November 7th I will be giving a TEDx talk at USU. This is kind of a bucket list thing, and I am still a bit stunned to have been invited. The presentation will include an exhibition of the project, Evidence and Artifacts: Facing Autism, and an impassioned explanation of it’s conception, objectives, and future goals. I will also be talking about the historical context of socially conscious art making and the power of iconic images as an advocacy tool. In a YouTube video released in August announcing the TEDx event, Mark McLellan, USU’s vice president for research and dean of the School of Graduate Studies, projected that for those invited to speak, this would be “the talk of their lives.” In many ways it is, and I am thrilled to have this opportunity to use the project to empower the autism community and convey a sense of urgency about the future impact of environmental insults on human development.
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 TEDxUSU, where x = independently organized TED event. At our TEDxUSU event, TEDTalks 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.
Here it is. Please share freely.