TEDxSeattleWomen (In person watch party!)
2021 TEDxSeattleWomen: What Now?
Watch Party
Register Now!
Join us for an in-person viewing of the virtual TEDxSeattleWomen event on December 8th. Following the viewing, we'll be hosting this year's speakers in person for a live interactive panel, where you'll be given the opportunity to ask questions and network. There are limited spots available, so get your ticket today!
A special thanks to our presenting partner Comcast Washington
TEDxSeattleWomen 2021: What Now?
2021 TEDxSeattleWomen: What Now?
We’re virtual again this year, with speakers to inspire hope and spark change.
Register Now!
Over the past year, we’ve struggled to navigate a global pandemic, political and social upheaval, and a growing awareness of the flaws in the systems designed to support us.
After all this change and uncertainty, many of us are asking, WHAT NOW?
Join us December 8 for this FREE, virtual TEDxSeattleWomen event. Our speakers will tackle that question, imagining new possibilities and exploring ideas for how we might live and work better together in the years to come.
TEDxSeattleWomen is an annual event designed to empower women and girls to be creators and change-makers. The event combines compelling live speaker presentations with empowering content from our favorite national TEDWomen conference talks.
Meet our 2021 speakers
Talisa Lavarry
Andrea Driessen
Brook West
A special thanks to our presenting partner Comcast Washington
TEDxSeattleLive: Watching TED 2018 "The Age of Amazement"
To introduce TED2018, TED owner Chris Anderson and TED Head of Curation Helen Walters asked the audience to complete a simple task: to turn to someone whom they didn’t know and state what, over the last year, the main emotion is that they’ve felt. In Seattle, the crowd that was gathered at TEDxSeattleLive followed suit. Strangers exchanged quick greetings and with just a few minutes for the exercise began sharing their hope—and fears—from the past year. 
While there was plenty of apprehension in the crowd, there was also hope for what the next year would bring despite an increasingly divisive global culture. Seattle has long been known as a city filled with forward-thinking innovation and passion for change, so it’s no surprise a day full of learning and inspiration was met with such an openness to how an idea can shape the future.
The event screened two different sessions over the course of the day: “Doom. Gloom. Outrage. Uproar.” then “Wow. Just wow.” Between the two sessions, the audience listened to topics ranging from the #MeToo movement by Tracee Ellis Ross, to how artificial intelligence can upheave the job market as we know it today by Kai-Fu Lee.
TEDxSeattle Salon: Moving Race Conversations Forward
Join us on March 23, 2021, for our next empowering and thought-provoking virtual event!
In her 2020 TEDxSeattle talk, Dr. Caprice Hollins explained why we often fail to have productive conversations about race, race relations, and racism in this country. Her talk shed light on why People of Color and white people take different approaches to these conversations and what white people can do to move race conversations forward.
In the spirit of transforming ideas into action, we invite you to continue the discussion as we revisit Dr. Hollin’s empowering TEDxSeattle talk, What White People Can Do To Move The Race Conversation Forward, followed by a moderated panel with Dr. Hollins and featured guests.
Dr. Caprice Hollins:
With over twenty years of experience leading and facilitating conversations on race, Dr. Caprice Hollins’ success stems from one distinct attribute—the ability to embrace her own imperfections.
Dr. Hollins stresses how she has learned to step back and reassess the “why” behind her work. She feels a clear calling, “I have the opportunity to change how this country has always treated those on the margins. I am an instrument for change.”
Her work ranges from providing culturally relevant professional development to assisting organizations in improving cross-cultural relationships while working with diverse populations.
In an effort to effectively engage all cultures, Dr. Hollins co-founded Cultures Connecting, LLC, an organization providing culturally relevant professional development workshops, keynotes, leadership coaching, and consulting services. Prior to this, she opened and served as the first Director of Equity, Race & Learning Support for Seattle Public Schools, as well as co-authored Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Strategies for Facilitating Conversations on Race.
