TEDx

I love a good TED talk as much as the next guy, but to be honest I wasn’t expecting much from the Jersey City conference. The ubiquitous nature of TED Talks these days should make putting a great conference together more doable, but I still hold them in such high regard that I thought an independent offshoot in JC wouldn’t work. I’m very happy to report that I was wrong. So wrong. «Bound 2» video wrong.
The setting of the conference couldn’t have been more perfect. Right in the heart of City Hall, knowledgeable speakers gave one interestingly informative talk after another, with a huge TEDx Jersey City sign acting as their backdrop. What better way to announce Jersey City’s arrival then doing this shit right in City Hall?!? Gangster, I respect it. Having Mayor Fulop as the opener was not a bad move either, his presence was a great show of confidence in the hardworking organizers.
To say the lineup of speakers were an accomplished bunch would be a slight to them. The amount of talent, experience, and passion in the room was seriously mesmerizing. For the most part, each speaker was genuinely enthusiastic about their topic and I’d be lying if I said the energy wasn’t contagious. On more than one occasion, I found myself enthralled by a subject I thought I’d snooze through (microbes? Really?). Another shocker was how minimal the number of hiccups were in this inaugural event. I hope the staff received plenty of high fives, because they surely deserve ‘em.
This event featured about 90% in-​person speakers (ALL JC REPRESENTERS BTW) and 10% previously recorded talks that were projected on a big screen. Here are my top 5:
Katie Kat — Finding Your Voice
Katie is a professional opera singer who spoke about the importance of singing in every day life. I learned about numerous physical health, psychological, and social benefits, AND she closed out with an amazing song (or is it an aria when it’s all opera-​ish?). She has some serious pipes.
Dr. Carl Fisher — How Neuroscience Is Challenging Punishment
Dr. Fisher wasn’t the best speaker, but damn his subject was intriguing. He showed us brain scans of different criminals and revealed that some of their behavior can be attributed to different types of brain damage. He definitely made you think twice about the judicial system being so black and white.
Caley Vickerman — A Place to Play: The Importance of Face-​to-​Face Connections in our Urban Spaces
Founder of the Guerrilla Haiku Movement, Caley Vickerman uses the haiku as a way to bring communities together. I was really inspired by her energy and creativity.
Chimamanda Adichie — «Danger of a Single Story»
This video from 2009 by a young Nigerian author might have been my favorite of the day. In it she navigates issues of race, dominant culture, the power of narrative, and so much more in an extremely graceful way.
Dr. Adventure — «Contemporary Superhumanity»
Last but not least, this talk gave you a glimpse into our inevitable Sci-​Fi future. This founder of The New Flesh Worshop makes custom prosthetics, body armor, and all sorts of other crazy shit. Pretty much exactly like the Futurists in Orphan Black.