This summer, more than 3,000 people heard 15 speakers and performers share their ideas on the stage at the Bellco Theatre.
We’re thrilled to announce that you can relive the 20th TEDxMileHigh event online. All 15 talks are live on our YouTube channel—ready to get you inspired all over again.
Check out our Uncommon YouTube playlist for the full lineup of our extraordinary speakers and performers. Listen to the talks that you enjoyed the most and share your favorite moments with those who couldn’t be there.
1. P.J. Parmar – Can we redesign healthcare to profitably serve the poor?
Modern American healthcare is defined by its high costs, high overhead, and inaccessibility. Physician P.J. Parmar, founder of Ardas Fmaily Medicine and Mango House, thought about this in medical school — if he could build a practice that caters to low income folks, instead of avoiding them, then he would have guaranteed customers and very little competition. Could serving the poor be a good business opportunity?
2. Romain Sepehr Vakilitabar – Can technology make us more empathetic?
Romain Sepehr Vakilitabar is an artist and the founder of Pathos Labs, a non-profit focused on using technology to accelerate understanding across lines of difference. And he has a groundbreaking new approach to building empathy and understanding for others when you’re trapped in your own echo chamber. When was the last time you interacted with someone who was dramatically different than you?
3. Aviv Ovadya – Fake news is about to get much worse. Here’s a solution.
What happens when we can no longer trust what we see or what we hear? Advanced video & audio technologies once reserved for Hollywood blockbusters are taking fake news to a whole new level. Aviv Ovadya, Chief Technologist at the Center for Social Media Responsibility, has solutions. By mitigating the indirect harms of social media and related technologies, he works to ensure that our online information ecosystem has a positive impact on society.
4. Emelise Munoz – Performing “The Truth Tells” and “House of the Rising Sun”
12-year-old singer-songwriter Emelise Munoz rocks the TEDx stage with her original song, “The Truth Tells,” and a soulful cover of “House of the Rising Sun.” Folk-rock Americana singer-songwriter Emelise Munoz has been performing in front of crowds since she was six years old.
5. Lisa Raville – The overdse epidemic isn’t slowing down – here’s the solution
Overdose is now the leading cause of death of Americans under the age of 50. How do we close the gap between overdose and life? Harm reduction expert Lisa Raville explains how Supervised Consumption Sites are good for drug users, taxpayers, and community members. Raville is the Executive Director of the Harm Reduction Action Center, a public health agency that works with people who inject drugs.
6. Sarah Werner Konradi – Designing playgrounds for happier, healthier kids
Imagine a playground. You’re probably thinking of hard plastic and rubber, right? Modern playgrounds are boring and sterile and have so little to offer for child development. Landscape architect Sarah Werner Konradi has a better idea.
7. Jed R. Brubaker – You’re going to die. What will happen to your online life?
These days, social media pervades every aspect of our lives. Our Facebook messages, tweets, Instagram posts are more than just data – they’re our identities, our life stories. So what happens to our online lives when we die? Unfortunately, many tech companies don’t have a solution. Scholar & researcher Jed R. Brubaker does.
8. Kim Gorgens – A mental health discovery that could change criminal justice forever
50% to 80% of people in the criminal justice system have a Traumatic Brain Injury. In the general public, that number is less than 5%. So perhaps there’s a good reason many people can’t escape the revolving door of criminal justice. Armed with this knowledge, brain researcher Kim Gorgens set out to find a solution – and she did. Dr. Kim Gorgens is a professor of Psychophysiology, Clinical Neuropsychology, and Psychology of Criminal Behavior at the University of Denver.
9. KerrieJoy – Performs “Can You?” + “I’m Rooting for Everybody Black”
Slam Poet KerrieJoy brings down the house in two jaw-dropping performances: “Can You?” about her own experiences with sexual assault, and “I’m Rooting for Everybody Black,” a rallying cry inspired by Issa Rae. KerrieJoy is a spoken word artist and aspiring author from Brooklyn, New York, who enjoys challenging the beliefs of her audience. After suppressing her identity for almost two decades, she found her voice and started speaking her whole truth.
1o. Duane Topping – How I recovered from PTSD through fashion
After three combat deployments, Duane Topping medically retired from the U.S. Army in 2012. But his experience left him paralyzed by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He tried all methods of recovery – psychologists, medications, group therapies – and none of them worked. That’s when he took matters into his own hands and learned how to sew and launched Topping Designs.
11. Gerardo Lopez – I was an MS-13 gang member. Here’s how I got out.
Gerardo Lopez grew up in gang territory in Los Angeles, California and was just 14 years old when he joined MS-13, the notorious Salvadorian gang. Why did he join and why did he leave? In this courageous talk, Gerardo reveals how we can help others get out and stay out of gangs.
12. Jake Weidmann – In a world of instant gratification, don’t forget your legacy
Modern American consumers want cheap goods and more, more, more. But there’s a growing revolution of craftsmen, and an appreciation for extremely well crafted, high value works made to last years, decades, and lifetimes. In this jaw-dropping talk, artist and master penman Jake Weidmann shares his art and his legacy. Jake Weidmann is a self-taught artist and certified Master Penman.
13. Elise Legendre – Performs “Kids These Days” & “Glass”
In a powerful, melodious performance, singer-songwriter Elise Legendre plays two original songs: “Kids These Days,” inspired by the young activists from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and “Glass.” At just 7-years-old, Elise Legendre wrote her first song on the piano: “Boris, The Bulgarian Dancing Bear.” It wasn’t very good, but it sparked her lifelong passion.
14. William Woodward – School shootings can be prevented — here’s how
After every school shooting, politicians and journalists tout the latest quick fix – arming teachers, hiring more mental health counselors, making students wear clear backpacks, or even having fewer doors on campus. But this epidemic is far too complicated for an easy solution. William Woodward from the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado has a research-backed comprehensive approach.
15. Pat Ferrucci – Sports journalists stereotype athletes by race — and we do too
For many Americans, sports represent more than just a game – it’s a way of life, something that brings families and communities together. And, it’s a $70 billion industry. People have argued that, when it comes to race, sports are the great equalizer. But it turns out that in sports, and specifically sports journalism, we have a long way to go. Scholar Pat Ferrucci explains why this problem impacts all of us. As Assistant Professor of Journalism at the University of Colorado-Boulder, Pat Ferrucci focuses on media sociology – specifically, how economics and technology influence digital news.
