Get ready, Philly: TEDxPhiladelphia 2015 is just days away! Held on June 11th at the Temple Performing Arts Center on Broad Street, the fourth annual event will welcome 1,200 attendees for a day of live speakers, each selected for their unique perspective and life experiences. Fitting for a city known as the birthplace of American Independence, this year’s theme, “And Justice for All”, will trumpet messages of equity, access, fairness, and connection while also exploring the enemies of each.
Independently-organized, this event is produced by CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia (you may be familiar with their coworking space, CultureWorks, our neighbor in the Philadelphia Building). Like all TED talks, the goal of TEDxPhiladelphia is to spread ideas worth sharing, and Philly’s event will singularly define ideas for creating a basis of justice in all cities for all people.
Held from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., both the morning and afternoon sessions will showcase the thought provoking ideas of this diverse lineup of speakers before commencing with a post-event reception. Here are a few speakers we can’t wait to check out:
Stacy Holland: Stacy currently serves as the Executive Director of The Lenfest Foundation while providing for Philadelphia’s youth through her dedication and partnerships with area school districts.
Michelle Johnson: Dr. Johnson is the Director of the Rehabilitation Robotics Lab at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. In her current position, she uses technology to improve the lives of people with brain-related injuries.
David Norse: David is the first openly gay man to become an ordained Presbyterian pastor in Philadelphia. With his outwardly paradoxical position as a homosexual reverend, he believes that “what is most personal and unique in us, if it is shared, speaks most deeply to others.”
Ronnie Polaneczky: After decades of experience as a journalist, Ronnie began to explore how listening deeply to others without ego or judgment can holistically improve our lives and the lives of the people around us.
Charles H. Ramsey: Commissioner Ramsey directs the Philadelphia Police Department, the fourth largest in the US. Under his leadership, Philadelphia’s homicide rate has dropped by 37%. The Commissioner also serves as the co-chair of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, an organization focused on improving police-community relations.
Jeffrey Rosen: Named “the nation’s most widely read and influential legal commentator” by the LA Times, Jeffrey now serves as the President and CEO of the National Constitution Center.
To see a full list of this year’s speakers click here!
If you haven’t nailed down a ticket, you can still become a sponsor to gain entry to this sold-out event. If you can’t make it to the conference, TEDxPhiladelphia is supplying visitors with a free livestream through their website, and multiple venues throughout the city will be hosting live streaming parties so that these experiences can be shared throughout the community.
To keep up-to-date on the streaming parties and where to watch the livestream, be sure to follow TEDxPhiladelphia on Facebook, as well as Twitter and Instagram at @TEDxPhilly.
*Philly PR Girl is proud to be a Creative Partner for TEDxPhiladelphia 2015
