TEDxABQ Returns to Focus on Connection!

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — TEDxABQ will be making its New Mexico return on Saturday, July 30, 2022, at the African American Performing Arts Center (at Expo New Mexico) from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Connection is fundamental to human existence which has been altered by public health challenges.  Connection is the very fabric of meaning in all of our pursuits.  CONNEXION provides an opportunity to connect to each other and connect to ideas worth spreading!

The first TEDxABQ event in nearly three years will feature 14 speakers from the Albuquerque community who will share their ideas on meaningful connections. With a variety of different backgrounds and experience, the event provides a community a platform to share ideas and collaborate.

The CONNEXION event is curated by Meghan Pickard and Max Dubroff.  Meg is a problem solver, operating excellence enthusiast, lover of a good story, and a dog mom. She has a background in aerospace and is currently the Senior Manager of Operating Systems Excellence at Sandia National Labs. Max is a first-time TEDx co-curator. Max retired from the US Air Force after 20 years then built a second career in Human Resources. He currently manages HR shared services for Sandia National Laboratories.

Meghan Pickard CONNEXION co-curator says “This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with each other, connect with ideas worth spreading, and may profoundly change the way you connect with your world long after the event!”

Max Dubroff CONNEXION co-curator shares “I am inspired by the global nature of our speakers’ ideas that have their roots in New Mexico. Their voices will connect New Mexico to the world.”

The TEDx event highlights individuals in the community that can provide evocative conversations. This year’s theme, connection, allows speakers to offer their own unique perspective and allows attendees to interpret each discussion in their own way. 

The TEDxABQ 2022 CONNEXION speakers were selected based on a juried process and include:

• Rick Allred hopes to empower people to go beyond “normal” expectations dealing with dementia and generate connections with loved ones that they may not have felt were possible in their circumstances.

• Nancy Elains Bos will expand on The Surprising Science of Reaching Goals and the path to personal optimization.

• Curt J. Chavez is speaking on The Power of Hope & Healing Lies in the Human Connection, where he will be sharing the journey of a man he recently helped that he believes, through the power of human connection, has progressed considerably after the last 20 years suffering from Hemiplegia.

• Phelosha M. Collaros will touch on what we can learn about conflict and connection from Colombia’s early political violence and how the Colombian people reveal the meaningful connections that save us in the darkest of times.

• Michael Davis is discussing the framework of digital truth and how implementing Mindfulness as a Service (MaaS) business solution can improve our digital consciousness to shift right alongside our human connection and relationship with technology.

• Thien-Nam Dihn will be discussing Universal Basic Philanthropy (UBP), giving people free money to donate.UBP will create a systemically connected world in which everyone will have a voice in the progress that we make as a society.

• Kiki Garcia will speak on the struggles individuals go through and promote an idea that opening up about mental health is nothing to be ashamed of.

• Zahara Jade will talk through the experience of pain is an inevitability of the human condition and how it may serve as a call to action.

• Bettye Kearse will speak about ancestors, the importance of their stories passed from generation to generation and howthey’re alive in everything we do with the many gifts they passed down to us.

• Scott Miller is discussing connections to end poverty and how our current societal connection hold poverty in place.

• Gabe Mounce will touch on the “2^nd Golden Age of Space”and how NM is well poised, across our state demographics, to take advantage of this opportunity for the betterment of our economy and community.

• Abigail Olvera focus is on taking the danger out of our daily lives. Handwashing took a century to catch on. Good road design is taking about as long – while continuing to be the eighth biggest killer in the world but it doesn’t have to be!

• Wyatt Powers will focus on how the children of New Mexico can receive a world-class education by using state and national parks as their classroom.

• Teresa M. Robinson will touch on the power of community through events and entertainment.

The full list of speakers and tickets can be found on the website. For more information visit https://www.tedxabq.com.

Click here for a copy of the 2022 TEDxABQ media kit.

TEDxABQ appreciated the community support of its 2022 Event Partners: Fidelity Investments, New Mexico Foundation, 101 Property, The Garrity Group Public Relations, Siarza Social Digital, Winston Foto and Sparrow Creative Studio.

About TEDxABQ

TEDxABQ is a local and volunteer-driven organization which reaches a beautifully dedicated and passionate audience. TEDxABQ is committed to providing an innovative platform to share New Mexico’s best ideas. TEDxABQ is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All of our events are made possible through the support of community partners and the efforts of over 100 dedicated volunteers.

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. 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 organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, often in the form of short talks delivered by leading thinkers and doers. Many of these talks are given at TED conferences, intimate TED Salons and thousands of independently organized TEDx events around the world. Videos of these talks are made available, free, on TED.com and other platforms. Audio versions of TED Talks are published to TED Talks Daily, available on all podcast platforms.

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