Draft:TEDxNormal

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Draft:TEDxNormal
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TEDxNormal
Formation2015; 11 years ago (2015)
FounderDoan Winkel
TypeConference
Legal statusActive
Location
Region served
Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area
Key people
Kate Herald Browne (Curator)
Websitetedxnormal.net

TEDxNormal is an annual, independently organized TEDx conference held in Normal, Illinois. Established in 2015 under a formal license from the non-profit TED organization, the event features local and international speakers focusing on entrepreneurship, community development, and social change.[1]

History and Location

TEDxNormal was founded in 2015 to establish a local forum for "ideas worth spreading" within the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area, aligned on the theme "Anything But Normal."[2][3] The conference has featured speakers across fields such as technology, education, and social advocacy.[4][5]

The event has been hosted at several venues in the municipality. Early conferences were held inside the Normal Theater, including its post-pandemic live return following a virtual 2021 event.[6] The conference subsequently moved to the Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Illinois State University before transitioning to its current venue, the Astroth Community Education Center auditorium at Heartland Community College.[3][7]

Speaker Presentations and Impact

Several presentations at TEDxNormal introduced frameworks that were later adopted by broader international campaigns:

  • Dr. Julia Bello-Bravo ("10,000,000 to 1 and Beyond"): The Michigan State University researcher's talk discussed her work with Barry Pittendrigh to cofound Scientific Animations Without Borders (SAWBO). The initiative produces animated materials designed to deliver health, agriculture and women's empowerment information to low-literacy learners. Through SAWBO, these education materials have reached an estimated 50 million individuals with materials covering over 140 topic areas in 280 languages and dialects.[8]
  • Sarah Moshman ("Where Are All the Female Heroes"): The documentary filmmaker delivered a presentation titled "Where Are All the Female Heroes" which focused on gender equity and the representation of women in media. The talk drew upon her background making independent films, including her Emmy Award-winning short film about the non-profit Girls on the Run[9] and her 2014 The Empowerment Project. The themes of the presentation were later expanded on in her 2017 film, Losing Sight of Shore.[10]
  • Adam Peterson ("Be The Yellow"): The educator and children's author's 2019 presentation, "Be The Yellow," detailed a framework for using small acts of kindness to build community connection. This presentation helped expand his school-based kindness curriculum that has since been adopted by educational institutions across 35 US States and 8 countries.[11] The campaign focused on social-emotional learning and anti-bullying initiatives.[12]

The conference has also featured a roster of regional, national, and international speakers:[13]

  • Liz Plank (2016): The Canadian journalist and author presented the talk "How to Be a Man," which examined modern gender dynamics and social expectations surrounding masculinity. The presentation drew from her journalistic work focusing on social justice and gender issues.[14][15]
  • Alex Solis (2016): The illustrator and web culture creator delivered a presentation titled "Art as a Second Language," which detailed visual design as a universal tool for communication. His presentation drew upon his work in commercial art and character design, skills used in his art direction for commercial music releases - including the singles "Gooba" and "Trollz."[16][17]
  • Mike Shannon (2016): The cofounder of educational technology platform Packback delivered a presentation on creative problem-solving and venture capital. The talk drew upon his background as a musician and his experience securing an investment on the reality television series Shark Tank while operating a student-led business.[18]
  • Douglas Vakoch (2020): The President of METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) and elected member of the International Institute for Space Law presented on the psychology of space exploration and interstellar communication. The talk focused on methods and societal implications of transmitting intentional messages to potential extraterrestrial civilizations.[19][20]

References

  1. ^ Conroy, Courtney (2025-03-25). "TedxNormal marks 10 years in April event at Heartland Community College". WGLT. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  2. ^ Sobota, Lenore (2015-05-29). "SustainabilityTheme of First of Two TEDx events". The Pantagraph. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  3. ^ a b Conroy, Courtney (March 25, 2025). "TedxNormal marks 10 years in April event at Heartland Community College". WGLT. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  4. ^ "TEDxNormal announces speakers for April 11 event". The Pantagraph. March 31, 2026. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  5. ^ "TEDxNormal inspires "authenticity" for its 5th year". CIProud.com. WMBD-TV / Nexstar Media Group. November 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  6. ^ "TedXNormal returns in person with "The Power of Two"". WGLT. November 10, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  7. ^ Dedo, Erik (March 5, 2024). "'Making change': TEDxNormal returns at a new location". WGLT. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  8. ^ Bello-Bravo, Julia; Medendorp, John; Lutomia, Anne N; Peter Reeves, N; Sal y Rosas Celi, Victor G; Tamò, Manuele; Pittendrigh, Barry (2022-12-01). "Dramatically increased accessibility and decreased cost-per-person impacts are needed for scaling IPM in Africa". Current Opinion in Insect Science. 54 100971. Bibcode:2022COIS...5400971B. doi:10.1016/j.cois.2022.100971. ISSN 2214-5745. PMID 36126876.
  9. ^ "2012-2013 Emmy Winners". Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards. National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  10. ^ Walker, Chloe (2017-05-01). "LOSING SIGHT OF SHORE: An Inspiring Journey". Film Inquiry. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  11. ^ Reeves, Shelby. "Chillicothe gets filled with joy as citizens celebrate Yellow Day". Chillicothe Gazette. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  12. ^ Sherman, Dylan (2022-05-09). "Be The Yellow Day inspires kindness, positivity in Esko". Cloquet Pine Journal. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  13. ^ Staff (2016-10-21). "TEDx Talks Coming to Normal". CI Proud / WMBD-TV / Nexstar Media Group. Archived from the original on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  14. ^ "Liz Plank | Authors | Macmillan". Macmillan Publishers. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  15. ^ College, Wabash. "Author Liz Plank to Speak Feb. 23". Wabash College. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  16. ^ Setaro, Shawn (2020-05-14). "How 6ix9ine Relied on Visuals to Push His New Narrative". Complex. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  17. ^ TEDx Talks (2016-11-15). Art As a Second Language | Alex Solis | TEDxNormal. Retrieved 2026-05-28 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ Staff (2016-10-21). "TEDx Talks Coming to Normal". CI Proud / WMBD-TV / Nexstar Media Group. Archived from the original on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  19. ^ "Douglas Vakoch Biography". Premiere Speakers. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  20. ^ TEDx Talks (2020-02-03). Don't Be Afraid of Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence | Douglas Vakoch | TEDxNormal. Retrieved 2026-05-28 – via YouTube.

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