Shannon recently had the opportunity to speak at a TEDx Youth event hosted by TASIS England. It was a particularly meaningful experience, not only because she had wanted to participate in a TEDx event for several years, but because TASIS England was an important part of her family’s story.
Shannon’s daughter attended and graduated from TASIS, and the remarkable culture created by the teachers, staff, and leadership team is even referenced in her book, Because: 12 Essential Skills for Connecting How You Lead with Why. The theme for the event, Fifty and Forward, celebrated the school’s 50th anniversary and aligned perfectly with a topic she cares deeply about: Being Human in the Age of AI. Her talk connected closely with the event’s focus on the future, exploring how leaders can hold onto what makes us human in a rapidly evolving, technology-driven world.
You can watch the full talk here: Being Human in the Age of AI | Shannon Banks | TEDxTASIS England Youth.
There wasn’t much lead time to prepare, but Shannon wrote a talk that was meaningful to her — one that connected with her work, values, and the love she poured into her daughter during the eight years she spent in the TASIS community.
Shannon’s favourite moment of the evening actually came thirty minutes before she walked on stage.
Because this was a TEDx Youth event, most of the talks were by children and young people. As she waited in the balcony for the event to begin, she met some of her fellow speakers: 8-year-old Ziva Wilson who talked about steps we can take to reduce global warming; 12th grader Charlie Newman, who shared reflections on how where we live shapes how we live; and Isaac Moore, a Grade 4 student who offered a powerful perspective on life with autism.
Other student leaders spoke about protecting the environment, building stronger relationships, and imagining a better future. Across the board, these courageous young people embodied exactly the qualities Shannon’s talk was about — curiosity, flexibility, generosity, and presence.
Shannon was proud to stand alongside these young speakers — and three other inspiring adult presenters — as the TASIS community celebrated this important milestone.
Her talk explored the idea that in a world increasingly shaped by technology, our greatest responsibility is to protect what makes us human.
