Become A Changemaker Fellow

Changemaker Fellow Tre Borden, TEDxSacramento, 2015

We are excited to announce the return of TEDxSacramento's Changemaker Fellowship in 2016. The Fellowship will be awarded to a Sacramento community member whose work in the community and ideas worth sharing represent "What's Next" in the Sacramento region and/or beyond. 

The Fellowship is available to any citizen of Sacramento, from an artist, to a school teacher, to a CEO. The candidates will be chosen based upon the strength of their idea and their work supporting this idea.

The application is open starting today and ends February 5, 2016. On February 6 we will announce our finalists. The finalists will then need to submit an 3-minute video of their idea by February 8. Winners will be announced on February 9.

Winners will be awarded:

THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A SHORT TALK AT OUR FEBRUARY 12 TEDX EVENT. 

That's right. You will have 3 minutes to share your idea with 2,000+ community leaders, thought leaders, and fellow change makers at our largest event ever, happening February 12 at the Sacramento Community Center Theater.

ACCESS TO AND SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITY OF MORE THAN 15,000.

Your talk will be recorded and broadcast to our community via our email and social media outlets. We will ask our community to commit to help support your cause throughout the upcoming year.

ACCESS TO OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY.

Our talks receive approximately half a million annual views by individuals around the globe. Your talk will be posted to TED's TEDx Youtube channel as well as to the TEDx section of the main TED website. As with our primary speakers at the event, your talk will be given consideration for posting to the front page of TED.

APPLY NOW

Bionic Pancreas Inventor Edward Damiano to Speak at TEDxSacramento2015

Join us for our largest conference yet, TEDxSacramento2015, on June 12, 2015. Space is running out, so register today.

Edward Damiano, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University

We're excited to announce that Edward Damiano will be speaking at TEDxSacramento2015, "THIS Changes Everything," on June 12, 2015.

When the Damiano’s 11-month old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the diagnosis radically changed their lives from one of relative peace and security to non-stop stress and worry for their son’s well being. Edward Damiano decided to fight back, reclaim their lives, and in the process, dramatically improve the lives of individuals diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Edward, a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University, Massachusetts, began development on a bionic pancreas that continuously monitors blood sugar levels and automatically makes the necessary insulin adjustments.

The "bionic pancreas" team's work has been featured by TIME Magazine, ABC News, CBS News, PBS Newshour, the Today Show, NPR, Smithsonian Magazine, and The New England Journal of Medicine.

Digital Producer Alexander Dervin to Speak at TEDxSacramento2015

Join us for our largest conference yet, TEDxSacramento2015, on June 12, 2015. Register today before space runs out.

By Chris Brune

What do legendary director Steven Spielberg, muralist/graffiti artist David Choe, and creative Renaissance man Kanye West all have in common? They’ve all called on Alexander Dervin to produce visual sequences for their wildly diverse creative projects. 

TEDxSacramento is thrilled to announce that innovative short film, commercial, and documentary film producer Alexander Dervin will speak at the upcoming “THIS Changes EVERYTHING” conference on June 12, 2015.

Alexander Dervin cut his teeth in the industry as a production assistant for legendary television producer Michael Seligman. After a short time, he started coordinating and managing productions. These experiences from the world of traditional television would serve as a bridge to his success as a digital film producer.

Dervin has produced highly stylized sequences for Terrence Malick, Julie Taymor, Ben Affleck, Matt Fraction, MK12, and many other creatives. His commercials, title sequences, and visual effects work opened up new opportunities for Dervin to produce documentaries, features and series. Some projects include Argo, Superman Returns, Across the Universe, Tron and Minority Report.

Want to take a peek inside the creative mind of Alexander Dervin? He'll be sharing insights and inspiration, alongside our other great thinkers and doers, on stage at TEDxSacramento’s “THIS Changes EVERYTHING” event on June 12, 2015 at the Sacramento Community Center Theater. Register today.

The Possibility and Power of Relationships: Business Leader Judy Robinett to Speak at TEDxSacramento2015

Join us for our largest conference yet, TEDxSacramento2015, on June 12, 2015. Register today before space runs out.

TEDxSacramento is proud to announce that Judy Robinett, entrepreneur, author and business leader, will speak at its upcoming conference, “THIS Changes EVERYTHING” on June 12, 2015.

Judy has made a name for herself by working non-stop in the public and private sectors. She led numerous companies as CEO, served in management positions at Fortune 500 companies, and held a faculty position within the Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Business Program. Currently, she serves on the advisory boards of Illuminate VC, Pereg VC, Springboard Enterprises, WIM and Newpark Capital.

