Theme: Education, Inspiration, Revolution, Breaking through alienation, and Making Art Wherever thou Art

1) Education, Inspiration, Revolution - Rethinking the paradigm of the traditional American Education system and the preconceived notions of what makes a successful school, school district, or student.The specific goal of the speeches will be to motivate people to rethink status-quo situations regarding education, traditionalism, and the need of revolutionary practices from educators and students alike.

2) Breaking through alienation - This idea is specifically centered around inspiring people facing alienation, from speakers that have lived through it themselves. This is centered around people that have thrived in New York starting as immigrates (whether legal, illegal or as refugees) and how they addressed the everyday challenges of their lives regarding their status, confrontations with society, and breaking through to make a better life for themselves and their family.

3) Making Art Wherever thou Art - This idea is about inspiring for success as an artist, musician, or dancer whether resources are lacking or formal education is not provided. This topic will be able the journey of pursing your dreams and talents in the arts whether it is approved of or not, and persisting through all of the battles that ensue. Speakers will speak about their battles and inspirational stories toward success.

See videos from this year's event on our TEDx YouTube Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsRNoUx8w3rPnkU1rjRxeLhUuvnJQ-xzq

Edward R Murrow High School - Joseph Papp Theatre
1600 Avenue L
Brooklyn, New York, 11230
United States

Allen Barge

Principal

Carter Emmart

Scientist, Artist

Carter is the director of Astrovisualization for production and education at the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History. He was one of the original team members at AMNH of the NASA funded Digital Galaxy Project that helped redefine how a planetarium theater can present science to the public. The rebuilt Hayden Planetarium dome within the Rose Center for Earth and Space is now used as an immersive display that serves to surround its audiences in an accurately visualized 3D data atlas of the universe. Carter directs space show production and oversees software development for interactive use of the 3D universe atlas known as the Digital Universe. Starting astronomy courses at the age of ten in the old Hayden, Carter grew up in a family of artists and got his BA in geophysics from the University of Colorado. He has had careers in architectural modeling, technical illustration and science visualization at NASA Ames Research Center and the National Center for Atmospheric Research prior to joining the staff at AMNH in 1998. In 2006 Carter was awarded an honorary Doctorate from Linkoping University in Sweden for his work in astrovisualization and his mentoring of a graduate masters thesis program at AMNH. The interactive software, Uniview grew out of this program as a viewer for the Digital Universe atlas. The Swedish company SCISS, AB was established in 2004 in order to make Uniview a product.

Chris Riggs

Artist

Chris Riggs is an international contemporary artist from New York. His iconic signature is Peace and Love layered style murals and paintings which he began in 1988 in New York. Chris has painted them around the world including France, Russia, Italy, Greece, South Korea, New York, Miami, Germany and many other places. Chris’ first exhibition was in 1985 in the New York City Transit System by Mayor Ed Koch, in a citywide art contest for all New York City schools. This event kicked off Chris’ career as an artist and he has been painting and drawing without stopping since then. Chris believes that peace and love are the most important things in life, and his main goal is to bring those values to the world through his artworks. He noticed that happy people want to be associated with such themes.

JT Lewis

Musician

JT LEWIS has performed/recorded with over 200 artists from all genres from the Jazz greats such as Stanley Turrentine, Roy Ayers, Herbie Hancock, Lena Horne, and Dave Sanborn, to the Pop icons such as Tina Turner, Sting, Lou Reed, Marianne Faithfull, Elvis Costello, Whitney Houston, Debbie Harry, Garland Jeffreys, and Vanessa Williams, to the Jazz revolutionaries such as Don Pullen, David Murray, Henry Threadgill, Marc Ribot, Sonny Sharrock, Pete Cosey, Bill Laswell, Kip Hanrahan, and many more. He is also one of the original members of Vernon Reid’s Living Colour. He is currently co-leader of the Avant Metal Jazz band “HARRIET TUBMAN”, featuring Melvin Gibbs (Bass) and Brandon Ross (Guitars) and co-leader of Funk/Rock group “SOCIALYBRIUM” featuring Bernie Worrell, Melvin Gibbs, and Blackbird Mcknight. He has “subbed” for the great Bernard ”PRETTY” Purdie on the “GODFATHERS OF GROOVE” tour featuring Grant Green Jr (guitar) and Rueben Wilson (Hammond B3)……a great honor…. JT has been (and still is) the Drummer for the Legendary VANESSA WILLIAMS for the past 18 yrs…

Maya Philip

Student

Maya Philip is a senior in the Art Institute at Edward R Murrow High School in Brooklyn, New York class of 2017.

Mecca Davis

Student

Mecca Davis is a student in the Art Institute of Edward R Murrow High School, class of 2017.

Mickela Mallozzi

Dancer / Television Host / Executive Producer - PBS's Bare Feet

Mickela Mallozzi is the Emmy® Award-winning host and producer of Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi, a travel series airing on PBS stations nationwide. A professional dancer and trained musician, Mickela decided to start a journey around the world, taking her camera with her to follow dance in the lives of everyday people wherever she went. From re-discovering her family’s heritage in Southern Italy to dancing tango on the main stage in Buenos Aires, the series covers Mickela’s adventures as she experiences the world, one dance at a time. She has been featured in The New York Times, Travel Channel, Dance Magazine, Yahoo! Travel, USA TODAY Travel, American Express, and AFAR Media, and she has performed on various television shows including Sesame Street and The Doctor Oz Show. Mickela now offers Bare Feet® Dance Tours, dance-focused itineraries based on the TV series, for travelers to join her in various destinations around the globe.

Rebecca Simeon

Student

Rebecca Simeon is a senior at the Edward R Murrow High School in Brooklyn, New York class of 2017.

Storm Lewis

Student

Storm Lewis is a senior in the Art Institute program at Edward R Murrow High School class of 2017.