TEDxSiouxFalls announces 2020 speakers

July 24, 2020

Nine speakers will tackle topics ranging from indigenous food to mountain climbing as part of this year’s TEDxSiouxFalls event.

It will be held Aug. 20 and has been moved from the Orpheum to the Washington Pavilion to allow the event to achieve more distancing between patrons.

The event was sold out, but about 20 tickets are now available for $35 plus tax and processing fees. Doors open at 6 p.m., the program starts at 7 p.m., and attendees are encouraged to come early.

Free masks will be available and are highly encouraged. There will be temperature checks and sanitization stations.

“Our ambitions with the TEDx events is to root out the thought leaders of our region, give them a platform to share their revealing and inspiring messages and for attendees to be motivated to join their cause, movement or growing support network while uniting with others and becoming more connected to the community,” said Thadeus Giedd, who runs the Sioux Falls event.

Here’s a look at the speakers and their topics:

Chef Sean Sherman: The (R)Evolution of Indigenous Foods

Chef Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota from the Pine Ridge Reservation, is the founder of The Sioux Chef. Through his research and culinary experience of 30 years, he has uncovered and mapped out the foundations of the indigenous food systems and where its revitalization belongs in the future.

Tracy Saathoff: Was Suffrage Worth the Fight or is Voting Obsolete?

One hundred years ago this year, women all over the country gathered to celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote nationwide. For women and so many others who fought to be counted, to be heard, to vote – have their hard-fought wars been for naught? Is voting obsolete? And more important – was suffrage worth the struggle?

Benson Hsu: Getting What You Paid For

​Health care spending continues to increase and is seemingly unsustainable. Yet at the same time, we get much less for what we spend. Can we do better? Let’s explore the concept of value in health care and how this may both improve health care outcomes and decrease health care costs.

Melissa Johnson: Love, Attachment, Ties and Trauma

Reactive Attachment Disorder, or RAD, is a rare but serious condition in which an infant or young child doesn’t establish healthy attachments with parents or caregivers. How does early trauma affect a baby’s developing brain? How is the condition exhibited in a child? And what happens when a child with RAD grows up to be a student, co-worker or parent? This talk explores a complex topic from a layperson’s perspective — the parent of a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder.

Wes Eisenhauer: Exploring Human Connection In The Digital Age

How do our online interactions affect our relationships offline? Are our online interactions less meaningful than our interactions in the real world? Can we change the way we approach our interactions online and in turn create deeper connections in real life? How can we be proactive in curating our online experience to be one of joy, education, inspiration?

Wendy Mamer: Survivor of Suicide Loss: A Title I Never Wanted

Growing up in the Midwest, the daughter of a farmer and a teacher, Wendy Mamer learned many valuable lessons: the impact of hard work, the importance of being kind and the value of relationships. But no one ever taught her how to survive a loved one’s death by suicide, and that’s what she had to figure out with the help of others. This heartfelt talk will demonstrate life’s highs and lows and the importance of acknowledging inevitable hardships in order to move forward.

Eric Sivertsen: Climbing the Highest Peaks: The Plan and The Journey

Climbing the world’s tallest mountains is a feat that will push the body and mind to its limits. It takes discipline, mental resilience and a passion to push further. But why do people push themselves to take on such a challenge? What can be learned about one’s self and humanity while treading on ancient slopes? Journey with a climber who is taking on the world’s highest peaks and the lessons learned along the way.

Amy Baete: Creating Waiting Rooms Worthy of the Kids They Serve

Going to the doctor’s office with children brings up all kinds of emotions. Children commonly report feeling afraid or anxious in medical waiting rooms. Imagine a world where your pediatrician and dentist’s offices spark joy and even encourage noise and activity! Imagine a place that eases children’s anxiety while reassuring them they are safe and free to play. What if as soon as a child entered a waiting room — they found a place made just for them.

Russ Van Der Werff: To the Stratosphere!

This is a story about how a technology you didn’t know existed, based on an idea that sounds ridiculous on paper, just might save you from a global catastrophe you probably didn’t know you needed to be worried about. Interested? Good. Let’s talk about balloons.

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TEDxSiouxFalls announces 2020 speakers

Nine speakers will tackle topics ranging from indigenous food to mountain climbing as part of this year’s TEDxSiouxFalls event.

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