Judy’s recently published book, How to Be a Power Connector: The 5+50+150 Rule for Turning Your Business Network into Profits, has gained national attention. Inc. Magazine ranked it as the #1 business book of 2014 for its eye opening advice for entrepreneurs seeking and investing in relationships that add value to their lives and the lives of others. 

Judy writes, “For you to become a master of strategic relationship, you need to do more than just connect, care, and add value.” She advocates for becoming the “connector between connections--the person who can help people reach a resource they would never know about and could never reach if it weren't for you.”  Such “critical connection skills” are what make her ever-expanding roles in almost every sector possible.

If you have put off registering, but want to make sure that you secure good seats, don't wait any longer. We have an amazing line up of speakers, including Judy Robinett and Dr. Ernesto Sirolli, and, trust us, you will want to be as close as possible, especially in such a large venue.

On Friday, June 12, we invite you to spend a day with us filled with brilliant live speakers, captivating live performances, extraordinary talks and you! It is dedicated to those daring enough to dream, to reimagine the way things are as the way they can be and should be, and whose ideas promise to disrupt the status-quo and forever change the way we see things. We anticipate more than 2,000 attendees, changemakers, and global thought leaders.

Claim your seat before it’s gone!

Dr. Ernesto Sirolli, Entrepreneur and International Development Maverick, to Speak at the Upcoming TEDxSacramento Conference

By Lauren Herman

We are excited to announce that Dr. Ernesto Sirolli will speak at the largest TEDxSacramento conference, “THIS Changes EVERYTHING,” on Friday, June 12, 2015. Don’t wait until the last minute – register now!

Dr. Ernest Sirolli, Founder, Sirolli Institute

Dr. Ernesto Sirolli, researcher, author and founder of Sirolli Institute, has worked for decades in the fields of community and economic development. What makes his work TED worthy? It's his admission and unique approach to failure; yes, the “f” word.

Dr. Sirolli’s lived experiences with the “f” word began while working for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) throughout Africa as a young adult. He witnessed the potential of local knowledge that was (and still is) rarely acknowledged by foreign aid workers and volunteers who continually implemented (and still do implement) failed projects.

Rather than walking away in frustration, Dr. Sirolli tackled the sobering truth of aid failure by creating an alternative approach, known as “Enterprise Facilitation,” that harnesses the passion and innovation of community leaders to make the change they want to see in their communities. Over 250 communities worldwide have adopted this “person-centered” approach through the Sirolli Institute that advocates the art of listening to create the foundation for localized sustainable economic development.

Dr. Ernesto Sirolli speaking during his previous TED talk in September 2012.

Dr. Sirolli inspires the ability to recognize and accept failure as a stepping-stone to reimagine and recreate current systems that are failing us. When was the last time you turned failure – the “f” word - into action?

Want to know more! Watch Ernesto Sirolli on the TED stage, and get ready to hear him and other great thinkers and doers at TEDxSacramento’s “THIS Changes EVERYTHING” on June 12, 2015 at the Sacramento Community Center Theater.

X Changed Everything for Me. Let It Change Everything for You: Announcing the Biggest TEDxSacramento Conference EVER!

By Lauren Herman

Once upon a time, I was a Sacramentan who did not want to be a Sacramentan. I was lost in what Sacramento wasn’t rather than what Sacramento is. What changed this for me? X changed everything - TEDxSacramento changed everything for me.

A year ago, I became the blogger for TEDxSacramento in a reluctant effort to embrace the city where I was born and raised. I recently graduated from college and returned to Sacramento after living abroad. High off my experiences of other cities, I asked myself what I wanted out of the city I call home. Thus, I ask you, what do you want from our city, our community of Sacramento?  

I am excited to share with you the opportunity to let X change everything for you, too! Join fellow Sacramentans for the biggest TEDxSacramento conference “THIS Changes EVERYTHING” on Friday, June 12, 2015 at the Community Center Theater.

If you have not experienced TEDxSacramento for yourself, please consider the endless possibilities of what X can bring to your life. Let TEDxSacramento change something, if it has not yet, for you.

People from all walks of life have a connection to TEDxSacramento whether they have attended an event, know someone who has attended an event, participated in an event, volunteered at an event, read about the organization in local media, or followed the organization on social media. Join the movement of people embracing community gathering, dialogue and exchange in the name of ideas worth spreading in Sacramento.

