What Has Happened to You? | Luke Lee | TEDxNewton Academy Youth

A high school volunteer reflects on six years of work at a free dental clinic for migrant workers and what it taught him about pain. He links neuroscience and social psychology with personal experience to argue that physical suffering is closely tied to emotional and social isolation. The talk suggests that social rejection and "othering" can intensify pain. The speaker proposes a shift in healthcare from asking "What is wrong with you?" to asking "What has happened to you?" The talk was given at an independently organized TEDx event.

• Physical pain and emotional or social isolation are presented as connected
• Social rejection and "othering" are said to amplify suffering
• Six years of volunteering at a free dental clinic for migrant workers
• A call to rethink healthcare by asking "What has happened to you?"

This story is about a high school volunteer who discovered that physical pain is deeply intertwined with emotional and social isolation through six years of service at a free dental clinic for migrant workers. By connecting neuroscience, social psychology, and personal experience, it explores how social rejection and "othering" amplify physical suffering. Ultimately, it calls on us to rethink healthcare by shifting our perspective from asking "What is wrong with you?" to "What has happened to you?" Luke Lee is a student attending Newton Academy as a sophomore. For the past six years, he has actively volunteered at a countryside church providing free dental care to economically disadvantaged migrant workers. Driven by his experiences on the ground, he is deeply interested in the intersection. 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