At 11 years old, Lidiia Reviakina would laugh at jokes, often a half-second after everyone else. After moving to the United States from Ukraine, she struggled to understand English and the cultural references in her classmates’ conversations. 

Rather than reveal that she felt left out, she laughed along. 

Years later, millions of Americans would be laughing at her jokes. Through her TikTok account, Reviakina discovered that her experiences growing up in a Slavic household would soon resonate with people from different backgrounds. 

What began as an effort to find and build community became an unexpected way to bring people together. 

“Sometimes we recognize ourselves in each other long before we fully understand each other,” Reviakina said during her TEDx Cleveland State University speech. 

Today, Reviakina, 19, is an honors student at Cleveland State University pursuing three majors – an integrated bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and computer science and general business. She also works as an IT project management intern at Progressive Insurance and is developing her own startup, Tech Connex. 

Her journey shows how curiosity and creativity can shape her approach to cultural differences and, ultimately, her academic and professional goals. 

Finding belonging 

Reviakina officially moved to the United States in 2018, when she was 11. Adjusting to a new country was difficult, especially when she tried to communicate with classmates and follow classroom instruction while navigating a language barrier. 

Teachers often provided written materials to help her understand lessons, and she relied on Google Translate to complete assignments. At lunch, she frequently sat alone, with few opportunities to speak with anyone outside of her immediate family. 

While her English gradually improved, she continued to struggle with something beyond language. 

“I thought I didn’t belong,” she said. 

Reviakina worried that she didn’t understand enough about American culture, including certain references or aspects of pop culture. This prevented her from participating in conversations; even when she knew enough English, she feared embarrassing herself. 

After discovering TikTok in 2019, she noticed how often her classmates discussed the platform or recorded videos at school. She downloaded the app to better understand their conversations. 

She eventually began creating videos after learning popular trends and cultural references, while also connecting with people from Slavic countries. 

Her first video on her main account challenged the romanticized image of life in Slavic countries. Reviakina began posting photographs of her hometown, highlighting its ordinary post-Soviet architecture. 

While she expected the video to resonate primarily with Slavic people, many responses came from Americans who agreed with her perspective. 

“I thought to myself, wow, Americans are liking my video,” she said. “They are agreeing with me and talking to me.” 

This response showed that people can relate without sharing the same cultural background and understand her without her having to explain her experiences. 

Later, her videos started to feature comedy. For example, she shared interactions with her Slavic mother that highlighted family expectations and traditions. 

In her TEDx speech, Reviakina described how jokes and parental expectations could resonate with viewers beyond her Slavic culture, including those with Latino, Asian and American backgrounds. 

For years, Reviakina struggled with feeling like she did not fit in with American culture. Instead, she embraced this difference to help others connect with her. 

Creating content also improved her confidence over time, as the face-to-face interactions and social anxiety gradually eased. 

“If I hadn’t started posting on TikTok, I would still be very socially anxious,” she said. 

Her interest in cultural connection extends beyond connecting with Americans, as she continues to learn additional languages. Reviakina speaks Ukrainian and Russian as her native languages, has professional proficiency in English and is learning Spanish. 

Intertwining creativity and technology 

While Reviakina was finding her voice online, she was also developing a passion for technology. 

Her interest in computer science began partly through her mother’s encouragement, who wanted her to pursue a career with strong professional opportunities. Although Reviakina initially felt pressured, she eventually discovered a genuine interest in the field. 

She always enjoyed creative activities like drawing and editing videos, but programming offered another outlet that let her combine imagination with logical thinking. 

“You can’t think logically if you’re not creative, and you can’t be creative if you’re not logical,” Reviakina said. 

At 17, Reviakina earned an associate degree in computer science from Cuyahoga Community College and graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA in December 2024. 

After this, she continued her education at CSU, initially focusing on computer science. After taking a class that overlapped with electrical engineering, she became interested in the hardware side of technology. 

She discovered CSU's integrated degree program, which combines computer science and electrical engineering. She also added general business to explore entrepreneurship. 

Through CSU's Weston Ideation Lab in the Monte Ahuja College of Business, Reviakina found mentors and resources that helped her develop her entrepreneurial goals. 

One of her most influential mentors, Lynn Buchinsky of the Weston Ideation Lab, encouraged Reviakina to pursue opportunities and strengthen her presentation skills. 

“She (Buchinsky) has this drive within her that always shines on me,” Reviakina said. “It’s so incredible to have someone in your life trying to get you to be more driven.” 

Reviakina said CSU gave her opportunities beyond the classroom, allowing her to build her professional skills, explore entrepreneurship and connect with mentors. 

In May 2026, she began an IT project management internship at Progressive Insurance, where she explores the relationship between project management and technical knowledge. 

Building opportunity through Tech Connex 

Her academic and professional interests inspired her startup, Tech Connex, which she is developing with support from the Weston Ideation Lab. 

This platform aims to connect information technology and computer science students seeking experience with small businesses in need of affordable technology support. 

Reviakina sees an opportunity to address two challenges: Students need hands-on experience before graduation, while small businesses often cannot afford the rates charged by larger technology agencies. 

As a computer science student, she understands the uncertainty of entering the job market. Through Tech Connex, she hopes to give students opportunities to develop their skills while helping local businesses meet their technology needs.

She plans to continue developing the startup after graduation.

Sharing her story on the TEDx stage 

Reviakina’s experiences eventually led her to the TEDx Cleveland State University stage. 

When organizers, including the event's lead organizer, Colette Hart, announced the theme of “Untangling Wonder,” Reviakina connected with its message. She saw an opportunity to discuss the assumptions she made about herself after moving to the United States and how curiosity helped her challenge them. 

Although she initially questioned the significance of her story, she decided to present her experiences honestly rather than create a specific narrative. 

Preparing for the speech meant condensing years of experience into a five-minute presentation. With guidance from mentors, including Buchinsky, she learned to convey her central message while leaving out certain details. 

In her presentation, she incorporated humor, personal examples, and a video to show how laughter can help connect people across cultures. 

The event became one of her most memorable experiences at CSU. 

Reviakina recalls audience members sharing how much they related to her message. She also remembers a woman from her Ukrainian hometown hugging her and offering congratulations. 

“I probably never received as much love and validation as on that day,” Reviakina said. 

The experience reinforced the message she had spent years learning: People can connect even when their backgrounds are different. 

What began as a way to cope with solitude became an opportunity to help others recognize shared experiences and find humor in cultural differences. 

Sometimes, that recognition sounds like laughter. 

Looking ahead, Reviakina hopes to continue combining technology, business and creativity. Through her studies and Tech Connex, she wants to develop solutions that create opportunities for others and address practical community needs