During this time of transition for Sacramento, it is important to remember who and what Sacramento is. Sacramento is simply you and me. We make TEDxSacramento: the opportunity to learn and share ideas in our Capital Region. The people connected to TEDxSacramento, the volunteers, attendees, performers, and participants, and their ideas changed everything for me, and it has for thousands of people. That is why X changed everything for me.

Join your fellow Sacramentans for the big one - the biggest conference in TEDxSacramento’s history in the heart of downtown Sacramento! Let X change something for you. REGISTER NOW!

This City is Made for You and Me: How Millennials are Taking a Stake in Sacramento’s Future

By Lauren Herman

We all have a type. My type includes tall buildings, close neighbors, espresso, museums, libraries, and open public spaces at my fingertips; yes, the city. Regardless of the demographic or geographic difference, the one constant in my life has been the city.

I studied disciplines that shaped my professional life in Berkeley, the first home I built for myself was in Nairobi, my first travels aboard were to Managua, and my first exposure to urban life was Saturday afternoons at the downtown Sacramento library. I incorporated these cities into my sense of self through the trust and intimacy I gained with the movements and the people each city offered me.

Urban life is becoming increasingly attractive to other millennials – a generation born between 1980 – 2000, totaling one fourth of Americans, who are (re)claiming an urban lifestyle as their “American Dream.” This generation is paving the way for the American urban century. Sometimes deemed the generation that has “failed to launch,” even millennials living at home say they envision the city as their ideal home. [i]

With millennials supposedly storming the urban landscape, what influence do they have on the city, if any? Where do they want to take our cities?

Looking to Millennials – Reimagining Our City for You and Me

As a catalyst for discussion around the upcoming TEDxSacramentoSalon, “This Changes Everything: City” conference on March 7, 2015, three millennials, all Sacramentans, will be profiled in a new blog series about their role in one of the following fields in Sacramento: community activism, education, and art.

The individuals featured in this blog series are engaged in these different fields, but all strive to make their vision of our capital city a reality. Their acts, their commitment to their passions, make them extraordinary contributors to our city. Though often criticized for being overly optimistic dreamers, millennials exemplify the power of young engagement just like the Baby Boomer hippies of the 1960s dreaming of a new world in a decade of societal and political disillusionment. It’s time for millennials to turn our world upside down.

Urban theorist, Marshall Berman, was correct when he wrote about modernity by eloquently borrowing the language of Karl Marx stating “...‘all that is solid’ in modern life...‘melts into air’.” All that we know today, what we know as modern, is continually reimagined, redefined, and reinvented by the upcoming generations that precede those of the past. [ii]

This blog series will explore the civic engagement of a generation that is proving the city we know today will be gone tomorrow as time transforms how we see, engage, build, and live in urban spaces, as it always has and always will be. It is our right as a society and residences to collectively exercise participation in these processes of urbanization, to enforce the freedom to make and remake our cities and ourselves.

Just as you have taken the time to explore the streets, the structures, and the smells of your capital city, now is the time to get to know Sacramento through the stories of your fellow Sacramentans. Only then will trust and intimacy of the city be discovered through your resolve to find what is essential and meaningful to you and your neighbors – our Sacramento will be built for you and me.

References for Blog Post:

[i] Gallagher, Leigh. The End of the Suburbs: Where the American Dream is Moving. New York, New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2013.

[ii] Berman, Marshall. All That is Solid Melts Into Air: The Experience of Modernity. New York, New York: Viking Penguin, 1988.

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Announcing the Upcoming TEDxSacramentoSalon “This Changes Everything: City” on March 7, 2015

By Lauren Herman

Urban life is becoming increasingly attractive to Americans across the United States who are (re)claiming an urban lifestyle as their “American Dream.”

Cities are a practical, economical choice with smaller housing options and shorter commutes. After the recent recession and housing crash, a large chuck of America is squeezed by college or personal debt, often making mortgages and car loans unattainable. [i]

Cities are also appealing to both the young and the old as urban crime continues to decrease, urban schools and urban spaces continue to improve, and factories no longer occupy significant chunks of city land, polluting the city landscape. [ii]

At the same time, the suburbs are now home to high levels of poverty, unemployment, and abandoned housing – all characteristics of the city less than a century ago. Those who can afford it are fleeing the suburbs and its problems for the revitalization of urban utopia – a process some label as “yupification” and gentrification of urban America. [iii]

With the transformation of the American homeland, debates are emerging about how this will shape our future cities; Sacramento is no different.

