TEDx 2023

The Ferguson Library will host a new TEDx event on Saturday, February 25th, 2023. This year's theme will be RENEWAL. Reservations for TEDxFergusonLibrary 2023 can be made here.

Talks from previous TEDxFergusonLibrary events can be viewed on the library's YouTube channel. 

    

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes or less. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman.

The annual TED Conference takes place each spring in Vancouver, British Columbia. TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world get help translating their wishes into action; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self- organized TED-style events around the world, and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

Follow TED on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TED.

What is TEDx?

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxfergusonlibrary, where x = independently organized TED event. At our TEDxfergusonlibrary event, TED Talks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.

This independent TEDx event is operated under license from TED.

 

Featured Speakers

Haydeé Acebo

Haydeé Acebo is a mom, wife, daughter, sister and accomplished professional in human resources. She started her career as a news anchor, reporter, and producer where she learned the power of connecting with others. She cares deeply about making the world a better place and using her passion for swimming as a way to give back. Haydeé swam in high school and college. She has been an open water swimmer since 2014, conquering the Viking swim in Lake Tahoe (11 miles), Alcatraz, and Donner Lake. Since 2020, Haydeé has dedicated her swims to 21 social causes, including, cancer, mental health, addiction, rare diseases, sexual abuse, and human trafficking. 

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Alfonsina Betancourt

Alfonsina is a multi-faceted artist, storyteller, mindfulness practitioner, teacher, and Life Coach. She holds a BA in Visual Arts and has worked as a painter, photographer, and writer, among other creative disciplines. Drawing from her experience as an artist and writer, Alfonsina encourages people to unleash their creativity and intuition, as they both become their compass to let them steer their ways towards authenticity. 

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Peggy S. Bud

Peggy Bud, Founder of Speaking Skillfully, is a Communication Coach, Author, and Speaker. She is a licensed Speech/Language Pathologist and School Administrator. She uses her knowledge of cognitive neuroscience to teach Effective Communication strategies and techniques.

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Helena Escalante

Helena is a bilingual marketing strategist whose copy and content – in English or Spanish – can sell practically anything. She has a vast experience in a lot of different fields and industries, from cheddar cheese to construction cranes, and everything in between. And her client base covers a wide spectrum too: from the president of a tiny non-profit in Mexico to a U.S. presidential candidate.

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Whitney Isola

Whitney Isola is a digital health entrepreneur and Registered Dietitian. Whitney co-founded Witty Health, a company that focuses on building smart digital health tools. Witty Health's first product, OncoPower, is a platform for supportive oncology care and clinical trial mapping.

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Chris James

Chris James is a national award winning spoken word poet, TED Talks speaker, playwright, educator, screenwriter and published author. Through his work, he educates on racial barriers and socio-economic challenges and how we can overcome them. As a certified mental health first aider, he currently spearheads two programs, THE FELLAS MIXER and BLACK BOYS BETTER, that focus on mental health services for African American males.

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Jia Ng

Dr. Jia Ng, MD MSCE is a Board-certified Nephrologist and Assistant Professor at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell, New York. She is also the founder of PublishedMD, where she helps clinicians publish research papers.

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Rebecca Rolland

Rebecca Rolland is the author of The Art of Talking with Children. She is a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and serves on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She is also an oral and written language specialist in the Neurology Department of Boston Children's Hospital.

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