Theme: Incite - Insight

Humboldt “inciters” will take the stage to explore ideas that will stimulate action and facilitate understanding. This is the fourth annual TEDx event in Humboldt County and it will take place on Sunday, May 22nd, 2016 at the Arcata Theatre and Lounge (Arcata, CA). The event is a 4-hour event with doors opening at 12:30pm and the first of 12 speakers taking the stage at 1pm.

The theme of this year’s event is Incite ► Insight. To incite is to do something: to stimulate some action or other to be taken. An insight is something you have: an understanding of something, a bright idea about something.

Arcata Theatre Lounge
1036 G St.
Arcata, California, 95521
United States

A Reason to Listen

Therese FitzMaurice Therese FitzMaurice began listening to the river and falling leaves at a young age. She celebrates the arrival of each poem and loves the way words string together on the page or the tip of her tongue. In addition to self-publishing two books, Triangle Blueprints and The Signature of Time, she has co-published and performed two full-length choreo-poems, Excavating the History of Love and Resuscitating the Sequence of Sacrifice with Vanessa Pike-Vritiak. Vanessa Pike-Vrtiak In the daytime, Vanessa serves low income families as a Home Visitor for Northcoast Children’s Services. At night, she attends graduate school pursuing her MA in Sociology. She plans on directing a non profit serving people that have suffered from the cycle of incarceration and need support reintegrating back into the community. Vanessa continuously uses her poetry as a tool to promote social activism, but also to remind herself and others how truly precious life is. Jesse Jonathon Jesse Jonathon Franzen was born in Pocatello, Idaho, and has lived in Humboldt County since 2001. He graduated from Humboldt State University with degrees in Music and Dance. In 2007, he was asked to be the musical director of the community drum and dance group Samba da Alegria. Through that process, a weekly drumming class has been established to train a community of willing players to strengthen their rhythmic integrity. He is currently a California Arts Council Artist in Residence at Blue Lake Elementary, where he is developing a unique music fundamentals course.

Hidden Ladder Collective

William Hessian, Abbeth Russell, John Silas We are The Hidden Ladder Collective, a rapidly growing tidal wave of creative energy based out of Portland, Maine. Canned culture does not create us. Instead, we create our own universes through art. William was a travelling artist, until finding Portland, Maine. He is primarily a visual artist, activist and a game designer. Abbeth has been drawing since she was a small child, while John Silas composes and performs music.

Hidden Ladder Collective - William Hessian, Abbeth Russell,John Silas

We are The Hidden Ladder Collective, a rapidly growing tidal wave of creative energy based out of Portland, Maine. Canned culture does not create us. Instead, we create our own universes through art. William was a travelling artist, until finding Portland, Maine. He is primarily a visual artist, activist and a game designer. Abbeth has been drawing since she was a small child, while John Silas composes and performs music.

Courtnie 'Gork' Burns

I’m a gender non-conforming(queer) poet whose writings are “from the inner workings of a mind in constant thought. My journey is one of self-exploration and discovery. Since my beliefs lie on the premise that we are so strongly connected to everything in existence, in getting to know myself I am getting to know the world. Learning about the world teaches me about myself. I find freedom in understanding and expression. My one true love is the paradox of questioning existence.

Daniel J. Barney

Daniel J. Barney is a father, writer, artist, and performer. Former high school drop out, drug dealer, addict and homeless person, he has done the beautiful struggle of surviving all his life. With help, he got off the streets and has been able to make a life good enough to raise his two kids. Having studied world religions and history he finds himself holding a bullhorn attempting to bring to attention the plight of the poor, forgotten and misunderstood around the world. He wishes to start a fire in the hearts of people that will destroy the generations of learned hate and divisiveness.

David Ferney

Mr. Ferney is a passionate traveler, theater maker and creative instigator. He has performed in over 20 countries across the globe as a member of the comic acrobatic troupe Los Payasos Mendigos, with Dell’Arte International and with Four on the Floor Theatre. He is a co-founder of the Arcata Playhouse which is a community arts center that presents live music, host a variety of youth programs and creates original theater works for both the stage and for outdoor community-based spectacles involving giant puppets, stilt walkers and fire performers. He is currently on the lookout for his next whimsical art project after collaborating on the building of a 16 foot tall pink peg-legged polka-dot pony pull toy that he can be seen pulling around his home base of Arcata, California.

Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Phillips

Elizabeth is a social advocate who believes that education is a fundamental human right. She is working toward a degree in communication, to help others utilize their voice and empower those in her community. “We all have a special power within us, it’s our voice!

Joseph Chatham

Joseph Chatham is a fourth year student at Humboldt State University majoring in Communication and double minoring in Psychology and Social Advocacy. He loves presenting research and spreading knowledge with anybody that he can. He specializes in interpersonal communication.

Matt Cendejas

Matt Cendejas was born in Arcata. He has an associates degree in Fire Science and attends HSU. He is a volunteer Fire Fighter with Arcata Fire and a volunteer Ski Patroller with Mt. Shasta. He runs a non-profit, Inspire One and is a member of Rotaract.

Michael Le

Michael Le is a Higher Education Researcher by day. By night he is a data junkie with a passion for visual analytics and sharing information. All day, every day, he is a fitness enthusiast and lifelong learner.

Tania Mejia

Tania Mejia is a communication and social advocacy student at Humboldt State University. Yoga helped her heal from trauma including the suicide of her best friend. The healing she found in breathing and moving mindfully during a time of confusion and grieving was unparalleled. She was so inspired that she enrolled in a 200-hour teacher training program, studied trauma sensitive yoga, and became a yoga teacher. Today, she advocates for yoga behind bars and prison reform.

Travis Woo

Travis Woo is one of the premier deckbuilders in Magic. His Through the Breach/Cloudpost deck reached the Top 8 of PT Philadelphia 2011 in the hands of Jesse Hampton, while his most well-known contribution, Living End, earned him a Top 8 at Grand Prix Oakland 2010. Through Travis's stream in concert with his viewers, he continues to produce exciting decks for competitive and casual players alike, and his passion for the game pervades his work.