People all over the world watch TED videos. Did you know that TED speakers don't get paid?
Freedom Speakers International would like to build a speaker fund so we can seek out opportunities for members of FSi who would like to give speeches to platforms and organizations that cannot pay them.
We have 20 members of the North Korean Refugee Keynote Speakers Network of Freedom Speakers International (FSI) and we have more North Korean refugees who want to join us.
We would like to wait until we can get more speaking opportunities for the speakers, and yes, we would like for the speakers to be paid.
* * *
Note: Before the reporters and researchers among us have heart attacks about North Korean refugees getting paid for public speeches (which is common in the public speaking world), I will be clear that some of them waive the speaking fee as a donation to FSI.
However, as an organization, it isn't right for us to ask North Korean refugees who are opening up what sometimes are painful stories to speak without payment. If they choose to waive the fee, that's fine and a different issue from how we as an organization should operate.
NOTE 2: This is not a slap at TED, it provides a great platform and it can add credibility to a speaker's career.
There are other great platforms and opportunities at which speakers don't get paid, but TED is strong enough to endure being singled out.
NOTE 3: For larger-scale donors, we can mention you as a sponsor or major donor to an event. For the rest of us non-wealthy people who donate, we can also mention in the description of an event as being a donor (or you can do so anonymously).
