By Jason Luntz
NASHVILLE, TN – Nashville Charter Schools, Islam in Middle Tennessee, multi-tasking, and the future of NASA’s space program were but four of the topics discussed at TEDxNashville this year. Held at The Tennessee Performance Arts Center (TPAC), the conference invited some of the best local and national minds to speak on the future of a variety of topics.
Based on the popular TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conferences, TEDx is a program that creates independently organized events throughout the world to deliver a TED-like experience. These conferences discuss ideas that are free of any commercial, political or religious agenda. The theme of the Nashville event was “next”
According to TEDxNashville founder Bob Bradley, Nashville’s event is one of the largest TEDx events in the world. Originally, a 500-person event held at Montgomery Bell Academy in 2010, this year’s event had a sold out audience of 1,075 people at TPAC.
Nearly 20 speakers and performers were each given 18 minutes in front of the audience. Highlights included the innovation and similarities of the Underground Railroad and the Internet; the power of saying no to opportunities and focusing on fewer tasks; the digital stamp we all leave through social media; as well as musical and spoken word performances.
Todd May, manager of NASA’s Space Launch System Program office, excited the crowd by unveiling the organization’s latest space shuttle prototype. After explaining the shuttle will launch in 2017, he went on to say that it will allow us to visit mars and asteroids.
“Weapons of mass destruction exist, and they exist in space, ” May joked. “If we don’t do something about it, the asteroids have already won.”
Dr. Ossama Bahloul, the builder of an Islamic Center in Mufreesboro, TN, gave another message that left an impact. Titled “The Gift Of Difficulty”, the Imam discussed that while there were many issues in building his place of worship, the people who supported his vision made the task rewarding.
Other speakers included Lead Public Schools founder Jeremy Kane, music producer Bob Ezrin, Broadway actor Charles Holt, Activist Rashad The Poet, and Belmont Professor Dr. Sybril Bennett.
During the event #TedXNashville was Tweeted on the social network site Twitter as the conference’s official hashtag. Audience members were encouraged to Tweet their favorite moments of the event.
Video clips of the speakers will soon be available at www.tedxnashville.com, along with information on past and future TedXNashville events.