Miami, Nov. 20, 2024 – Miami Dade College (MDC) will host its first TEDxMDC event on Thursday, Dec. 5. The independently organized event, licensed by TED, will feature local voices and TED Talks videos under the theme Elevating Miami: Stories of Vision, Teamwork and Transformation expanding on art, sports, history and technology. The inaugural TEDxMDC will celebrate the city’s past, evolving identity and future through inspiring stories of resilience, creativity and community impact, all connected to the city’s rich cultural landscape. This event is free and open to the public with registration.
Launched in 2009, the TEDx program facilitates locally organized events that bring the community together to share a TED-like experience. Some of the best talks from TEDx events have gone on to be featured on TED.com and garnered millions of views from audiences across the globe.
Meet the TEDxMDC speakers:
Shane Battier, a two-time NBA Champion with the Miami Heat, is one of basketball’s most successful players. He was a NCAA Champion with Duke University, where he excelled academically. Battier is also well-known for his philanthropic contributions. He co-founded the Battier Take Charge Foundation with his wife, Heidi, to support underserved youth. He is also a devoted father, deeply committed to his family and community.
Meg Daly is the founder and CEO of Friends of The Underline, a non-profit transforming Miami’s underutilized Metrorail land into a 120-acre park and trail. A 30-year veteran in sales and marketing, she previously owned First Media Direct and held executive roles in public relations, advertising, technology, and real estate. The Vanderbilt University graduate served on numerous philanthropic boards and currently chairs The Underline Conservancy, ensuring the park’s maintenance and programming.
Joan Godoy is a clinical psychologist with a master’s degree in International Non-Governmental Organizations, is a passionate connector and advocate for equity. With over 10 years of experience in social change across five countries, she co-founded the Miami chapter of F*up Nights to promote vulnerability through sharing failure stories. A proud Guatemalan, Godoy is also a dancer, runner, avid yogi, frequent traveler and dedicated chocolate enthusiast.
Dr. Michael Mannino co-founded Syneurgy to enhance human collaboration through AI. As former director of the AI Centers at MDC, he spearheaded AI initiatives and taught critical thinking and AI Ethics. Mannino is also the Chief Science Officer at Flow Research Collective, optimizing human performance and well-being through neuroscience. He has a master’s in philosophy from California State University and a doctorate in Complex Systems and Brain Sciences from Florida Atlantic University.
Natasha Tsakos is a visionary at the intersection of theater, technology and impact. Her projects, such as HUMANODE and CARABOOM, have garnered numerous awards. She has performed at G20 Summit and the Super Bowl, among other major events, and speaks on arts and technology at forums like TED and the United Nations. Tsakos holds a bachelor’s in theater, several prestigious certificates and has launched an entertainment venture for microgravity performances, aiming to inspire wonder and innovation.
Dr. Paul George, a Miami native, is the Resident Historian at HistoryMiami Museum and a prominent figure in preserving South Florida’s heritage. With advanced degrees from Florida State University, he has taught at institutions including Miami Dade College and the University of Miami. Dr. George has authored numerous historical works and is renowned for his dedication to education and community history tours, earning accolades for his contributions to historical preservation.
WHAT: TEDxMDC
WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 5, 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. | Registration begins at 5 p.m.
WHERE: MDC Wolfson Campus, Auditorium (Building 1, 2nd floor)
300 N.E. 2nd Ave.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event
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 deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized 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. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)
About TED
TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.
TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events bring people together to share ideas and bridge divides in communities on every continent. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze more than $3 billion in funding for projects that seek to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.
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To register for TEDxMDC and for more information, visit mdc.edu/tedxmdc.