Annette LeZotte, Kauffman Museum director and Dre Tayler, Kansas City Keys Nile Valley Aquaponic Project, are among those who will take the stage at TEDxWyandotte, “Breaking Through,” on Saturday, June 13, in Kansas City, Kan.
Experts and innovators at TEDxWyandotte will confront barriers that divide people and challenge participants to move beyond them, a spokesman for the event said.
All of the programs this year will focus on urban solutions to deeply-rooted problems, according to a spokesman.
Supported by lead sponsor Kansas City Kansas Community College, this independently organized TEDx event will gather speakers and audience members from diverse backgrounds to create new synergies, connections and collaborations across disciplines.
Confirmed speakers for the 2015 event include:
Vi Nhan Tran, “The Empathetic Power of Storytelling” Through music and personal stories about his family’s refugee journey, Tran demonstrates what he calls “the empathetic power of storytelling.”
Annette LeZotte – “Sorting Out Race” – Annette will speak about the Kauffman Museum’s exhibit “Sorting Out Race: Examining Racial Identity and Stereotypes in Thrift Store Donations.
Hong Hong Hui – ““My Pipa Speaks for Me” – Growing up playing this amazing instrument was a privilege for Hong Hong Hui. It inspired her in many ways throughout her life.
Dre Taylor “Males to Men” – Dre Taylor is the project manager for the Kansas City Keys Nile Valley Aquaponic Project and the Males to Men program.
Janice Burdine – “Negative Space” – While invisible to mainstream society, we never stop being productive “in the background” which is why her images seem to emerge from that space.
Shannon Oleen – “The Millennial Divide” or “What I learned from living on a canoe” – thinking about discussing either how to build a personal brand and differentiate yourself or how to excel in a world with four to five generations in the workplace.
Organized by local volunteers, the annual TEDxWyandotte event is in its third year and is awaited by many people in the community, the spokesman said.
TED is a nonprofit conference devoted to ideas worth spreading. It started 30 years ago in California, and the acronym TED refers to bringing together people from “Technology, Entertainment and Design.” Often, TED talks include motivational and self-improvement ideas. Many past talks have been posted at TED.com.
More information on remaining speakers and the TEDxWyandotte program can be found at tedxwyandotte.org. Tickets to the TEDxWyandotte programs are $20. Admission is free to KCKCC students.