The Redevelopment of Urban Space: How Sacramento is No Different

The majority of California, 95 percent of its residents, resides within urban areas making the golden state the most urban compared to any other state. It is no surprise that Sacramento, California’s capital city, is undergoing significant urban development.

Downtown Sacramento will transform over the next few years with the construction of the new entertainment and sports center, future home to the NBA team – the Sacramento Kings. With the influx of capital to fund this large construction project comes even more capital and development for its surrounding area, most recently the redevelopment of the 700 block of K Street.

This redevelopment of downtown Sacramento gives Sacramentans a platform for an ongoing discussion around civic engagement regarding the future of American cities. This resurgence of urban development across the United States and the (re)interest in American cities has and will continue to change its affordability, its use of space, and the opportunities offered to its residents and its citizens.

What stake do we as Sacramentans - the public, its residents, and its citizens - have in current and future plans of our city? The urban landscape shapes us, our memories, our identities, but how do we locate or insert ourselves in its transformations? What are the roles of its citizens, its residents, both present and future?

Announcing the Upcoming Conference: "This Changes Everything: City"

For the third TEDxSacramentoSalon in our “This Changes Everything” 2014/2015 series, we present to you: “This Changes Everything: City.” We will be bringing in thinkers and doers to share ideas and stories that are transforming life in the city and our role in it.

As the capital of one of the largest economies in the world and the largest state government in the world, Sacramento is uniquely positioned to be an idea catalyst for cities around the globe. We live here. We build here. We grow here. This city belongs to you and me. “This Changes Everything: City” is for people who give a damn. People like you.

Sign up for the TEDxSacramento event list to receive a priority invitation to this upcoming conference!

References for Blog Post:

[i, ii] Chakrabarti, Vishaan. "America's Urban Future" New York Times. 16 April 2014. Online.

[iii] Gallagher, Leigh. The End of the Suburbs: Where the American Dream is Moving. New York, New York : Portfolio/Penguin, 2013.

Updates:

To paragraph 2 under "The Redevelopment Of Urban Space: How Sacramento Is No Different": 800 block changed to 700 block. 01.29.2015.

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Science Reporter, YouTube Star, Vlogger, Artist (and Much More) Emily Graslie to Speak at TEDxSacramento

We are excited to announce Emily Graslie will speak at the upcoming TEDxSacramento event, “This Changes Everything: WOMEN,” on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Graslie. Photo by: Serri Graslie.

About Emily Graslie

A few years ago, if you were to tell Emily Graslie that she would skin a wolf, smell the trees of Amazonia, or discuss pangolins (bet you never heard of this mammal) on camera as part of her job, she probably would not believe you.

Emily is currently serving as the Chief Curiosity Correspondent for The Field Museum in Chicago, showcasing its collection using short educational videos. How did she get this awesome and interesting gig?

Almost two years ago, Emily began hosting the educational YouTube channel, The Brain Scoop, a witty and fascinating show discussing the world of natural history. Her subject matter is influenced by her experiences sketching specimen and exhibits at museums as an art student. 

In July 2013, Emily and her show relocated to the Field Museum where she is now responsible for sparking public discussion and interest around its collection. It’s not just her endless access to material that make her one of the most interesting female scientists and vloggers on the web, but her curiosity and strong desire to share science with others.

Emily has many ideas worth spreading – reinventing how society consumes, understands and approaches science in a digital age, and showing through example that girls can rook the STEM fields -- science, technology, engineering and math. We can’t wait to hear about them! 

Never be caught ticketless for a TEDxSacramento event: Apply today for a priority invitation to our next event.

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Filmmaker and Director Sarah Menzies to speak at TEDxSacramento

Sarah Menzies. Photographed by Kristin Folsland Olsen. 

It brings us great pleasure to announce that storyteller Sarah Menzies will speak at our sold out event, “This Changes Everything: Women,” on Friday, December 12, 2014.

As a young person, Sarah Menzies dreamed of venturing beyond her small town and discovering the world.

In 2010, that dream came true. Now Sarah is an acclaimed filmmaker and director who brings to life inspiring stories from around the globe.

Sarah has found one simple truth: Some of the most inspiring stories come from the most unexpected places. The only question now is this: Will Sarah find the story before the story finds her?

About Storyteller Sarah Menzies

Included in Sarah’s film credits, among others, are Catch It and the upcoming release, Afghan Cycles.

