Early November, Philadelphia welcomed one of the most anticipated events of the year: TEDx Philly.
TEDx events are independently organized TED events. They are held all over the globe and bring together some of the most thought-provoking speakers from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design.
On November 8, TEDx Philly brought to its stage engaging speakers, performers and artists who explored The City, as this year’s theme. Through their talks and performances, 600 audience members were challenged to question and examine some of the greatest challenges, innovations and realities that shape our cities — most importantly, our city.
The day-long event was organized in four sessions: Engage, Transform, Converge, Reveal. While all speakers and performers were truly engaging, a few stuck with me. Jeffery Brenner, a physician in Camden, NJ, painted a devastating picture of the U.S. healthcare system, but told us about his hopeful efforts to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of care in his city. Keya Dannenbaum, founder of ElectNext, reminded us that voting to get our interests properly represented does not have to be a guessing game. Spoken-Word poets from the Philly Youth Poetry Movement made us laugh out loud with their wits and word-plays, while demonstrating that education, critical-thinking skills, and self-esteem don’t only happen in the classroom. Our friend and colleague Amy Hillier, a professor of social work at the University of Pennsylvania, explored how our geographic location affects the quality of our health, especially in terms of obesity issues. Janet Echelman’s magnificent fishing net urban sculptures made us dream while she and Susan Weiler, partner at the Philly-based landscape architecture firm OLIN, discussed a ground-breaking project that will re-shape the current unwelcoming Dilworth Plaza into a more inviting and artistically playful environment.
Throughout, TEDx Philly was a resounding success. We were glad to attend, but most importantly, we were proud to have our own Abby Fretz and Tamara Manik-Perlman as part of the volunteer organizers, along with Roz Duffy and former Azavean Reed Lauber!
We’re excited to announce that the 
This is pretty cool, and we are totally excited, but this isn’t just a listing in a magazine – there is a way for you to get involved as well! Businessweek is asking readers to pick their favorite choice. So if you like what we do and what we stand for, let them know. You can cast your 
Members of the inaugural class of 
Robert, Michael and other volunteers help paint the Du Bois mural on 6th & South Streets.
