Alphachimp @ TEDx Nashville
Alphachimp Monday, March 22, 2010 at 12:45PM See more graphic recording from the event on Flickr: images | slideshow
While our visual compatriots Sunni Brown, Austin Kleon and David Gray were cavorting with the SXSW Interactive crowd, we had the honor of providing visual capture for this inaugural TEDx Nashville event focused on the future of health care.
Local organizers attracted a sold out crowd with hundreds of literati, digerati, and healthcarerati who braved a rainy afternoon for full exposure to big issues in global health.
Storytellers shared their triumph and their frailty in fighting AIDS with music, taking on tuberculosis through visual education, defeating diabetes through regenerative medicine, taking cancer to a place of creative destruction, practicing medicine in a war zone, and discovering the power to love everyone.
Plus many more ideas worth sharing.
Christina E. Sanchez of The Tennessean describes the vibe in her article: "Nashville artists, scientists unite in health fight."
An advocate uses pictures to teach illiterate people how to get tested for tuberculosis. A Vanderbilt University researcher tries to find a cure for diabetes. An artist sings about death and living a good life.
As Congress debated Sunday what America's health-care system should look like in the future, Nashville's artists and scientists revealed what health care looks like now at the TEDxNashville community conference.
Groups of speakers andpresenters showed that people already are affecting health in the United States and across the world with arts, science, education, spirituality and volunteerism.
About 400 people attended the sold-out event, designed to inspire innovative ideas and change in communities. TEDx, or Technology, Entertainment and Design, began in 1984 and is a global series on various topics.
Nashville experienced TEDx for the first time Sunday, and it struck a chord with many who attended. The topic was "Art and Science: The Future of Health."
Besides all the super-smart humanitarian health care leaders and entrepreneurs improving the lives of millions, I liked the music. Minton Sparks (above) brings a new meaning to the term "spoken word artist".
Her performance is more like looking inside a world inhabited by Ricky Lee Jones and Tommy Lee Jones as an elderly couple in a brokedown shack near the highway, reminiscing on family road trips and people long dead.
Jill Souble, frequent flyer at TED, and session closer Big Kenny brought soul, wit, compassion and song to this backdrop performance to the Big Congressional House Health Debate.