in spaces that don't reflect your reality.

At age 11, everything changed when Aicha moved to Suvela, a diverse neighbourhood where, for the first time, she saw and heard other children who looked like her, spoke like her, and asked the same silent question: Do I belong here?

Today, Aicha Manai is working to reshape that story. In her talk Aicha highlights the difference in how refugees have been welcomed based on race and background. From welcoming white refugees with open arms to interrogating colored refugees for owing mobile phones (Please watch the whole Talk to understand why).

At the end of Aicha’s talk she says: “Don't hide your identity. Don't hide your names, your culture, your language, your fire.”

Join us for a new perspective on what it means to Reclaim Your Roots and build a more inclusive future for all.

#TEDxEspooYouth #TEDxTalk
#TEDxEspooYouth2025 Aicha Manai is the CEO of Startup Refugees and a sought-after professional speaker and host. With Finnish-Tunisian roots and a trilingual upbringing, Aicha has integrated her rich cultural background into both her personal ethos and professional mission. She advocates for inclusivity, representation and the value of diverse perspectives. Aicha has spoken on global stages and moderated countless conversations on topics ranging from migration to equity in leadership. Aicha leads Startup Refugees, a social innovation that supports refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in building careers and launching businesses. Startup Refugees has become a powerful force for connecting untapped talent with meaningful opportunities and reshaping the narrative around refugees, immigration and integration. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx Receive SMS online on sms24.me

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