White Lies We Tell Our Children | Colin Stokes | TEDxBeaconStreet

You know that feeling when your child discovers you've been lying to them about something? Some lies we tell are pretty harmless. But others--like those surrounding privilege--contribute to the stubborn inequality in our world.

Colin was performing in a long-running off-Broadway show when his daughter was born. “I was singing and telling jokes for the delegates of the 2004 Republican Convention. There was such an intense conversation going on about values and the direction of the country. But as an actor my job was to distract from that. It dawned on me that there was more I could contribute.”

Fatherhood then showed him how little he knew. Leaving Broadway behind, the family moved to Brookline. Colin found a new career in non-profit marketing and launched into fatherhood, a role that continues to challenge his curiosity.

This is Colin’s third TEDx talk: his previous talks have examined the role that movies play in shaping our ideas about gender and race, and who should be the heroes of our lives. His role as a father continues to push him to examine life’s difficult questions, and he generously shares his thoughts with us.


This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx