As a child, Tom Rietz saw first-hand what it was like for children of all backgrounds in the foster care system. Deeply impacted by the experience, it has shaped how he sees the world today, which he discusses in his talk: “I grew up in poverty. Here’s why I recognize my white privilege.”

Rietz is a junior at DePaul University studying political science, economics and the Arabic language. He is the President of the Honors Student Government at DePaul and enjoys his time working as a community activist. Rietz spent the past summer interning at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and has accepted a summer fellowship at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy and International Affairs. He hopes to one day utilize his knowledge of foreign affairs and public policy to affect change in the public sector.

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