The 9th edition of TEDxPeachtree sold out weeks before Friday, October 6, when over 600 people eagerly filled Atlanta’s Rialto Center for the Arts to listen to this year’s inspiring speakers. Hundreds more across the country joined in through a free live webcast. All came to listen, to think, and to dive Beneath the Surface.
That was the theme of the 2017 TEDxPeachtree conference: to look at all ideas and all possibilities for what you can’t see; not just the obvious, not what’s already accepted, and not what most people expect. To look beneath.
The conference was organized into four sessions, with each speaker using the theme to help us ultimately gain a deeper understanding of the world. As in years past, the conference also featured an “X-Zone” with activities crafted by local partners to bring attendees together outside of the presentations. By popular demand, Georgia’s technology incubator the Advanced Technology Development Center once again presented portfolio companies at the ATDC Innovation Studio in the center’s lower level.
Nine months in the making, each flagship TEDxPeachtree conference brings together dedicated volunteers from across Atlanta to create one special, memorable day. Among the very first TEDx events to be organized in the world in 2009, TEDxPeachtree has come to be known as a “pioneer” TEDx group among the 10,000 or so other TEDx group worldwide!
TEDxPeachtree is a non-profit organization powered by an all-volunteer crew. People of all backgrounds are attracted to the initiative, many of them volunteering year after year. There are no paid, full-time staff members. Even our emcees volunteer their time and talents.
Our morning guest emcee was Tenisio Seanima, a food justice advocate, and returning as our afternoon guest emcee was Atlanta radio personality Dana Barrett.
(PS, If you’re interested in volunteering at TEDxPeachtree’s year-round discussion events, aka salons, check out the TEDxPeachtree Web site for volunteer opportunities!)
If you missed TEDxPeachtree 2017 and couldn’t catch it on the livestream, check out our social media channels. Sign up here for an email update when speaker videos go up on the TEDx Global YouTube channel. Until then, here’s a quick recap of each session’s highlights. [Initial batch of conference photos are live here.]
SESSION 1: LOOK DEEPER
Tejas Athni (neuroscience explorer) started off the day by sharing highlights of his research on natural compounds that could cure cancer. The high school senior – yes, he’s still in high school – had everyone smiling as he talked about his trials and tribulations as a student researcher working at Detroit’s Karmanos Cancer Institute. After listening, we’re not too surprised that his research is being submitted to professional peer-reviewed journals.
Krzysztof Czaja (neuroscientist) talked about a subject that troubles millions of us – obesity. From his presentation, we gained a greater understanding of the role the gut-brain connection plays in gaining weight, particularly regarding added sugar. His pursuit of finding non-surgical ways to overcome obesity is encouraging for everyone struggling with significant weight gain. Rock on, Krzysztof!
Siana Altiise (sensory artist) demonstrated how she transformed her extrasensory condition – a perceptual phenomenon known as synesthesia – into a life filled with vivid musical compositions. She sees colors, shapes, and textures that most of us can’t and she uses them as inspiration for her music, which she performed for the crowd in what became an extraordinary sensory experience.
Cara Turano Snow (connector) showed us how her family’s quirky tradition of picking up change here and there proves the power of the humble penny. It was something her mom told them (sound like your mom?) when they were little. Snow has convinced friends and co-workers to do it, too. Last year, they were able to donate $1,200 to various neighborhood efforts to end homelessness. Pennies add up!
A video of a global community TED talk by artist Hetain Patel toyed with preconceptions of identity and authenticity to ask “Who am I? Think again.” He challenged us to think beyond surface appearances, like race, gender and size. The talk was originally presented in 2013 at TED Edinburgh, Scotland.
Rickey Bevington (journalist) believes the connection between the news media and the public is broken and it’s up to the public to fix it She explained how we can do that step by step and why we should. Later in the day, people were still talking about her presentation, which showed us why we deserve information that helps us make better sense of the world around us.
