Tedxmemphis
“A lot of people will be unemployed due to no fault of their own,” Mcferren told The Commercial Appeal. “This country can and should have to do better. And, it’s going to call on everyone to address this.”
In a future where millions are laid off, conversations on policies aimed at providing a social safety net — such as universal health care and a guaranteed minimum income — will need to go mainstream, she said.
For Mcferren, the Tedxmemphis stage offered an important start to that conversation locally. While the topic of automation may be sweeping, she told The CA, social change always starts as conversations among small groups of people.
“The TEDX talks are critical to creating community conversations about real issues that have real impact today,” Mcferren said. “We shouldn’t underestimate the power of these discussions to have people to engage in critical thinking and ultimately lead to a call to action.”
Ideas for the next century
TEDX programs are independent, locally-organized events comprised of short speeches that are freely shared online, following live events which take place around the world.
In Memphis, Mcferren presented as part of a lineup of 18 speakers from diverse backgrounds, offering a range of expertise on the common theme of “ideas for the next century,” often combining personal experience and in-depth research.
In the daylong program complete with its own house band, The Faculty, the empowering role of art was a recurring theme, with presentations from artistentrepreneurs in dance, theater and fashion throughout. Cordova High School’s Henry Hull, 15, and Asia Jackson, 16, performed alongside their school band director Tracie Marlin and their dance teacher, Clarence Mcferren, who presented on “Mental Liberation Through Dance.”
“I’ve known about TED,” said Hull, who mentioned he’s been watching talks online for the past three years. “But, to be on the stage, it felt like a once-in-a lifetime experience.” Jackson agreed. “It was amazing,” she said. The experience inspired Marlin to consider ways to bring the TEDX spirit into her classroom.
“As an educator, I’ve seen several TED talks. I wish we did more for our students as teachers. It’s a whole different approach,” she said.
Other speakers included First Tennessee Bank’s Chief Human Resource Officer, John Daniel, who spoke on strategies for cultivating resilience, sharing his experiences navigating a heart transplant. Master distiller Alex Castle, of Old Dominick Distillery, discussed whiskey as the “cure for perfectionism.”
Sponsored by a slew of local non-profits and businesses, Tedxmemphis is headed up by the organization New Memphis, with the help of a handful of people they describe as “TED enthusiasts.” Each of the presentations will be available online at www.tedxmemphis.com.
For Daphene Mcferren, whose academic research on robotics is complemented by her artistic work as a documentarian — currently focused on celebrated investigative reporter Ida B. Wells’ formative years in Memphis — the talks play an important role in spurring creative thinking.
“Too frequently in contemporary society we’re limited to soundbites,” she said. “TEDX talks allow for people who have become experts in a field, either through their lived experience or because their day jobs involve it, to share that expertise. These conversations hopefully will inspire others to germinate ideas for solving some of the issues that speakers bring up.”
Sarah Macaraeg is an investigative reporter with The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at 901426-4357 or sarah.macaraeg@commercialap peal.com. She is on Twitter @seramak.