Dr. Estell Williams:
Dr. Williams is an Assistant Professor of Surgery and an Acute Care Surgeon at the University of Washington. She is the Executive Director of Doctor For A Day, an outreach program that introduces under-resourced students to health careers. She also serves on the Washington State Medical Association Foundation Board, working to advance efforts around healthcare equity. Dr. Williams is passionate about healthcare disparities, healthcare workforce diversity, and health justice—and in response to the 2020 murder of George Floyd, she organized a march of 10,000 healthcare workers from across Washington state to declare racism a public health emergency.
Jila Javdani:
Not only is Jila Javdani a strong female leader in the local business world, but she's also an architect of workplace change. Currently, Javdani is a general manager with Slalom, a Seattle-based consulting firm, where she's been instrumental in creating a positive and welcoming workplace for all. She's passionate about delivering meaningful outcomes for clients and helping team members achieve their full potential. Javdani founded the Slalom Women's Leadership Network and was on the founding committee of Slalom’s inclusion and diversity initiative. She believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are crucial to growing people, transforming organizations, and achieving results.
Cami Blumenthal:
Cami Blumenthal works with organizational leaders to foster diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace cultures where employees can grow and thrive. She's known for delivering a competitive edge and increased value for organizations. As an HR leader at Blue Origin, she drives talent strategies that help advance company cultures and people-first objectives, as well as organizational and leadership goals. In her hometown, Blumenthal started Equity & Inclusion Community Group, a grassroots organization with a mission to bring impactful change by addressing local inequities. She is a board member of Roots Ethiopia, a local NGO that improves education and enables women in rural Ethiopia, and also serves on the 100 Women Who Care Committee supporting local non-profits. Blumenthal is unapologetically anti-racist, anti-sexist, and anti-exploitive. Her passion for meaningful and sustained social justice cuts across all aspects of her life.
Michaela Ayers (Host):
Michaela Ayers is the Founder and Principal of Nourish, a social impact organization that advances anti-racism within companies and communities. Drawing from human-centered design, action learning, and anti-racism principles, Nourish uproots the deep-seated biases and racist behaviors that block belonging. By leveraging the power of curiosity and vulnerability, Michaela is constantly exploring creative ways of thinking, speaking, and listening in order to advance the collective conversation about systemic racism.
Thank you to our event partner, WSECU!
Transforming communities through architecture
Rico Quirindongo knows one thing: you feel differently based on the space you’re in.
Born in the heart of Seattle’s central district, Quirindongo has felt the impact of his surroundings his entire life. In this 2020 TEDxSeattle talk, he fosters connection by creating intentional spaces through his work as an architect. Quirindongo shares several examples of successful local projects that were designed with people in mind--and the negative consequences of ignoring the needs of the community.
More to explore:
- Learn more about Quirindongo’s work: https://www.dlrgroup.com/people/rico-quirindongo/
- Hear how Rachel Armstrong believes we need to make architecture that grows itself in her talk, “Architecture that repairs itself?”: https://www.ted.com/talks/rachel_armstrong_architecture_that_repairs_itself
- Hear an enlightening discussion of today’s architecture in Reed Kroloff’s talk, “A tour of modern architecture”: https://www.ted.com/talks/reed_kroloff_a_tour_of_modern_architecture
- See how Michael Murphy takes a holistic approach to building the world around us in his talk, “Architecture that's built to heal”: https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_murphy_architecture_that_s_built_to_heal
Eulogies for the living
Why are eulogies only for the dying? In this funny, touching talk, Andrea Driessen argues that writing your loved ones a “grace note” – a kind of living eulogy – is a potent tool for connection now that also lessens the pain of grief and regret later. Everyone wants to https://tedxseattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumb-01-1.jpger, and Andrea’s wish is that we share what https://tedxseattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/thumb-01-1.jpgers most with our loved ones while they’re still alive to hear it.
