Grassroots Inspiration with TEDx Anchorage

Alaska Public Media

Published March 15, 2013 at 5:00 PM AKDT

In the spirit of "ideas worth spreading," TEDx Anchorage is a local, self-organized event that brings Alaskans together to share a TED-like experience. If you don't know, TED is a nonprofit devoted to sharing ideas. It began in Silicon Valley in 1984 and eventually hosted its first big conference in 1990, bringing people from three worlds together: technology, entertainment and design (hence, the TED). Since then, its scope has broadened to multiple conferences, fellowships, awards and local programs like TEDx Anchorage, where x=an independently organized TED event.

Anchorage's next TEDx is March 30 from 2-7 p.m. at the Wilda Marston Theater at the Loussac Library. This year's theme is "Our Collective Strength: Interconnectivity, Collaboration and Creativity."

Co-organizer Clare Ross is development director for the Loussac Library, which is a major sponsor of TEDx Anchorage. She says about 24 locals applied to speak and 12 were selected. Topics range from food security to salmon, choosing a multicultural community to crowd sourcing and civic hacking, to "culture as food for the heart" and "the point of being pointless."

Join host Kathleen McCoy and a few of the upcoming TEDx speakers to find out what it's all about. If you think you've got an inspiring local topic, or a wish list of what you'd like to hear at TEDx Anchorage, give us a call.

GUESTS:

In the studio