Logan Smalley is turning curiosity into wonder at TED-Ed
With partner TED-Ed
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TED-Ed founder Logan Smalley emphasizes that reach is just a part of the story of impact. TED-Ed’s online library of lessons has been viewed nearly six billion times. The real connection comes through translation, dubbing, and localization of videos, which make content accessible across languages and literacy levels.
This effort by the TED-Ed team allows young people from across the globe to engage with content, and for Smalley, creating these moments when curiosity turns into wonder is the compass guiding his work with TED-Ed.
Smalley began his career as a high school special education teacher in Athens, Georgia, where he grew up. Teaching was his first career; he later directed Darius Goes West, a documentary about a lifelong friend living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The grassroots film, which followed a cross-country journey to raise awareness and test accessibility, garnered national attention. Screenings in schools, theaters, and community centers sparked conversations across the country.
That work led Smalley to the TED Fellows program in 2009, where he pitched an idea: what if storytelling, animation, and the TED platform could combine to make complex ideas accessible to learners everywhere? By 2010, TED invited him to turn that vision into TED-Ed.
Watch Logan share more about what’s bringing him hope right now:
Bezos Family Foundation is proud to support the programs of TED-Ed: TED-Ed Student Talks, TED-Ed Educator Talks, TED-Ed Animated Lessons, and TED-Ed Lesson Dubbing into multiple languages.
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