TED Talks, those familiar videos of experts sharing big ideas onstage have become a worldwide phenomenon. Independently organized TEDx conferences are now hosted in cities around the world, including right here in Spokane.
The idea for TEDx Spokane began with Jamie Tender, an administrator at St. George’s School, a small private school in north Spokane.
“Actually, originally it was TEDx St. George’s School,” says Tender. “I got interested in bringing TED to St. Georges, along with our former head of school Joe Kennedy because we were both big fans of TED and saw the natural tie-in to an independent school. And we thought what a better way to bring in interesting speakers to a school setting. And something that we could provide to the Spokane community.”
Over the past eight years since that first event, the conference has expanded, taking on the TEDx Spokane name, and moving from St. George’s three hundred seat auditorium to the Bing Crosby Theater in Downtown Spokane. Along the way, more than seventy local and national speakers have taken the TEDx Spokane stage.
“Personally, some of my favorites were a med student from Stanford, his name was Muthu Alagappan. He talked about basketball analytics. It was kind of moneyball for basketball. And then Dr. Lisa Bliss was another one who did an unassisted trip from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney. So that was another big favorite.”
The name TED originally stood for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, but now TED topics can cover any subject, captured by TED’s slogan, “Ideas Worth Spreading.” This year’s TEDx Spokane lineup reflects that diversity.
“The conversations and the ideas this year are dealing with teenagers and respecting them as their own generation and they have a lot to offer. A talk about fake news, and the impact that has. A speaker talking on autism and bringing those individuals with autism in to the workforce and how they can be successful. Educators, authors, poets, morticians, community advocates, non-profit administrators or CEOs. So I’m pretty excited about it.”
From its roots as an educational conference at St. George’s School, TEDx Spokane has since become its own non-profit organization but St. George’s still plays a role in organizing the logistics of the event.
“Our role now at St, George’s is to support it with folks here from photographers and technology, all kinds of different ways. We still want to focus on education. We feel like it’s something the school has created as a gift to the Spokane community and we’re proud of being a part of it.”
TEDx Spokane will take place Saturday, October 26th beginning at 9 a.m. at the Bing Crosby Theater in Downtown Spokane. Details and Ticket Information are at TEDxSpokane.com. If you want more TED Talks in your life, you can hear the TED Radio Hour, hosted by Guy Raz, Wednesdays at 10 am and Sundays at 8 am on KSFC 91.9 FM.