The documentary film, Afghan Cycles, tells a story of empowerment as it follows the lives of the women of the Afghan Women’s National Cycling Team as they face off against the cultural taboo of riding a bicycle.

The short documentary, Catch It, compels audiences to ‘live simply and follow your passions.’ It was an official selection at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, the Ojai Film Festival, and the Festival Experience Outdoor Montpellier.

Never be caught ticketless for a TEDxSacramento event: Apply today for a priority invitation to our next event.
 

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Five Women Leaders in Our Capital Region and Their Ideas Worth Spreading

By Lauren Herman

Four years ago, the CEO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg, stood on the TED Stage to address the hot button issue of gender in the workplace, addressing in great detail why there are too few women leaders worldwide in almost every profession.

Many warned her to avoid the topic, not just as a leader of a Fortune 500 company, but also as a woman.  She did not heed the continual warnings about the damage the topic could do to her career. Instead, she spoke about her experiences and challenges as a leader in the corporate world from the view of a woman, especially as one of the few of her gender to reach the top leadership level in her field.

Since Sheryl pointed out the elephant in the boardroom, it is a topic that society seems to be open to discussing more than ever before, yet the glass ceiling has not been shattered.  A few of Sheryl’s TEDTalk questions remain relevant, including “How do we change these numbers at the top? How do we make this different?”

Announcing Series Highlighting Region's Women Leaders

TEDxSacramento, a licensed local TEDx organization, is proud to continue this conversation with a new series of blog posts highlighting five women leaders in the Sacramento region and their expanding leadership positions in their industries.

We hope that you, the reader of this blog, whether male or female, will use their stories as sources of inspiration for the continual growth of strong female leadership in the Capitol Region.

Want a Priority Invitation to Our Next Event?

If you want to hear more ideas worth spreading in the Sacramento community, we encourage you to take a break from your ordinary routine and step into an intellectual odyssey with hundreds of bright and inquisitive friends at the upcoming TEDxSacramentoSalon, “This Changes Everything: Women," on December 12, 2014.

For a priority invitation to this event, please apply online.

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Bicycle Safety Visionary and Revolights Inc. Co-Founder Kent Frankovich to Speak at TEDxCity2.0

We're excited to welcome Kent Frankovich to Sacramento and to the TEDxSacramento stage for TEDxCity2.0. Kent is a bicycle safety revolutionary and co-founder of Revolights, Inc. "Improving safety is critical to increasing bicycle ridership. But the current industry standard style of safety lighting is a bit misguided. We need a smarter approach," says Kent.

Bicycle Safety Required

Kent Frankovich, Co-founder of Revolights, Inc.

 As an avid cyclist, Kent Frankovich wants more people to take to two wheels, but understands that lack of visibility is a safety concern for many would-be riders. His desire to increase nighttime bicycle rider safety and visibility, coupled with his electromechanical engineering background, inspired him to co-found Revolights, Inc.

Originally invented as a way to improve on the industry standard for a headlight, the visibility benefits of the patented Revolights bike lighting system quickly catapulted it to national attention through CNN, Mashable, the BBC, WIRED, the New York Times and numerous other media outlets.

“Improving safety is critical to increasing bicycle ridership. But the current industry standard style of safety lighting is a bit misguided. We need a smarter approach.”

— Kent Frankovich

While at NASA-JPL, Frankovich provided electromechanical design support to Mars rover Curiosity’s mission. He also worked to improve GI Tract Diagnostics as a researcher at the Stanford BioRobotics Laboratory. Kent now hopes to use his unique perspective to shed new light on the issue of bicycle safety, ensuring a better future for urbanites in the City2.0.

Kent enjoys traveling and practicing Spanish and Mandarin. He currently lives in San Francisco, and celebrated his 30th birthday with a 400 mile ride down the California coast.

About TEDxCity2.0

TEDxSacramento presents TEDxCity2.0, an independently organized TED event for urban innovators, organizers, stewards and builders - with live speakers, streamed speakers from TEDCity2.0 in New York City, live performances, and the ability to coalesce around specific calls to action for our city. We invite you to join us.

Numerous cities around the globe, including Sacramento, have been selected to be a part of TED's City 2.0 Day, a global event during which cities from around the world will be sharing ideas around the theme of the future of our cities. On September 20, we will be bringing in great thinkers and doers who are making great things happen in cities around the globe to share their ideas and stories. Such topics as Art, Education, Food, Housing, Play, Public Spaces, Urban Design, Health, Safety, Technology and Transportation will be discussed as well as a series of calls to action for our city by local change-makers who are trying to make a difference.

