Human connection and understanding will be the foundation of multiple discussions at the upcoming TEDxKelly Ingram Park event.
On Sept. 25, thinkers and change makers will come together at Sidewalk Cinema to lead discussions on how to push the needle forward in Birmingham and beyond. Roosevelt Morgan, a TEDx organizer, said the event gives people of all backgrounds the opportunity to share their big ideas.
“Come and learn. Come see what your community is giving you. This is a trade-off of information to not only make you better, but also change the way you think, open up a new mindset for you,” Morgan said.
TED is a non-profit bringing people together to share ideas, spark conversations and deepen understanding through short, powerful presentations called ‘TED Talks.’
TEDx events are locally-led to highlight individual and community-led work and inspire people to take action on ideas.
Matthew Hamilton, co-organizer of TEDxBirmingham from 2014 to 2019, said these events have changed lives.
One TEDxBirmingham event in 2017 featured Randall Woodfin in a talk about new ways to impact the city before he held the mayoral position. Another event encouraged an attendee to donate his kidney to someone in need.
In August, TEDxAlabaster highlighted how even small ideas can make a big impact.
“We knew that we had something special here where you’re bringing people from totally different worlds together around ideas focused on improving the community or changing lives,” Hamilton said.
This TEDx event is about moving the Magic City forward.
Kelly Ingram Park historically served as an assembly spot for protests and demonstrations in the 1960s for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and the Children’s Crusade.
Today, the park represents how Birmingham residents continue to come together to push forward ideas that change the world, Morgan said.
“The lack of relationship building and human connection led us to some of the struggles back in the 60s,” Pete Blank, a TEDxKelly Ingram Park speaker, told AL.com.
“To prevent those atrocities from happening again, human connection, relationships, talking, understanding, getting off the phones and meeting one on one, that’s, I think, how we continue to keep moving the city forward.”
Organizers chose 15 speakers out of 137 applicants to share their passions with Birmingham.
Bhagyashree Barhate has been studying Gen Z for years in an effort to bridge the gap between leaders in older generations and those who are new to the workforce.
“Self discovery and self awareness is so high among Gen Z compared to all of the older generations,” Barhate, a millennial, said.
“I want that attitude to thrive. However, they need guidance, support and mentoring to be able to channel it in the right direction.”
Now a professor of adult, professional and community education at Texas State University, Barhate will lead a conversation on how to overcome generational conflict in the workplace.
In her research and teachings, Barhate uncovers what work-life balance and career success means to different generations.
She said this work could create better cohesion and understanding among the old and young.
“My talk is about redefining and understanding what career success means for Gen Z,” Barhate said.
“The world is changing. Workplaces have changed tremendously…I want to be able to have conversations about it…My goal from my talk is just to make sure that people go back to work and look at each other as people with potential.”
With the rise of technology, Blank, said human connection and understanding is more important than ever.
“There needs to be a rebirth of human interaction and human connections,” Blank said.
“I’ll be making a connection of why artificial intelligence is good and why we should use it, but if we ever use it to replace human connections and networking and relationships, then we’re heading down a really dark path.”
Blank, who works with the Jefferson County Personnel Board, will be leading a discussion on how to create meaningful relationships in the technology age.
“Everything is built on relationships, careers, who you meet, who you live with, how work gets done,” Blank said.
“How do we learn from the past of Birmingham and move forward? I firmly believe that the topic of human connections and relationships is a huge part of it.”
The event will feature 13 other subject matter experts discussing a range of topics from health and wellness to leadership and entrepreneurship.
“Dr. B is one of the youngest speakers with so many publications, peer journal reviews under her belt. And half of Birmingham has been trained by Pete,” Morgan explained.
“Our speakers are subject matter experts in their fields and now they’re about to pour into Birmingham to help move the needle forward.”