Louise Wasilewski (criminal justice reformer, engineer) opened our eyes to the challenges ex-offenders face when they leave prison and re-enter the outside world. They get lost in a society that has moved ahead. Nearly two-thirds of them end up back in prison within three years. Wasilewski has developed a system using technology, communications and coordination to fight recidivism here in Georgia. Other states are taking notice.
Jason Martin (public education activist) takes “thinking outside the box” to a different level – “teaching outside the box.” Watching the video of this Georgia teacher’s STE(A)M Truck being driven to bring science, technology, engineering, art and math education to every child wherever they live was an inspiration. Can we clone this guy?
Susan Sparks (pastor, comedian, attorney) made us laugh, and think, and think! After listening to Sparks – America’s only female comedian with a pulpit – it was hard to argue with her belief that laughter can bring peace to the world. Hot off her popular Laugh In Peace Tour, the senior pastor at NYC’s Madison Avenue Baptist Church, hopes that laughter will help us see each other and the world in new and different ways. It begins with one joke at a time.
In a video of a global community TED talk by architect Takaharu Tezuka he walks us through his design process that lets kids be kids in the “the world’s cutest kindergarten.”
Bill Nussey (technologist, clean energy advocate) showed us how the U.S.’ current U.S. electrical grid – outdated by decades – can be replaced by local energy. A cleaner, cheaper and more secure solution, local energy represents the unstoppable economic force of a better product at a better price. Nussey asked, “What kind of energy do you want in your backyard?”
Justin Daniels (attorney, cyberspace connector) asked us to temporarily exit the innovation superhighway and consider the long-term consequences of all this innovation on our security. Daniels stressed the delicate balance between innovation and security and how that intersection – cybersecurity – is the most important challenge in our world today. He said we should ask what privacy protection and on-going security is built into a device before we buy it.
Jasmine Crowe (anti-hunger activist, entrepreneur) called us to action to eradicate hunger. Moved by a close friend’s struggle with hunger, Crowe has dedicated the last several years to fighting hunger. From creating Sunday Soul events (good meals with old school music) to using technology to distribute excess food from restaurants, she says it’s a question of logistics, not scarcity.
James Beckerman (cardiologist) made us look at self-help differently: consider how doing good as a team makes you as an individual feel better. He asked us to imagine all the untapped opportunities we have to help one another and feel better together? Charity is a renewable resource. The more you give, the more you get, and your self will find help where you least expect it.
A video of electric-pop duo Sofi Tukker’s performance at the March 2017 TED Talk in New York City got people out of their seats. “Awoo!”
Lonnie Johnson (inventor) got us to look at how we can transform the way the world generates and stores energy. He aims to dramatically improve the efficiency of converting heat into energy, leaving a softer footprint where we tread and demonstrated how this invention would work on stage.
Erich Netherton (sound designer) demonstrated how he uses rhythms to craft original sounds for a variety of projects, including feature films, video games, commercials, and corporate videos. He showed us how he can pull unexpected sounds and textures to create original sound synthesis using his own invention, the Netherbox.
Juana Mendenhall (biochemical engineer) told how a sports injury in her mid-20’s led to her life’s mission to develop a preventive therapy, which will regenerate cartilage in the knee. She’s leading the way with her cutting-edge therapeutic gel scaffold technology and believes the future of knee repair – without evasive procedures – is here.
Matt Meister (research engineer) began his talk, asking, “Are we alone? Is there a place with life, other than Earth?” Meister looks to the sea – actually the ocean floor under Antarctica – to answer those questions. He showed a picture of Icefin, an exploratory autonomous submarine he helped design and build to explore the floor 500 meters below the surface. You’ll have to watch his video to learn what he discovered.
A video of a global community TED talk by TED Senior Fellow and artist Aparna Rao charmed the audience. It featured her works in progress – humorous, interactive art pieces that occupy the digital space. The video was originally presented in 2011 at TED Edinburgh, Scotland.
Siana Altiise closed out 2017 TEDxPeachtree with her signature extra-sensory musical performance. It was a mesmerizing end to a thought-provoking day. Finally, saying goodbye to new friends, attendees left to share their new inspirations and great ideas with family, friends and community.
We so appreciate our incredible speakers, volunteers, partners and, of course, our amazing attendees — not to mention the livestream viewers in more than 600 locations (including every East Coast state in the U.S., California, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada as well as Canada, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Brazil, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Greece). Thank you for joining us.
On November 8, 2013, TEDxPeachtree successfully catalyzed a capacity crowd of more than 500 attendees at the historic Buckhead Theatre with 17 informative talks categorized into four sessions. All speaker videos can be found here.
Catalyze, the 2013 conference theme, sought to capture and share the ingenuity of the human spirit and shine a light on works that could have a positive impact on the human condition.
Here are the highlights:
four TEDxPeachtree speakers took the stage to share ideas for shaping the way we think about our urban environment.
In a society of materialistic excess, social entrepreneur, author and founder of GiftCardGiver.com and Plywood People Jeff Shinabarger challenged us all to lead a life of excessive generosity without desiring anything in return. He emphasized that “excessive generosity” isn’t only about money.
Architect and urban designer David Green put forth the importance of street plans as the building blocks of a community. He reminded us we are more likely to walk on streets if they’re well-designed and that, in turn, makes people feel more connected.
Appearing on stage with his bike and helmet, journalist Jim Hackler garnered laughs and let his enthusiasm for the benefits of cycling speak for itself. He enlightened us with the facts that more Americans are thinking of alternative forms of transportation, and 4 million more bikes were sold than cars in 2012.
Urban agriculturalist Rashid Nuri pushed us to think about where our food is grown and urged us to explore our locally grown options, which create healthier, higher quality food, more jobs and a diverse community.
The session on CREATIVITY also included four speakers – each an accomplished artist in his or her own right, and each with a message about how art can change the world.
Internationally renowned artist Rossin took to the stage surrounded by large portraits of Nelson Mandela, Jackie Kennedy and Morgan Freeman that looked more like photographs than paintings. Using his artistic philosophy, he revealed the surprising, touching and inspirational connection between artistic creation and the art of living.
Against a backdrop of commissioned sculptures, beautiful conceptual pieces and reimagined art history masterpieces, Lego brick artist and recovering lawyer Nathan Sawaya enlightened us on the ways art can be used to combat limits imposed by everyday life and how he shakes the boundaries of traditional art forms block by block.
Georgia Tech Professor Mark Riedl further shattered our views of artistic tradition with his presentation on how intelligent computational systems can help reduce the fear of learning and engage future artists and storytellers by providing accessible, interactive ways of starting out in the world of creativity.
Grammy nominee Michelle Malone closed us out with an incredible musical performance that left the audience silent, reflective and longing for more.
The session titled CLASSROOMS challenged and inspired us to think about the connectivity between our roles as responsible citizens, leaders, professionals, creators and, ultimately, catalysts.
Entrepreneur Marshall Seese, Jr. startled attendees out of their collective post lunch daze with his demo of technology that allows anyone to mix beats like a professional DJ. As founder and CEO of Mowgli and creator of MashupDJ, he also had a message – everyone is an artist, and it’s our responsibility to enable creativity in ourselves and others.
Aurora Robson’s breathtaking sculptures made from plastic trash shifted our perception of waste. Both Aurora and Marshall turn traditional process on its head – that becoming a DJ can inspire you to learn a traditional instrument or that instead of making an art project that will eventually be thrown away we can let the trash become the art and keep a little bit of waste out of landfills.
Daphne Greenberg, Wanda Hopkins-McClure and George Yu all have the desire and motivation to dig beneath the surface and examine our world.
Daphne Greenberg illuminated the problem of adult illiteracy and the difficulty not only in solving it but in recognizing it. Adult sufferers of illiteracy have excellent coping strategies that allow them to tell time, order from a menu and even run a company. By alerting us to the problem, she opened our eyes to a solution.
