Theme: BOLD MOVES

What’s a bold move and why does it matter? It’s a challenge to go where you’ve never gone before. It’s the sounding of a wake-up call that draws attention to a situation or shows a different way forward. Without them it becomes ever more difficult to initiate much needed change in our lives and communities.

With TEDxAtlanta 2015 we’ll explore bold moves from individuals and organizations who are providing ideas and platforms that shift our thinking and calls to actions in impactful ways—through their courage, conviction and commitment.

Ferst Center for the Arts
349 Ferst Drive
Atlanta, Georgia, 30332
United States

Moon Hooch

Moon Hooch is recreating the sounds and energy of dance club music with two horns and a drum set. Moon Hooch captured the imaginations of thousands with its infamous stints busking on subway platforms and elsewhere in New York City: two sax players and a drummer whipping up furious, impromptu raves. It happened with such regularity at the Bedford Ave station in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, that the band was banned from playing there by the NYPD. The trio’s subsequent tours with They Might Be Giants, Lotus, and Galactic as well as on their own have only broadened the band’s appeal. Wherever Moon Hooch plays, a dance party soon follows.

Amanda Rhein

Amanda Rhein is turning community dead zones into destinations. Amanda Rhein sees things differently—and Atlanta area communities are about to experience the benefit. With real estate and property development surging in Atlanta, MARTA is planning new and inventive transit-oriented development to help boost its ridership and, more importantly, our overall community engagement in public spaces.

DeShawn Jenkins

DeShawn Jenkins is using the arts as a lens for understanding cultures and economic bonds in a global context. Arts, culture, innovation, and entrepreneurship aren’t concepts that typically come to mind when Americans think of Africa. But a new initiative has ambitious goals to recast narrow perceptions about the continent and highlight Atlanta as a center for Action.

Doug Hooker

Doug Hooker is reshaping cities through innovation and imagination. The increasing complexities metropolitan regions face gives many people cause for concern for how current and foreseeable issues will be addressed. As imperatives intensify and regional boundaries continue to expand, Doug Hooker and the Atlanta Regional Commission are mining a remarkable track record and history—in research, regional data, and planning—to reimagine how innovation and visionary thinking can not only address issues and unleash opportunity, but also improve the quality of life for citizens.

Dr. Gregory Berns

Dr. Gregory Berns is revealing how our mind works, helping us to explore unknown connections along the way. Using advanced brain imaging technologies in his extensive research, Dr. Gregory Berns has helped us better understand human motivation and decision-making. His most recent work explores and details how dogs love us, uncovering the empathy and the bonds we both feel. Dr Berns' research is frequently the subject of popular media coverage including articles in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Money, Oprah, Forbes, The Financial Times, Wired, The New Scientists and the International Herald Tribune. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller How Dogs Love Us and also speaks frequently on CNN and NPR

Hank Klibanoff

Hank Klibanoff is developing a new way to study civil rights history and to understand the racial divides in ourselves, our communities and our nation. Born in Alabama, Hank Klibanoff grew up witnessing the civil rights movement, massive resistance, and the revolution of race relations in the South. Those experiences, along with his 35 years as a newspaper reporter and editor in Mississippi and at The Boston Globe, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution were key influences as he co-wrote The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation. The book won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for history.

Jasmine Burton

Jasmine Burton is improving public health and solving a neglected global challenge through empathic design. Driven by a passion for serving others, Jasmine Burton not only sought a path to an education, but also a path to becoming a humanitarian for developing nations. Through the social impact organization, Wish for Wash, Jasmine is bringing innovation to sanitation through empathic design. In 2014, she and Team Sanivation won the GT InVenture Prize for their Innovative and affordable mobile toilet product design, SafiChoo.

Jonathan Rapping

Jonathan Rapping is strengthening public defenders and transforming public defense across the nation. The 1963 Supreme Court ruling, Gideon V. Wainwright, mandated that poor people accused of crimes must be provided counsel if we are to live up to our nation's promise of equal justice. Today, however, our nation's jails and prisons are disproportionately populated with members of our most vulnerable communities due to structural, financial, and cultural challenges that have kept us from fulfilling this promise. Through Gideon’s Promise, Jon is building a new generation of public defenders to address these challenges and help shift the nation towards true equality in our justice system.

Lee Thomas

Lee Thomas is creating opportunities for Georgians and communities while entertaining the world. With generous tax credits as a driving force, the Georgia film and television industry has hit the big time. By any number of measures—productions, spend, jobs added—the success of what many call “Y’allywood” is unprecedented. Lee has helped to drive that growth with programs and initiatives that connect and develop Georgia craftsman and skills to opportunity, helping them participate in the State’s fastest growing economic engine.

Sheri Davis-Faulkner

Sheri Davis-Faulkner is connecting communities to progress and prosperity. With signs of prosperity and progress seemingly all around them, why are some communities unable to tap into it and create the momentum and gains needed? Sheri is building and strengthening partnerships—business, non-profits, neighborhood associations, public safety, universities and residents—sharing connected expertise and culture of service with their neighbors, allowing them to flourish as well.

Susanna Spiccia

Susanna Spiccia is giving voice to communities through its youth. Armed with a powerful idea—reimagine your voice, reimagine possibilities—Susanna Spiccia has helped to empower youth from all backgrounds to reshape their communities. Through creative technologies, collaboration and sustainable holistic programs, re:imagine/ATL is not only developing our youth, but also changing the city.