Blog from Amber Ludeman, Levelwing

Here’s what one of the attendees, Amber Ludeman, at TEDxCharleston 2013 had to say about the event on the Levelwing blog

Social Analyst Amber Ludeman had the good fortune of attending the TEDxCharleston event this week in downtown Charleston. She reports how her day dedicated to ideas went:

The miracle of your mind is that you can see the world as it isn’t.

This is how TEDxCharleston began: an auto-tune video echoing popular quotes from previous talks that the TED-faithful recognized. It was an effective tool for getting the 100 attendees excited for the day before us. The stage lit up and Lee Lewis, our emcee, was introduced. He may be the most enthusiastic person on the planet–at least top five. He was a great touchpoint between each speaker and performer and reminded us why we were all there: to contemplate, connect and create.

All of the speakers and performers had great great ideas and actionable plans to execute them, which was very refreshing. Here are a few of my favorite quotes and points made by individuals:

• “Quitting is merely a catalyst for reinvention.” -Teresa Bruce, who spoke eloquently about her inability to quit anything and how she has seen that quitting is actually a good thing
• “Live by the rule of the collective yes. Don’t say no to any ideas.” -Lee Lewis, Emcee
• “Align who you are in the world with what you are doing in the world.” -Eve Blossom, who presented on making business practices compatible with our humanity
• “Schools are obsolete if you make sure your children are exposed to interesting people, good books, etc.” -Lua Martin Wells, a champion for unschooling
• “When women + girls are empowered, communities are stronger.” -Dr. Tiffany Russell, who proposed her ideas about womanism
• “Make your own stuff with people who care.” -Dave Dawson, who has spent the last few years traveling to see craftsmen all over America and finding out what gives them a competitive advantage. He also said, “Innovate. Innovate anything.”
• “You are not in the world, you are the world. You’re not on the journey; you are the journey.” -Simran Singh, who spoke about conversations with the universe and asking for what you need

It’s safe to say that I was wholly inspired by the TEDtalks + musical presentations. It also made me feel great about the Charleston community and the thriving ideas we have here. There were many more noteworthy quotes, but some of the talks were so compelling that I found myself forgetting to take notes!

It must also be said, too, that TEDxCharleston was executed very well. Aside from the positive atmosphere, there was free breakfast, lunch, coffee, cocktails and a handmade gift for every attendee. I appreciated the intimate space and abundance of smiling faces. I definitely want to get involved in the next TEDxCharleston event, as I’m positive there will be one.