Andrea is a meeting designer, author, and hospice volunteer. As founder and Chief Boredom Buster at Seattle-based No More Boring Meetings, she teams with companies, nonprofits, and trade associations to secure top-tier speakers, entertainers, and thought leaders, to create fresh meeting formats.
Andrea found her heart’s work at Providence Hospice of Seattle, where she has been volunteering since 2016. Through her interactions with people who are dying—and their loved ones who are living—she has developed a compelling, actionable practice for easing grief and boosting happiness.
She is the author of the international award-winning book, The Non-Obvious Guide to Event Planning: For Kick-Ass Gatherings that Inspire People. A regular contributor to The Meeting Professional magazine, she has also been a Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) “Best-in-Class” speaker.
Andrea Driessen is a meeting designer, author, and hospice volunteer. As founder and Chief Boredom Buster at Seattle-based No More Boring Meetings, she teams with companies, nonprofits, and trade associations to secure top-tier speakers, entertainers, and thought leaders, to create fresh meeting formats, content-driven games, and out-of-the-box engagement tools.
Driessen found her heart’s work at Providence Hospice of Seattle, where she has been volunteering since 2016. Through her interactions with people who are dying—and their loved ones who are living—she has developed a powerful, actionable practice for lessening the pain of grief and regret, boosting happiness, and shifting how we move through the world. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Turning adversaries into allies
Leah Garcés wants to eliminate chicken factory farming. The problem is, to make progress, she’ll have to collaborate with her adversary – the chicken farmer. In today’s polarized environment, an “us vs. them” mentality is rampant. Leah challenges that narrative reminding us that we can learn valuable lessons from unlikely allies and that bold, innovative changes to make our food system more sustainable can only happen when we work toward win-win solutions.
Leah Garces is President of the nonprofit Mercy For Animals, one of the world’s largest farmed animal rights organizations and leads a team of 130 staff globally.
“At this point in the history of human society, we’re very polarized. My theory of change is that if we’re going to move the world to a better more compassionate food system, instead of trying to beat down the enemy, we need to sit down with them and have them join us.” On any given day, whether Leah is flying to meet with business executives to discuss moving their company to more plant-based offerings or speaking at a conference about her radical theory of change, she’s ultimately advocating for a win-win between corporate ideals and improving the lives of animals. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Can beauty save our planet?
Chris Jordan is all in on beauty. After photographing sea birds dying by the dozens from consuming bits of plastic, Chris had a revelation: It was time to refocus in his lens on the awesome beauty of the planet. Now, he searches out natural places that can inspire us to treasure and protect them from the devastating effects of pollution and climate change.
Special thanks to core the TEDxSeattle organizing team, 100+ volunteers, and our generous partners – without you, this experience would not be possible. Find out more about our talks, speakers, entertainers, activities, and year-round events at TEDxSeattle.com.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark in-depth discussion and connection in a community setting. These events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.
Chris is an internationally acclaimed photographer and filmmaker whose works are exhibited and published worldwide. His work walks the fine line between beauty and despair while exploring the dark undercurrents of our consumer culture’s focus on disposable goods and mass consumption. Chris’s first foray into the subject was the project Intolerable Beauty, which demonstrated the enormous amount of waste in various areas throughout Seattle. His next project, Running the Numbers, used innovative perspectives to illustrate the vast magnitude of our mass consumption.