Expect to be challenged. Expect to be inspired. Expect to change the world.

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Nextdoor's Sarah Leary To Speak About "The Original Social Network"

TEDxSacramento is pleased to announce that Sarah Leary, Co-Founder and Vice President of Marketing at Nextdoor, will speak at TEDxCity2.0. Sarah will speak on the topic, "The Neighborhood: The Original Social Network."

Sarah began her career at Microsoft as product manager on the teams that launched the first three versions of Microsoft Office. In 1997, Leary left Microsoft to attend Harvard Business School, graduating with a BA and an MBA. She went on to work as an associate at Greylock Partners, later serving as Vice President of Product and Marketing at Epinions which subsequently relaunched as Shopping.com and was eventually acquired by eBay.

“There’s a longing to reconnect with the people who live around us to build stronger and safer neighborhoods - after all, the neighborhood was the original social network.”

— Sarah Leary

The Neighborhood: The Original Social Network

 As a seasoned product and marketing professional, Sarah observed firsthand the way technology connects people far and wide, creating networks of individuals across the globe, while leaving us with a sense of disconnect toward those who live right outside our front doors. Concerned about this decline in community, Sarah -- then an Entrepreneur in Residence at Benchmark -- felt a longing to reconnect people who live near one another with the explicit purpose of building stronger and safer neighborhoods. Her passion for community led her to co-found the company that became Nextdoor, the free and private social network for neighborhoods.

As a child, Sarah spent summers in a tight-knit Cape Cod community where kids could stop at any house in the neighborhood for lunch and ride their bicycles in the street until midnight. Sarah has always carried with her that sense of community she experienced during those childhood summers. She aims to make possible that same idyllic safety and community in neighborhoods around the globe. Sarah adds, "There's a longing to reconnect with the people who live around us to build stronger and safer neighborhoods - after all, the neighborhood was the original social network."

About TEDxCity2.0

Numerous cities around the globe, including Sacramento (click to attend), have been selected to be a part of TED's City 2.0 Day, a global event during which cities from around the world will be sharing ideas around the theme of the future of our cities. On September 20, we will be bringing in great thinkers and doers who are making great things happen in cities around the globe to share their ideas and stories. Such topics as Art, Education, Food, Housing, Play, Public Spaces, Urban Design, Health, Safety, Technology and Transportation will be discussed as well as a series of calls to action for our city by local change-makers who are trying to make a difference.

TEDxSacramento presents TEDxCity2.0, an independently organized TED event for urban innovators, organizers, stewards and builders - with live speakers, streamed speakers from TEDCity2.0 in New York City, live performances, and the ability to coalesce around specific calls to action for our city.

Expect to be challenged. Expect to be inspired.

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Code for America's UX Evangelist Cyd Harrell at TEDxCity2.0

TEDxSacramento is proud to announce that accomplished user experience (UX) researcher Cyd Harrell will speak at TEDxCity2.0 on September 20, 2013 (register today). Cyd will talk about hacking civic engagement through design.

Cyd is a passionate advocate for the citizen experience. She currently serves as Code for America’s UX Evangelist. Cyd is also a brilliant Twitter haiku-ist.

Cyd wants to redesign interaction between government and its citizens to create a virtuous cycle of trust. She envisions a world where civic interactions are just as inviting and rewarding as commercial ones. For Cyd, there was a "conversion moment” -- an excellent interaction with the San Francisco city government when her own very strong civic feelings made her realize how design in government matters and just how few designers are working in the space.

At Code for America, Cyd works with fellows, city officials, and community volunteers to help create inventive and cost-effective civic technology that serves the needs of real people. She uses her unique background in sociolinguistics and poetry to apply metaphorical thinking to human-centered design. 

Why Cyd Codes for America

“I believe that good UX design has the potential to transform our relationship with government.”

— Cyd Harrell

In discussing why she's "coding for America," Cyd explains, "I’m coding for America because I believe that good UX design has the potential to transform our relationship with government – by building better citizen experiences, we can rebuild the understanding that… 'government is what we do together.'" She also hopes to inspire other creatives to do civic work.

During the course of her career, Cyd changed the face of user experience for companies ranging from Sony, Volkswagon, and EA to Rdio, Autodesk, and Charles Schwab.

