Making social change stick

Campaigning has brought Emma Gibbens all over the world—from her hometown in Minnesota to Western Australia, where she served as the WA State Manager for the marriage equality campaign. 

Emma explains how Australia’s same-sex marriage postal survey exemplifies bottom-up change, with a 78.6% voter turnout, driven by proactive engagement. She attributes this to three key factors: pervasive conversations, sharing personal stories and identifying shared values. 

Delivered during a unique moment—just after voting closed but before the result was announced—Emma’s TEDxPerth talk captures the power of people coming together to generate change. 

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

About the speaker 

Emma Gibbens has nine years of experience in political campaigning across the United States and around the world. 

Emma helps individuals and organisations connect, engage, and activate any audience. Working one-on-one or in large groups, she brings stories and people-centred messages to the forefront. IMost recently she was the WA State Coordinator for Australians for Marriage Equality, Postal Survey Campaign 2017. 

In her spare time, she enjoys playing cello in an Aussie pub rock band, exploring Perth’s surrounding parks, and enjoying the tasty culinary scene.