Chris’s largest project to date is a series of photographs, Midway: Message from the Gyre, and the companion film, Albatross. The project was inspired by a stunning environmental tragedy that’s taking place on a tiny atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. He and his team photographed and filmed thousands of young albatrosses that lay dead on the ground, their stomachs filled with plastic, underscoring the destructive power of our culture of consumption, and our damaged relationship with the living world.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx Chris Jordan is an internationally acclaimed photographer and filmmaker whose works are exhibited and published worldwide. His work walks the fine line between beauty and despair while exploring the dark undercurrents of our consumer culture’s focus on disposability and mass consumption. Jordan’s first foray into the subject was a project Intolerable Beauty which featured the enormous amount of waste in various areas throughout Seattle. This led to Running the Numbers that used innovative perspectives to demonstrate the enormous magnitude of our mass consumption. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Why You Should Talk Regularly with Strangers
Since 2006, Traca Savadogo has met an average of three new people every day and heard their stories, resulting in 90 conversations a month. Sharing regularly on social medial and in speaking engagements, Traca discusses what drove her to launch her “Curiosity Conversations” and how her interactions often develop into surprising insights, unexpected opportunities, and treasured friendships. She recalls numerous examples of life-changing conversations that began with just one curious moment. Traca wants to show us that amazing stories are happening all around us and that we just need to “show up and get curious” She leaves us with a list of tips for what it takes to delve into a Curiosity Conversation and a reminder that in a world when many of us stay buried in our phones, human connection is truly what we crave. Traca Savadogo is a professional social butterfly. She has a passion for driving big ideas and conversation, and her approach is simple: ask questions, be curious. Savadogo is constantly looking for beautiful moments with strangers. She’ll ask people, ”What’s your story?” or “How do you want to be remembered?” and watch their narratives unfold.
Originally from the Midwest, where having conversations with strangers is commonplace and part of the fabric of society, Savadogo strives to give individuals actionable steps they can use to start having interactions of their own. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Improving gender parity through corporate accountability
Sara Sanford has long heard women colleagues and friends telling stories of unequal treatment at work. She realized systemic problems cannot be changed through individuals’ actions. Applying the approach of “you get the behavior you measure,” she founded Gender Equity Now and developed a set of tools that are unparalleled in the United States. This framework identifies the gaps, applies small changes and certifies business to close the gender parity. She looks forward to the day when companies which are not gender equity-focused will be at a competitive disadvantage to those which are. Sara Sanford founded Gender Equity Now (GEN) to bring gender balance to the U.S. workplace. She is the architect behind the GEN Certification, the first gold standard for gender parity in U.S. businesses. Guided by the maxim, “You get the behavior you measure,” Sara believes we now have the data-driven tools for all businesses to be equity-centered if they choose to be. Before starting GEN, Sara worked in the financial services industry, where she identified opportunities to address gender disparities as a force multiplier for growth. As a Masters graduate of the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy, Sara focused on private-public partnerships and impact evaluation in the international development sector. She has since used her experience and skills to collaborate with Local and International Foundations in the areas of education, cultural competence, sustainability, and global health.
A Prosecutor's Case Against Equality
Criminal justice reform depends on our willingness to reexamine fundamental principles. Pursuing equity, rather than equality, would produce more just and more effective outcomes.
Memorializing transgender murder victims through art and performance
Jono Vaughan is an artist, activist, professor and the creator of Project 42, a series of works dedicated to memorializing the lives of murdered transgender and gender non-conforming people. Jono and her team develop beautiful, complex and meaningful handmade garments that are then worn by a collaborator who performs acts—from the mundane to the momentous—that the memorialized victim will never again experience for themselves. Jono shares the vision and purpose for her work and allows us to see one of her garments come to life. Featuring a performance by Randy Ford memorializing the 2011 murder victim Tyra Trent. Jono Vaughan is an artist, teacher, and transgender activist. In 2011 Vaughan began to openly make work as a trans woman and began a number of ongoing bodies of work including Project 42, The Ornamental Self, and Safety in Numbers. She holds a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York and an MFA from the University of South Florida. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including the exhibitions MOTHA and Chris E. Vargas Present: Trans Hirstory in 99 Objects at the Henry Art Gallery and We the People at the Minnesota Museum of American Art. She received Seattle Art Museum's 2017 Betty Bowen Award and exhibited Jono Vaughan: Project 42 at the museum. Her work has been featured in The Advocate, Surface Design Journal, City Arts Journal, Tampa Bay Times, and New American Paintings. Vaughan is currently an Assistant Professor of Art at Bellevue College in WA.