Theme: Seeds of Community

TEDxSpokane 2020 is a virtual event due the COVID-19 pandemic.

Henry David Thoreau once wrote;
Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no
seed has been, I have great faith in a seed... Convince me that
you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders.
It is with this insightful penchant that we enter into our own
exploration of wonder. Seeds always carry with them the hope
and dream of the future. The seed only requires a little nurturing of fertile ground, and of course, faith in that inherent
possibility held in every seed. In this way the seed is the
ultimate blending of nature and nurture.
One of the most wonderful things about seeds is that they are
found all around us; not only in our parks or gardens, but also
in our associations, our relationships, and our communities. In
this way individuals can be seen as seeds, helping to grow and
create our potential in our communities. Consider those
individuals in your networks, your organizations, your families,
your communities; those who are nurturing the seeds of possibility. In fact, our community is ripe with seedfolk, ready to
plant, nurture, and encourage the seeds of our community.
Seeds grow within their environment. They become stronger
through their experiences: famine, cold, heat, floods, droughts,
waves or wind. They take a beating, they stretch their roots to
gather nutrients and to establish a foundation. The resilient
seed survives and as a result shapes their garden or community.
Throughout the paper applications and again in the audition
process we heard: act, create, impact, time, community, bridge,
process. The act of “change” takes an agent; someone dedicated to the cause that doesn’t waiver to pressure, succumb to
achievement, negativity or defeat.
Each of our speakers are themselves at various stages of establishing
roots and impacting their environment.
Today Seeds of Community is an exploration of these individuals,
ideas, potentials and possibilities. Each of our TEDx Spokane 2020
Speakers offers us a window, a doorway, a pathway to something
new. These carefully chosen speakers offer the seeds of hope and
wonder, and the pathway to help grow the connections our community needs. Now more than ever we need those who offer us seeds
for the future. The challenges we face as a community now are vast,
but tending to the our seeds of community, offering a little fertile
ground, a holding a little faith, we are more than up to the challenges the future holds: Be prepared to expect wonders.
Sources: Thoreau, Faith in a Seed, 1862/1993

Online
Vimeo
Spokane, Washington, 99208
United States

Dan Nanamkin

Cultural Speaker and Storyteller

Dan will take us back in time to hear the passages passed down from generations before. Stories of a land that provided for its people and how the native people nurtured it in response. Dan is an Indigenous Educator from the Colville Indian Tribe. He takes pride in hearing more of the Indigenous Native American perspectives like the TED Talk with Mark Charles. When he’s not traveling and Pow Wow dancing, he is a public speaker and educator. Through his work, Dan hopes to encourage schools to offer “more accurate Native American culture into their curriculum." Dan's deep connection to his stories and performance will move us all to think about the native land we now call our home.

Julie Suen

Estate Planning Attorney

Julie is an Estate Planning Attorney from Honolulu, HI. She is a certified death doula, and hypnotherapist to conduct past-life regression/ future-life progression. In her spare time she enjoys meditating and spending time with nature. Her favorite Ted Talk is Sir Ken Richardson's “Do Schools kill Creativity?.” Julie leans more towards Ted Talks with surprises and a build-up to an unexpected lesson. She hopes her presentation empowers the inevitable stage of life that is death. Fun Fact: Julie’s dream vacation is hiking Machu Picchu

Mark Odegard

Conservationist

Never look at a plastic water bottle the same way again! Working as a consultant for a greener world, Mark is influenced by relevant and valuable topics that open his mind to new ideas. Seeing himself as an extreme introvert with social reservations, Mark's favorite past times are spending time outdoors and sharing a beer from a local brewery. This first time TEDx speaker will inspire us all to stop buying reusable plastics and give us ways we can all live a greener life, today! Fun Fact: Mark’s favorite food hails from Singapore and is vegetarian bee hoon.

Rebecca Jensen

Financial Advisor

Rebecca is a registered Investment Advisor. Her favorite Ted Talk is Tim Urban’s “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator.” She hopes to one day tour Europe with a caramel macchiato or earl grey tea in hand. Rebecca will tell us the secrets she learned in over 20 years as a small business owner and certified public accountant. In her talk, Rebecca will encourage us all to accept responsibility for our own financial health. She will give us tools to make that first step toward change.

Tammie Schrader

Teacher

The fastest growing demographic for video game use is middle aged women, not your middle schooler! This lifelong teacher loves spending time with her children and grandchildren. She has a traditional approach to having cream and sugar with her coffee and states pizza is one of her favorite foods. Through her 30+ years of teaching and education experience, Tammie saw first-hand the power of games in the classroom. Yes, video games! Admittingly never having played a single hour of Call of Duty, Tammie will present the idea of educators leveraging games as a medium to teach and connect with every child. Fun Fact: Tammie’s dream vacation destination is the Galapagos Islands

Tracy Simmons

Religion Reporter

Tracy is a Journalism Lecturer and Religion Reporter. She favors "Ted Radio Hour:NPR” because listening to other's views opens her mind to new ideas. When she is not nurturing her houseplants, she is riding her road bike. In her time on the TEDxSpokane stage, Tracy wants to normalize the cult experience. She hopes to “shed the shame that comes from it (cults).” Tracy shares her experience growing up in a cult, how her and her mother found themselves on that living room couch, and the shape of their relationship now. Fun Fact: Tracey’s favorite food is chips and spicy salsa.