Now in its 12th year, TEDxSonomaCounty (a local independently organized event licensed by TED) is announcing its 2024 program, which will take place on Saturday, March 2, from 1:30-4:30pm, in the Jackson Theater at Sonoma Country Day School.
Delivered under the theme, “Reimagine, Reconfigure, Reconnect”, this energetic event will gather the community together to reflect on how disruption is affecting every aspect of our society. Talks will showcase ideas and examples of how we can meet disruption with optimism, innovation and connection.
“We’ve entered a cycle of seismic change and are challenged to keep pace with the political, economic and social consequences of new technologies and an accelerated world,” said Anisya Fritz, Proprietor of Lynmar Estate, TEDxSonomaCounty license holder and emcee, “the work of our outstanding 2024 presenters inspires us to lean into big questions with curiosity and courage and to participate in the shaping of a
better future.”
TEDxSonomaCounty is open to the public. People are invited to join in person or virtually. For event details and registration go to: www.tedxsonomacounty.com
TEDxSonomaCounty 2024 Speakers and Performers
Lawrence Beamen – Reclaiming the Power of “I”
Lawrence’s musical career took off at the age of 16 when he was invited to sing for Rosa Parks. He has continued to express himself and his values through music.
Lawrence was in the Top 5 on the NBC hit show America’s Got TalentTM. In 2014 his hit pop single, “Round and Round”, reached #11 on Billboard magazine’s Billboard Hot 100TM sales chart.
Brooke Deterline – Talking Across The Divide
Brooke is the CEO and Founder of Courageous Leadership and a Co-Founder of Courageous Democracy. In this timely talk, she discusses how to have effective conversations in high-conflict situations where deep polarization and political divides narrow our ability to connect. Brooke shares how to engage rather than isolate for fear of including those with different perspectives in your circle.
Daniela Fernandez – The Most Important Thing You’ll Ever Do
Daniela created the Sustainable Ocean Alliance at the age of 19 in her college dorm room. She has built it into a global organization with youth leaders, projects and hubs in 165 countries. Daniela also launched the Ocean Solutions Accelerator to identify and help scale the world’s most promising ocean innovation startups.
Cal Fussman – The Heart Of It
Cal is a New York Times best selling author, storyteller and writer-at-large for Esquire magazine. As an interviewer of world-famous figures for many years, he understands the value of questions. In this engaging talk, Cal shares how questions that start from the heart, then the head and soul, will lead to more powerful connections.
Dawn Gross, MD, PhD – Ask: The Time Is Now
Dawn is a Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine Physician, author and podcaster whose aim is to transform the way we think and talk about death. Her work illustrates how discovering what is most essential and sharing it can help us navigate significant decision points in our lives and support those who care for us.
Quinn Halleck – Does Film Survive AI?
Quinn is a Hollywood director whose newest documentary utilized AI from ideation to distribution. His work showcases how independent filmmakers can unlock the tools once reserved for the studio system by employing AI as a collaborator across all aspects of the workflow. Quinn believes AI isn’t replacing filmmakers; it’s empowering them.
Luz Hernandez – Paying It Forward And Back
Luz is a first-generation college student who grew up in Santa Rosa after emigrating from Mexico. She attended Elsie Allen High School and graduated from UC Davis with a degree in international relations. Luz benefitted from the 10,000 Degrees program, which supports students from low-income backgrounds to and through college. She shares her journey from Mexico to Sonoma, the challenges of growing up in a single-parent household and the work she is doing now to mentor other students.
Guy Kawasaki – How To Murder Your Mediocrity
Guy is a Silicon Valley marketing specialist, venture capitalist and best selling author.
He is also the creator of Guy Kawasaki’s Remarkable People podcast, which features inspiring interviews with leaders, thinkers and iconoclasts from around the world. In his talk, Guy shares tips and stories from conversations with people such as Jane Goodall, Stacey Abrams, Carol Dwek and Angela Duckworth and discusses how to live a more remarkable life.
Alex Lazarow – The Great Diffusion
Alex is a global venture capitalist who has invested in seven “unicorns”, a term which refers to privately held startups valued at over $1billion. Alex believes that in the future, the centralized platforms that have shaped the last 150 years will be dissipated by a coming wave he calls “the great diffusion”. His talk inspires us to embrace this future as he shares the skills needed to prepare for and leverage it.
Jess Nichol – Three Strikes Justice
Jess is a survivor of the high profile kidnapping and murder of her sister, Polly Klaas. Public outrage around the case was used to pass the Three Strikes law in Polly’s name, increasing mass incarceration in the U.S., often for low-level crimes. Jess does not support Three Strikes and in 2020 began a podcast to help connect with people who have suffered because of it. Her talk implores us to shift our beliefs around those in
prison, humanizing them by hearing their stories and disrupting cycles of harm through social action.
Mark Shapiro, MD – Friendship 101
Mark is a Hospitalist and Accredited Medical Practitioner working at Providence Medical Group – Northern California. He’s also the creator and host of Explore The Space, a popular podcast that brings those that provide healthcare and those who seek healthcare closer together through conversation. Mark’s talk examines how to
nurture meaningful friendships as an adult and combat the loneliness epidemic one connection at a time.
Jali Bakary Konteh and Steve Pile – Griot Music Of West Africa
Jali is an international musician and kora master who carries on Gambia’s rich kora tradition, which is passed on from father to son. Steve Pile is a Sonoma County singer, songwriter, guitarist and educator whose music is influenced by Americana, jazz, Delta blues and African rhythms. Jali and Steve are long-time collaborators who co-founded the Konteh Kunda School of Music in Gambia.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)
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Jackson Theater at Sonoma Country Day School
4400 Day School Place
- Santa Rosa
Price: $75.00