Global Community Celebrates Urban Inspiration And Action

When you join us for TEDxCity2.0, you'll be part of the global community that's actively engaged in brightening the future of our cities. This includes TEDCity2.0, TED's City2.0 event in New York, and numerous TEDx organizations around the globe.

On September 20 great thinkers and doers who are making great things happen in cities around the globe will share their ideas and stories with you. Plus, you'll experience a TEDxCity2.0 tradition that is not a part of any of our other events: Action Pitches. An action pitch is a call to action for our city by our city -- by local change-makers who are trying to make a difference. Each action pitch will provide you a specific action that you can take to help support improving our cities. We invite you to join us. 

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Jeffrey Tumlin to Speak on "Sex, Neuroscience and The City"

We are thrilled to announce that Jeffrey Tumlin will be speaking at TEDxCity2.0 on September 20, 2013 (click to register).

“While humans may be the most adaptable species on the planet, only certain habitats make us happiest, healthiest, and most productive. Neuroscience and the medical professions can now help us clearly define those habitats.”

— Jeffrey Tumlin

Sex, Neuroscience and The City

Yet another reason not to miss TEDxSacramento's TEDxCity2.0

: We are excited to announce that Jeffrey Tumlin will be speaking about Sex, Neuroscience, and The City. 

 Jeffrey is an owner and strategy director at Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, a San Francisco-based transportation planning and engineering firm that focuses on sustainable mobility.

Over the past 20 years, he has led station area, downtown, citywide, and campus plans, and delivered various lectures and classes, in 20 U.S. states and five other countries. His major development projects have succeeded in reducing their traffic and CO2 emissions by as much as 40%, and accommodated many millions of square feet of growth with no net increase in motor vehicle traffic.

These projects have won awards from the General Services Administration, American Planning Association, American Society of Landscape Architects, Congress for the New Urbanism, and Urban Land Institute. He is the author of Sustainable Transportation: Tools for Creating Healthy, Vibrant and Resilient Communities, published by Wiley in 2012.

Sacramento and TED's City2.0 Day

Sacramento has been selected to be a part of TED's City2.0 Day, a global event during which cities from around the world will be sharing ideas around the theme of the future of our cities. Sept 20, we will be bringing in great thinkers and doers who are making great things happen in cities around the globe to share their ideas and stories. Such topics as art, education, food, housing, play, public spaces, urban design, health, safety, technology and transportation will be discussed as well as a series of calls to action for our city by local change-makers who are trying to make a difference.  

REGISTER NOW-->>

TEDxSacramento presents TEDxCity2.0, an independently organized TED event for urban innovators, organizers, stewards and builders - with live speakers, streamed speakers from TEDCity2.0 in New York City, live performances, and the ability to coalesce around specific calls to action for our city.  

Expect to be challenged. Expect to be inspired.

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Internationally Acclaimed Landscape Architect Jerry van Eyck to Speak at TEDxCity2.0

TEDxSacramento is proud to announce that landscape architect Jerry Van Eyck will speak at TEDxCity2.0 on Friday, September 20, 2013. 

Registration for this event is currently open at TEDxSacramento.com. Please join us.

Jerry’s works and collaborative efforts are vast and prestigious, from the World Horticultural Expo 2014 in Qingdao, China, to Governors Island Park and Open Space Design in New York, and Jubilee Gardens in London.

Creative Adaptation in the Urban Landscape

In his TEDxCity2.0 talk about “creative adaptation in the urban landscape,” Jerry will pose and explore intriguing design questions, “What is it that informs creative thinking and the manipulation of our physical outdoor space? Is it nature or culture? Engineering or fantasy? Altruism or commerce?”

"I don't believe in design by formula"

Regarding his philosophy, Jerry says, “I don’t believe in ‘design by formula.’ Every situation requires a unique approach in order to arrive at a realized design that is ‘contextual’ and a design identity that is unique to a place.”

As the founding principal of !melk, a leading design practice, Jerry creates “spaces of wonder that merge realism and fantasy,” spaces that “sustain themselves and engage their communities.” Via !melk, Jerry’s mission is to design “large-scale urban and landscape interventions as well as public spaces and gardens, with deliberate references to local context, history, urban setting and surrounding ecology.”

Jerry is a globally respected lecturer, and serves as a visiting critic at design institutions around the world. He is an adjunct professor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of the Board of Governors of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture.

 

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Open Call for Action Pitches

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Ash Roughani delivers his action pitch at TEDxSacramento's 2012 City2.0

Do YOU or someone you know have an idea worth spreading that can make our region's urban centers even better? We want that BIG IDEA for our TEDxCity2.0 event. 

