TEDx is a growing network of TED-like events planned by independent organizers in an effort to spark dialogue among community members around topics that are ever-present in the local population. To date, there have been 16,929 events held and 1,586 are scheduled. Our very own Tahoe City is proud to be hosting their first TEDx event this month, on the topic of relationships and the internal and external factors that shape them.
“A relationship is your interior psyche with how you approach the outside,” said event organizer Renee Koijane. She added that the theme is relevant to a multitude of aspects of Tahoe’s unique culture.
There are 15 speakers during the 4-hour discussion, who will share their perception of what a relationship is and how it affects and is affected by their expertise. Everything from the parent/child connection to our relationships with topics such as winning, death, movement, addiction, teenage sex, and the environment will be contemplated.
“It’s about the big things that hit us in everyday life,” Koijane said. The event was catalyzed by the risk associated with extreme sports, but snowballed into much more. The panel features a wide range of expertise:
JJ Morgan, an expert in the restaurant, nightclub, and music industries will talk about his idea of the “rebirth of cool” and his research on the relationship between urban jazz and mountain kids.
Psychiatrist Dr. Robb Gaffney will use his knowledge of family and sports in his discussion of the parent/child relationship.
John Muir Laws, a research associate and wildlife biologist, will talk about falling more deeply in love with the natural world.
“Ultimately, TEDxTahoeCity hopes to create a better understanding of the human condition so we can approach our sports, careers, home life, and our relationships with all the elements around us in a way that promotes longer, healthier, and happier lives,” the event website said.
A lot goes into requesting approval to host one of these TED-like events. Koijane explained the process to be similar to that of applying for a grant and submitting a business plan. The entirely volunteer-based program was given the go-ahead in April 2016.
“We wanted to give people in the community the limelight,” she said.
For those who were unable to get a ticket, the event will be streamed live on the TEDx website. And, as is typical for all TED and TEDx events, the individual talks will be available to the public in the weeks following the event, also on the TEDx website.
For more information on the speakers visit ted.com/tedx/events/19284.
