TEDxSavannah – an independently organized, day-long celebration of ideas worth spreading based on the international TED talk phenomenon – will take place live and in-person on Friday, June 24, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Yamacraw Performing Arts Center at Esther F. Garrison School of Visual and Performing Arts, located at 649 W. Jones St. TEDxSavannah events in 2020 and 2021 were postponed due to the COVID pandemic.

“We have an exceptional line-up of speakers offering fascinating approaches to this year’s Standard Deviation theme,” said participating organizer Laura Lee Bocade. “TEDxSavannah attendees will enjoy exciting ideas worth spreading as well as live comedy, poetry and more. We’re thrilled to be back this year for a live event in Savannah.”

The 2022 TEDxSavannah list of speakers is as follows:

Bertice Berry, Ph.D. – Sociologist and Author
Mark Bowen – Programs Director, Forsyth Farmers’ Market
Jay Brandes, Ph.D. – Professor, University of Georgia Department of Marine Sciences and Skidaway Institute of Oceanography
Maxine Bryant, Ph.D. – Director of the Center for Africana Studies and the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Center, Georgia Southern University
Isai Castrejon – Director, Junior Achievement of Georgia
Mary Dillard – Disability Advocate
Kyrin Dunston, M.D. – Board Certified OB-GYN, Anti-Aging and Functional Medicine Physician
Chris Hanks – Fire Captain, Savannah Fire Department
Wanda Lloyd – Journalist and Author
Mickie McNamara – Marketing Engagement Specialist, K-Care
Alex Muir –Advocacy Coordinator and Lobbyist, One Hundred Miles
Wyatt Powers –Student and Road Scholar
Vira Salzburn – Program Director, Safety and Resilience Programs
Full bios for TEDxSavannah 2022 speakers are available at tedxsavannah.com.

In addition to a roster of thought-provoking speakers who will explore the “Standard Deviation” theme, TEDxSavannah will also include live poetry and prose performances by local Deep Center Youth Artists as well as family-friendly comedy segments by Odd Lot Improv, which has been voted Best Comedy Team by Connect Savannah readers for the past six years.

Accomplished local actress, singer and marketing professional Cecilia Arango will serve as the 2022 TEDxSavannah emcee. Arango is the Marketing Manager at Thomas & Hutton in Savannah, Ga. and a local performer with the Bay Street Theatre, The Collective Face Theatre Ensemble and Savannah Repertory Theatre. Passionate about service to the community, Arango serves as the current President of the Metropolitan Savannah Rotary and sits on various boards, including Leadership Southeast Georgia, Savannah Sports Council and Park Place Outreach. Arango is a graduate of Leadership Georgia, Leadership Southeast Georgia and Leadership Savannah who has been named one of Georgia Trend’s 40 Under 40 business leaders.

TEDxSavannah received more than 150 speaker applications for the “Standard Deviation” theme, which is an all-time record for the nonprofit organization. Each TEDxSavannah speaker is limited to a maximum of 12 minutes to present an original talk influenced by the theme and of interest to the Savannah community. All live talks will be filmed and posted on the TEDx Talks YouTube channel following the event.

Guided by a mission to share ideas worth spreading, TEDxSavannah welcomes the public to enjoy live presentations from area residents and official TED Talk videos designed to spark deep discussion.

Tickets are currently on sale for $95, which include seating, onsite parking, a boxed lunch, snacks and coffee. Attendees also have the option to donate a ticket to a local student. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for coffee and networking. A full day of programming concludes at 4:30 p.m.