The fifth-annual event takes place at Manhattan Beach Middle School Saturday
By Kelly Dawson
When Julia Horwitz takes the stage at the upcoming TEDxMB event, she will know what it feels like to see, and then, be seen.
Horwitz, a 17-year-old who grew up in Manhattan Beach, watched a TED Talk last year on the subject of spoken word poetry. She had written verses of her own before, but she had never seen poetry like this, and she wanted to try it. Fifteen months after finding that talk, she’s about to give one herself – in front of an anticipated audience of 500 people.
“It’s a full circle thing. I’m honored to be speaking,” Horwitz said.
The fifth annual TEDxMB will take place November 15 at Manhattan Beach Middle School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Horwitz will be joined by 14 other speakers – from television producer J.D. Roth to opera singer Suzanna Guzman, and start-up entrepreneur Shane Snow to game theorist James Pita – who will all share their own experiences. Although each speaker has molded his or her talk within this year’s “Game Changers” theme, no one has defined that label within the same terms. This gives the audience the chance to do so for themselves, according to Kate Bergin, the curator of the event.
“TEDxMB gives us an opportunity to put our current lives in the context of what our possibilities are for the future,” said Bergin. “It gives us a chance to think.”
TED, an acronym for technology, entertainment, and design, is a word synonymous with self-improvement. Since it began in Northern California 30 years ago, TED has become a global brand of uplifting, conversational speeches delivered in no more than 18 minutes. TEDx is the organization’s independent counterpart that’s comprised entirely of volunteers. Thousands have taken place worldwide under the overarching premise to share, teach, and encourage. TEDxMB is expecting a multi-generational audience, from high school students who can come and go as they please to seniors, Bergin said.
“There’s something that’s really important to the fabric of a community to have shared experiences,” Bergin said. “Like the concerts in the park, or holiday fireworks, TEDxMB makes our community stronger.”
This year’s TEDxMB will also feature interactive exhibits created by Manhattan Beach students, which will range from virtual reality eyeglasses created by Google, to a 20-foot mural that’ll be made during the event. The entertainment will be open to attendees during breaks in the talks.
“This is a space where we can learn from each other, and I don’t think we do enough of that in our everyday lives,” Horwitz said.
TEDx MB runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 15. For tickets and more information, visit tedxmanhattanbeach.com.