How to Submit Your Idea

 Simply record a 2-3 minute video of yourself sharing that idea and then submit the link to that video via our action pitch application.

Submit your video by September 8, 2013, and you could be chosen to receive 2-3 minutes to present your idea before the TEDxSacramento audience of nearly 1,000 people on the evening of September 20th.

Be sure to complete the entire process to submit your video:

1. Record your 2-3 minute idea and post to your own YouTube or other video account
2. Submit our action pitch application by September 8 with your contact information and a link to the video

During the week of September 9, if your idea is chosen, we'll invite you to present your idea LIVE before our staff. From there, we'll decide who makes it to the Sacramento's TEDxCity2.0 stage. 

Our community will then choose one of the ideas to get behind for the next year. IT COULD BE YOURS!

About TEDxCity2.0

Action pitches are only one aspect of our TEDxCity2.0 event that focuses on important issues related to our urban lives. TEDxCity2.0 includes full length live talks, streamed talks from TEDCity2.0 in New York, and live entertainment. 

Action Pitches are a TEDxSacramento City2.0 tradition that put valuable ideas in front of local minds. Action Pitches are presented in addition to the live talks, streamed talks from TEDCity2.0 in NY, and live entertainment that audiences will enjoy at our September 20, 2013, event.

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TEDxCity2.0 Our Largest Event Yet

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You are cordially invited to gather with your fellow citizens to discuss the future of our cities, including our very own. We will be bringing in great thinkers and doers who are making great things happen in cities around the globe to share their ideas and stories. Such topics as art, education, food, housing, play, public spaces, urban design, health, safety, technology and transportation will be discussed as well as a series of calls to action for our city by local change-makers who are trying to make a difference.  

It will be a chance to be around people like you. People who give a damn. 

Dream me. Build me. Make me real.

TEDxSacramento presents TEDxCity2.0, an independently organized TED event for urban innovators, organizers, stewards and builders - with live speakers, streamed speakers from TEDCity2.0 in New York City, live performances, and the ability to coalesce around specific calls to action for our city. 

A night of urban inspiration.

TEDxCity2.0 will commence on September 20, 2013 at The Crest Theater in Sacramento at 7pm PST, hosted by Curator Brandon Weber, the two-session event will surface stories of urban ingenuity and interdependence from across the globe. TEDxCity2.0 will focus on how bright ideas turn into collective impact. 

Expect to be challenged. Expect to be inspired. 

Tickets are limited and normally sell out FAST.

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TEDx Sacramento 2012 Tickets Now Available

Tickets are now available for our most anticipated event yet. TEDx Sacramento 2012 will offer you a chance to “check out” from the day-to-day routine and go on an intellectual journey with 300 smart and curious friends to a world filled with brilliant speakers, captivating performances, amazing new technology, and thought-provoking short films. More Info-->

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TEDx Sacramento 2012 Auditions: Starting NOW!

Do you have an idea worth spreading? Would you like to speak at TEDx Sacramento 2012? Now is your chance to apply for the TEDx Sacramento auditions!

3 simple steps:

1. Create a one-minute video.
2. Upload your video to YouTube.
3. Fill out the online entry form with the link to the video before Sunday, July 22nd.

Why speak at TEDx Sacramento?

1. Because you have ideas that should be a part of the discourse and no local event has the global reach of TEDx Sacramento.
2. Because you could have your talk posted to TED and have your life change with millions of views.
3. Because your Talk is guaranteed to be posted on TED Talks, where it can receive tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of views. 

What are we looking for?

What aren't we looking for! We want inventors, poets, scientists, performers, philosophers, educators, story-tellers, architects, activists, photographers, designers, artists and dreamers. Do you have an idea that can create impact? We want to hear from you!

How do you qualify?

First, you create a one-minute video demonstrating what you will do with the opportunity of presenting from our stage. Tell us AND show us. Don't waste your time with sales pitches, self promotion, or standard political agendas. We want ideas that can change people's lives, change our community, change the world.  If you are unclear, please spend some time watching the videos posted on TED.

Next, upload your video to YouTube. 

Finally, fill out the online entry form with the link to the video before Friday, July 22nd. 

How do you get a guaranteed spot at our auditions?

If you allow us to post your video on our Facebook page, we guarantee that the person with the video that gets the most "likes" on our page will get a spot at our audition! Post. Promote. Audition! Riches and fame to follow.