Why aren’t you drinking? The question is pervasive in social spaces everywhere, and it can be a challenging question to navigate for those choosing not to drink. But how did we get here, when half of Americans say they’d like to drink less or not at all? In this talk, Jen Gilhoi explores ways to evolve our drinking culture to make it ok for anyone, anywhere, for any reason not to drink alcohol - and open themselves up to true connection and belonging.
#sobriety
Jen Gilhoi (she/her) is an advocate for and creator of healthy social experiences that decentralize alcohol. Her journey spans two decades of alcohol abuse, eight years of an alcohol-free lifestyle, corporate roles, and entrepreneurial ventures. She shatters stigmas around choosing not to drink by inviting others to engage in self and societal inquiry to heal and be well. In her life and work, Jen is fascinated with the art of gathering and intentional conversations. She’s an event experience strategist and founder of Sparktrack; a writer and conversationalist cracking open society’s role in addiction at jengilhoi.com; and founder of Zero Proof Collective, where business leaders and those interested in the non-alcoholic beverages industry thoughtfully connect, collaborate, and share resources to advance zero-proof options, experiences, and social spaces. Jen is also a board member of Dissonance, an organization that promotes mental health and recovery in and through the arts. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx