It has been nearly three years since the last TEDxSavannah event took place in the Hostess City.
Due to COVID-19, the event was shuttered in 2020 and 2021.
TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Development started as a four-day conference in California in 1984. Over the course of TED’s thirty years speakers such as Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson and more have given talks to curious audiences internationally.
The non-profit hosts two annual conferences where some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers speak for 18 minutes or less. Several of these talks are accessible for free at TED.com.
TEDx events are local, self-organized events that have grown out of the TED Talk phenomenon, following its devotion to ideas worth spreading. TEDxSavannah is one such offshoot of the TED Talk format.
Fast forward to 2022, TEDxSavannah is back and devoted to sharing local ideas and forging meaningful connections with the community.
The 11th annual event will be on Friday, June 24 at the Yamacraw Performing Arts Center.
The Emcee for this year’s TEDxSavannah is Cecilia Arango, a local actress, singer and marketing professional for Thomas & Hutton. Arango has performed with the Bay Street Theater, The Collective Face Theater Ensemble and Savannah Repertory Theater.
With 13 diverse and talented speakers discussing a range of topics, organizers say the event aims to give individuals and organizations in Savannah a platform to meet, share ideas and collaborate.
In addition to the speakers, the event will also include live poetry by Deep center Youth Artists and family-friendly comedy segments by Odd Lot Improv.
The full list of speakers and ticket pricing can be found at tedxsavannah.com.
Clinton Edminster and Dr. Jessica McBride are both members of Inspire Savannah, the board responsible for promoting and organizing the local TEDx event. The two have also given talks at past events and served as volunteers.
Edminster, the owner of Starlandia and a board member for TEDxSavannah expressed his excitement for this year’s event, and the role it plays in highlighting individuals in the community.
For Edminster, TEDx allows for members of the community the opportunity to cut through the noise and listen to someone discuss things they are passionate about.
“Events like TEDx that spotlight and highlight individuals in our community, are some of the coolest events that happen in the year. There’s not a lot of opportunities where we as a community, with the capital WE, get to hear about something that a person is really passionate about,” said Edminster. “I just think there’s something really magical to that, and almost sacred about making sure this is something this community continues to do, continues to support and continues to attend.”
The theme for this year is “Standard Deviation,” and according to organizers TEDx themes strike a balance between being clear, yet broad enough for a variety of interpretations from speakers.
This year’s theme continues that trend, by allowing speakers to offer their own unique perspective to their TED Talk.
“There’s just so many ways you can think about it —coming up with a theme that can be interpreted in so many different ways, but then still be easily understandable and appealing.” Explained McBride. “Of course, you can’t have it not reflect your own experience or your own life. So that’s what it’s about ‘What is standard?’ ‘How do you deviate from it?’ ‘Do you?’ ‘Should you?’”
Part of what makes TEDxSavannah such a special event is that it provides for conversations and the active exchange of ideas.
To facilitate this major component of the event, there are lengthy breaks in between sessions where audience members can talk amongst themselves and engage with speakers.
For more information visit tedxsavannah.com