TEDxBrowardCollege Announces Speakers and Schedule

Titled "Evolution," series will focus on the progression of ideas within art, culture, technology, and science.

Fort Lauderdale, FL (September 21, 2017) –  Broward College has been licensed to host TEDxBrowardCollege by TED, a nonpartisan non-profit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short talks, to produce its first-ever TEDx event. Titled "Evolution," TEDxBrowardCollege invites students, faculty, and community speakers to present compelling, interdisciplinary talks related to the progression of ideas within art, culture, technology, science, and society. The inaugural series is scheduled for Thursday evening, October 26 at the Simulation (SIM) Center located on the A. Hugh Adams Central Campus in Davie, FL.

TEDxBrowardCollege will consist of two sessions. Each session will highlight four speakers and close with an audience discussion. The talks are designed to serve as a means of uniting the various career pathways in conversation about "ideas worth spreading." The invitation-only event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. and speakers taking the stage starting at 7 p.m. The evening will end with an after-party complete with DJ and dancing.

Schedule of Speakers

7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The Importance of Practicing Smart Phone Photography (Victoria Mohan, student speaker) – Mohan, an advertising and marketing student at Broward College, will explore the role of smartphone cameras in our lives. She will share how the benefits of practicing smartphone photography are boundless in fueling innovation and improving our overall wellbeing.

Coming Out of the Shadows (Andrea Arce, student speaker) - At only eighteen years old, Arce grew up as a proud Peruvian-American who embraced both cultures. At fifteen years old, she discovered she was an undocumented child, protected by DACA. In her speech, she will share her journey to acceptance and discovering her sense of self along the way.

Thank You Very Much, but I'll do it My Way: It is Possible to Achieve Happiness through Your Fear, Faith, Passion, and Skepticism (Natasha Terry-Ulett, faculty speaker) – Even with financial stability and success in jobs, the most fulfilling part of Terry-Ulett's life has come from spending time giving back to the community. The impact of helping others to recognize that they are valuable to this world without exception is life changing, and therefore evolutionary, she says. In her presentation, the adjunct professor for Communications at Broward College and Palm Beach State College will discuss how following your given passion can change the world, even if it's one person, or class, at a time.

Dare to Be Different! A New Perspective on Goal-setting (Jan Spence, community speaker) - Research shows only 4% of people meet their goals each year. In this interactive, high-energy session Spence, a franchise owner and Jacksonville Dixie Blues linebacker, will provide the audience with a new perspective on developing a game plan and maintaining momentum to unleash the best of our human ingenuity. Attendees will learn how to implement her easy step-by-step process and share these techniques with others to promote further success.

8:45 to 9:45 p.m.

Micro-learning (Claudia Mariann Diaz Millan, student speaker) - Do we remember every detail of what we learn every time? The answer is no. Memory declines with time. However, learning processes, like technology have evolved. Recall would be simpler and faster if contents were bite size and concise, therefore easier to retain. Diaz Millan argues micro-learning is just that: a short burst of information encompassing key ideas, terms, and rules using mnemonic techniques.

Why Prostitution Ought to be Legalized in the United States (Kayla Friedland, student speaker) – Friedland will venture through history's oldest profession to support the claim that legalizing prostitution will lead to an improved economy, increased safety for sex workers, and a decrease in sex-related crimes. Join this 18-year-old Broward College - College Academy dynamo as she aims to dismantle molds and challenge the audience to ponder a taboo topic.

Your Cultural Identity has been One Big Lie (Dr. Edward Cornejo, faculty speaker) – Culture, by definition, must adapt and therefore must evolve. At a time in which so many people have expressed fears of having "their culture" changed or adulterated, it is wiser of today's global citizen to view cultural identity as a confluence of innumerable encounters and trade-offs that have been passed down from one generation to another and which continue to change. The College's own assistant professor of History will propose that cultural stagnancy or permanency, what some would call authenticity, is impossible.

What They See Is What They'll Be (Reuben Rifin, community speaker) – Rifin will delve into the sometimes complicated relationship between mass media and minority males. In his presentation, he will uplift spirits and share the importance of a holistic education for minorities with the implications of inspiring the masses to strive for greatness in every human endeavor.

Overcoming Obstacles and Evolving to Your Life 2.0 (Heidi Siefkas, tentative speaker) - Through engaging, true stories, author, and adventurer Heidi Siefkas will share how updates are not just for our technology devices. Our lives need updates as well to remove bugs and glitches, enhance functionality, and evolve as a species and as individuals. Heidi's powerful story will inspire you to overcome obstacles, head for adventure, and evolve to your best life, a Life 2.0.

The TEDxBrowardCollege event was organized by Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Henry Mack & Associate Professor of Speech Communication, Betty Eugene-King.

The Broward College Simulation (SIM) Center, Building 1008, is located on the A. Hugh Adams Central Campus at 3501 S.W. Davie Road in Davie, FL. Parking is free and accessible to guests immediately in front of the building. For more information on TEDxBrowardCollege, please visit https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/21772.

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, TEDTalks 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 organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or fewer) delivered by today's leading thinkers and doers. Many of these talks are given at TED's annual conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, and made available, free, on TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Monica Lewinsky, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman.

TED's open and free initiatives for spreading ideas include TED.com, where new TED Talk videos are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from thousands of volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed; the annual million-dollar TED Prize, which funds exceptional individuals with a "wish," or idea, to create change in the world; TEDx, which provides licenses to  thousands of individuals and groups who host local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, which selects innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.