Connecting with people is the first, very important step we need to take when solving problems. We can’t do this work alone, and we don’t have time to hesitate or to hold back information. We must build networks to increase agency and impact. In this powerful talk, Major Chris Liggett explains how he made connections to help Afghans escape from Kabul in 2020. He also shares a list of rules for building meaningful connections as we tackle some of the most complex problems of our day. Chris is an active-duty Major in the United States Army. After graduating from the United States Military Academy, he served as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Afghanistan (2014) and a Special Operations Civil Affairs Team Commander in Burkina Faso, Africa (2019).

Chris is also a founding member of Task Force Boulder: a grassroots community organization that helps to resettle Afghan refugees in Boulder, Colorado.

He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in literature at the University of Colorado Boulder, and in the summer of 2022, he will join the West Point Department of English and Philosophy as an instructor. 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