Wanda Hopkins-McClure’s dedication to collaboration between educators, business leaders and parents, as well as her willingness to take risks and fail, will lead our children to be innovative entrepreneurs with the ability to co-create their futures.
George Yu’s insatiable curiosity led him to develop the NODE, wireless sensors to measure our environment and report back through our smartphones. An immediate understanding of our surroundings has limitless possibilities and is sure to awaken the inquisitive child in all of us.
Session 4: CROWDS rounded out the day with a series of talks designed to awaken our collective sense of what it means to be a good global citizen.
Dr. Amy Baxter brought our attention to what better and proper pain management can do to reduce and eliminate needle phobia in children and adults. Healthcare providers and the public can overcome this barrier with a better understanding of pain.
Wellspring Living founder Mary Frances Bowley’s emotionally charged talked brought to light the serious issue of sex trafficking in the U.S. According to Bowley, 100 teenage girls at an average age of 14 are sexually exploited every night in Atlanta alone. Bowley believes these girls and women deserve a second chance and can build a better future with our help.
Lisa Earle McLeod, author of The Triangle of Truth, introduced the idea that comprise isn’t a solution but, in fact, a problem using an analogy built around John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. These founding fathers weren’t always united and didn’t always compromise; instead they fought to arrive at the bigger picture. There often are truths in opposing views, and the best solutions stem from this dichotomy.
Neale Martin wrapped up TEDxPeachtree 2013 with Why TED Talks Don’t Change Your Life Much. Although many thought Martin may burst the bubble of inspiring, sometimes emotional talks and fireworks on our cerebellum, he instead explained how to make a change in one’s life by training the unconscious mind. At the end of the day, both literally and proverbially, it takes more than just inspiration to make a true behavioral change.
TEDxPeachtree 2013 would not have been complete without the immersive on-site experiences supplied through the generosity of Thrive Coffee, Frozen Pints, Fresh Harvest, Dashboard Co-Op, Jaxx Seating, Business RadioX and SocialBox.
In a world when ideas worth spreading can seem far and few between, TEDxPeachtree was a flood of new ideas and breakthroughs.
With a worldwide audience and a conference hashtag #tedxpt that trended nationally on Twitter, TEDxPeachtree 2011 was a success. Throughout the eight-hour program, speaker after speaker took to the stage to give the 18-minute talk of their lives on breakthroughs in their respective fields. Whether it was education, autism research, disaster preparedness, mind control research or innovative thinking, the talks entertained, provoked, stimulated and even moved attendees to tears.
Check out all the speaker videos here.
This year, poetry and dance were added to the performance line up. In addition to the virtuoso performances by the Atlanta Music Project Teaching Artists, who received a standing ovation, the audience was treated to the world premiere of a visually provocative interpretive dance performance by the internationally acclaimed CORE Performance Company. The day’s ebullient mood was captured perfectly by up and coming poet Daniel Weingarten’s poem at the end of the day. The poem was composed during the course of the day.
For the third year in a row, the event was live streamed free over the Internet. This year, it not only attracted U.S.-based groups hailing from Austin, Texas and Long Beach, Calif., but also those from as far away as Europe. Students from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands organized a ‘viewing party’ on campus and interacted with conference attendees via Twitter throughout the day!
First time attendee Tricia Molloy stated, “For me, TEDxPeachtree 2011 reminded me to respect and pursue my wildest, highest dreams. There’s a reason we are dreaming them and it’s up to us to make them a reality.”
“Our mission has always been to stay true to the ideals of bringing together thinkers and doers who can stretch the minds of our attendees both virtual and in person,” noted Al Meyers, TEDxPeachtree founder and organizer. “This year simply exceeded all expectations, and not just with the eclectic mix of topics and caliber of each talk but also the interplay of musical, dance and poetry recitation performances and the rich use of social channels such as live Internet radio, Twitter, live stream and a mobile app to engage audiences onsite and beyond,” he added.
