Let's Talk About TED: An Incredible Experience! Part 2

JENN McKINLAY:  Here's what I loved most about participating in the TEDx talks. The other speakers. They were simply incredible. Because they were all so inspirational to me, it was very difficult to pick just a few to share but we'd be here forever if I chose everyone. So, here's a sampling. 

Dr. Sian Proctor: She spoke about Imposter Syndrome and how she fought it to become a hockey player, a candidate for NASA, and an analog astronaut, who lives in simulated space environments for months and weeks at a time. She convinced me that if a person can dream it they can do it.

Misty Hyman: Olympic Gold Medalist in the 200-meter butterfly in the 2000 Sydney games. Misty had us on the edge of our seats talking about that perfect swim, but she also had us equally riveted as she talked about embracing the shifts in life, bringing the old you into the new as she moved on from competitive swimming to entrepreneurship and motherhood.

Queen and Hakeem: These two amazing individuals are visual anthropologists. Combining their activism with their art, they have a mission is to demystify preconceived notions about Indigenous and underserved communities around the globe. Using augmented reality, their interactive art displays give viewers a glimpse into the real lives of Indigenous people and they encourage the youth of today to get their passports and go see the world. 

On a personal note, these two were my support system during my rehearsal and final as they sat off to the side in the front row. I could see them smile at me in encouragement and laugh at my jokes, making my own TED talk so much easier. I adore them.

Catherine Lockmiller: What an incredible speaker. She posed the question, using her own personal journey, what if we weren't assigned a gender designation at birth? What if we were allowed to form our own personalities without the assignment of an M or F on our birth certificates, which with all their preconceptions determine so much more of our lives than we realize? It was one of the most thought provoking discussions of the day. 

Michelle Dumay: This mama broke my heart, put it back together, broke it again, and then glued it back together one more time. She is living a life of advocacy for her daughter, who was born with a rare brain abnormality, and in doing so she had to answer the call that challenged a lifetime of beliefs. Hers is a compelling story that left us all in tears but filled with hope.

THE WHOLE CREW!

Other speakers included:

Erin Maxson: The Dog in Me: How in rescuing a dog she saved herself -- and a lot more dogs.

Larry Sandigo: The Voice of Immigrant Children: An immigration lawyer, who has tried find the balance between being the voice of immigrant children and helping them find their own voices.

Beatriz Mendoza: Boys Club: A young Hispanic engineer, she talked about being the lone ethnic female in a world of guys and how it can change for girls in the future.

Cricket Aldridge: She Speaks for the Bees: A fear of Africanized honeybees led Cricket to becoming a beekeeper and now she's trying to save the world one hive at a time.

Sue Berliner: If Chocolate Could Talk: She explained to us why chocolate really is the food of the gods. Plus, she brought samples.

Danielle Delgado: Breaking the Glass Ceiling Despite Not Being Tall Enough to Reach It: She was a twelve year old entrepreneur and is now a seventeen year old college student. This young woman is unstoppable.

Russell Horning: Maximizing Your Healthcare Experience: We all agreed, we want Russell as our healthcare provider. He gave concise tips for getting the best care out of your healthcare practitioner.

Shawn Bradford: Thank You Divorce! She talked to us about her divorce leading her to a journey of self-discovery with a surprise twist at the end. 

As you can see, it was quite the amazing cast of speakers and an experience I won't forget anytime soon.

Special thanks to the TEDx South Mountain Community Library Committee for the hours and hours of work they put in to making this such a spectacular event.

The TED Committee

So, Reds and Readers, if you were tapped to give a TED (Technology - Entertainment - Design) talk and share an "idea worth spreading", what would you talk about?

Let's Talk About TED: An Incredible Experience! Part 1

JENN McKINLAY: Finding Your Authentic Author Voice

JENN: Sometimes life sends events or opportunities your way that are completely unexpected. This would be me and TED. My friend, Terry, contacted me a few days before the deadline for applications for the  Phoenix TEDx talks and said, "You're a good public speaker. You have to apply." 

The app was due in days. I had a lot on my plate, but I thought I might learn something from the TED people in the process that would be worth my time. I was certain there was no way I would be chosen as the theme was "Voices" and I didn't feel I had anything to say about that. Still I applied, was asked to audition, sweated out a short speech, and -- fast forward a couple of months -- I was stunned to be one of fifteen finalists out of the hundreds who'd applied. So, this TED thing was going to happen! 

Suddenly, something I had been rather half assed about was now a big freaking deal. I had seen TED talks - Ideas Worth Spreading! - and had been inspired and awed by many. Public speaking has never bothered me...until TED. My discomfort was great. My biggest concern was whether my content was worthy. Was my topic "Finding Your Authentic Author Voice" an idea worth spreading?

My first run at my TED talk came out very impersonal. It was more a short list of the things I'd learned (mostly by failure) while finding my authentic author voice. There wasn't much of me, of my personal story, in the talk. The TED committee wanted me to dig deeper. This is not easy for me as I'm a child of the eighties and being a latchkey kid raised on after school sitcoms, I can't have a problem that lasts more than twenty two and a half minutes because I run out of coping skills at the twenty three minute mark. Needless to say, introspection is not really my thing. But I tried. I dug deeper, opened doors in my life I generally prefer to leave closed, and "put myself out there". It was exhausting but I used my sense of humor to make it easier and I managed to craft a talk that was personal but also, dare I say, authentic.

The oh so intimidating TED circle.

We were each allotted a specific amount of time for our talk. My talk was to be twelve minutes. This was stressful because I am a talkoholic and could have prattled on for hours if left to my own devices. I started recording my talk, trying to memorize the important parts. I never managed that, and it came out different every single time. Sometimes it was fourteen minutes. Ack! And sometimes it was a pitiful ten. Oy! On my dress rehearsal, I came up short because I forgot big chunks. Gah! Also, I like to pace when I talk, but TED needs you to stay on or near the red circle. Practice, practice, practice. Argh!

While I don't suppose I'll know for sure how it turned out until TEDx posts the video (it'll be online at TEDx and on my webpage in a few weeks), the audience that day was very enthusiastic, and I appreciate their positive response more than I can say.

But the biggest bonus gift, aside from the personal growth and development, was my fellow speakers. We were an eclectic assortment of folks from all walks of life and, honestly, by the time we got through the TED workshops, practice sessions, rehearsals and final, I felt more bonded to these people, complete strangers, than I ever could have imagined. It was as if we'd all linked arms and walked through fire together. So, here is a nod to my fellow speakers and I hope you'll check them out, too, when #TEDxSouthMountainCommunityLibrary videos are posted to TEDx.

Tomorrow, I'll be sharing more about the speakers in part two of my Let's Talk About TED: An Incredible Experience! But for now, here are some pictures of these amazing people, who awed, inspired, and wowed me.

I adore these people and am so proud of all of us for the support and encouragement we found in each other in what was a singular experience of sharing our most vulnerable selves.

What about you, Reds and Readers? Do you enjoy public speaking or is it worse than flying or death for you?