Written 2.26.2011 (sorry for the delayed post – been a busy few days!):

We’ve recently released information on this year’s TEDxCLE speakers and couldn’t be happier about the overall response.  It seems that many of those in the TEDxCLE community agree that the topics being highlighted at this year’s event are at the epicenter of Cleveland’s revolution.  Having heavied up on technology last year (which is obviously still a very important piece of Cleveland’s future), we decided to focus more strongly on some of the human issues affecting our city for the 2011 event.

Two topics that we did not include in last year’s event and are excited to spotlight this year are education (via John Zitzner of ePrep) and community building + how it affects the individual (via Paul Hill of the National Rights of Passage Institute/East End Neighborhood House).  Certainly, last year Danielle Deboe shared her thoughts on the latter as part of her wonderful talk, this year we’re just planning to go at it from a very different vantage point and pair the topic to the idea of the development of one’s idea of self as a result (through the idea of ritual).  Might sound cryptic but we can guarantee that you will be riveted by the talks given on both topics!

This year we’ll also continue to explore the idea of urban renewal (click here to experience Terry Schwartz’s inspirational 2010 TEDxCLE talk).  We’ll have 4 speakers (Hannah Belsito, Tom Starinsky, Jeff Siegler, Rhonda Sincavage) taking on the topic through the lens of historic preservation.  These speakers come at the topic from the academic, local, state, and national perspective.  In speaking with these speakers during planning, we’re learning a lot of surprising facts about why preservation is not only a great way of preserving a city’s unique, one-of-a-kind assets in a world that has become more disposable, but also a strong economic driver (and even, in certain cases, the more “green” alternative).

We’ll also learn about – in no specific order:

• The city’s newest fashion incubator/coop (courtesy of Valerie Mayen of Buzz & Growl/Yellowcake)
• Why museums (specifically those we’re so lucky to have in Cleveland) still have a very important place in the digital world (via the CMA’s new Executive Director, David Franklin)
• How one NEO entrepreneur is bringing solar power to underdeveloped places in order to drive revenue for citizen + help aid humanitarian efforts (thanks to Chris Clark of Sunflower Solutions)
• Food myths + realities (the truth unfolds thanks to Jonathon Sawyer of The Greenhouse Tavern)
• How one company in town is bringing “Google-esque” business practices to the manufacturing sector to ignite growth in this area + attract “creative class” employees (via Matt Hlavin of Thogus)
• What the “Cleveland Coop Model” is and why other cities want it (from Ted Howard of Evergreen Laundry Coop)
• What it means to be a world-class city and why Cleveland is posed to take that title once again (courtesy of Ari Maron, developer of E.4^th street [amongst other project], MRN Ltd.)

We can’t wait for this year’s event + do hope to see you there.  For more information regarding dates, ticket sales, speakers and more, visit TEDxCLE.com.

The other exciting piece of news is, right now, as we type this, we’re headed to Palm Springs, California for TEDActive. We’ll spend tomorrow in TEDx organizer workshops (we are beyond excited to share all things Cleveland with our fellow organizers and, hopefully, make some new friends in the process), Monday touring the TED venue in Long Beach, and then Tuesday through Friday we’ll be experiencing TED Talks all while entrenched in a community of other thinkers and doers.  Expect frequent updates via the TEDxCLE Twitter Feed and longer format thoughts (as time allows during/post) via the shark&minnow blog.  We will also be contributing authors for the Adcom Group Twitter feed (where both of us are now working – together! – on a daily basis).

More from the left coast as the week progresses!