Theme: Showing Up

Women the world over are no longer accepting the status quo. They’re rising up, breaking out and pushing boundaries. Whatever their focus and talent – business, technology, art, science, politics – these pioneers and their allies are joining forces in an explosion of discovery and ingenuity to drive real, meaningful change.

TEDxLondonWomen will celebrate how these dynamic and diverse people are showing up to face challenges head on, all while empowering each other to shape the future we all want to see.

TEDxLondonWomen will be as part of the Global TEDxWomen events programme and we will be showing an exclusive session from TEDWomen during our event.

TEDxLondonWomen is an inclusive space. We welcome people from all backgrounds and ages, all genders (cis, trans, non-binary), all sexual orientations (LGBTQI+), all races and ethnicities and all people with visible and invisible disabilities. We are passionate and proud to reflect diversity both in our audience and on our stage.

At TEDxLondon events, you can expect to be inspired, challenged and motivated! TEDx events are carefully curated to cover a wide range of topics, disciplines and perspectives on larger key themes and ideas. We encourage you to be open to topics and ideas that you would not have naturally chosen to watch. You may not agree with everything you hear on stage, but undoubtedly you will come away with new knowledge and learnings that we hope you can reflect on in your everyday life. Ultimately, we hope TEDxLondon events will inspire you to see and understand different people, perspectives and ideas.

Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre
Belvedere Road
London, London, City of, SE1 8XX
United Kingdom

Adam All and Apple Derrieres

Dynamite drag duo

Adam All and Apple Derrieres have taken the cabaret world by storm, bringing their unique blend of vocals, couture and Drag to audiences all over the UK and beyond. Adam and Apple are huge advocates of the LGBTQI+ scene and also run and host the acclaimed Drag King night BOiBOX in London.

Amelia Abraham

Journalist, writer and LGBTQ+ culture and politics commentator

Amelia Abraham is a journalist from London, a former editor of Vice and Refinery29 and currently Managing Editor of Dazed Beauty. She has written about LGBTQ+ culture and politics for the Guardian, Sunday Times, Vogue, ES Magazine, Vice and Refinery29. Her first book, Queer Intentions: A (Personal) Journey Through LGBTQ+ Culture, will be released with Picador in May 2019, and is a roving, first person exploration of LGBTQ+ politics and culture.

Baroness Lola Young

Member of the House of Lords and campaigner against modern day slavery

Baroness Lola Young was appointed a member of the House of Lords in 2004, after being an actress and Cultural Studies professor. Her Parliamentary work includes founding and Co-Chairing two All Party Parliamentary Groups - one on Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion; and one on Sport, Modern Slavery and Human Rights. She is currently working on legislation to eliminate modern forms of slavery in supply chains. Baroness Young has sat on the Boards of several large UK cultural organisations including the Royal National Theatre, the Southbank, and Historic England. Lola is interviewed by Beverley Mason FRSA. Beverley is a writer, advisor, researcher and publisher, who champions the power of the arts and sport to help change the circumstances of young and marginalised people. She was part of the Mayor of London’s team that produced the winning bid for the 2012 Olympics. Currently, she directs Powerbrokers Pathways, an organisation developing the next generation of BAME leadership.

Ben Hurst

Campaigner against toxic masculinity

Ben’s work focuses on challenging traditionally toxic forms of masculinity, and exploring ideas of minimum standards and positive masculinities. He is the Head of Facilitation and Training at The Good Lad Initiative (GLI) and coordinates their workshops in schools and universities. Ben also works with Fearless Futures, an Anti-Oppression organisation, and is the Founding Director of SPACE for PSHE, an independent PSHE provision for secondary schools that facilitates important conversations with young people around sex, race, and gender equality. Ben is also the Co Founder of D/ecology, which facilitates conversations about decolonising shared spaces.

Dr Alice Bunn

International Director at the UK Space Agency

Dr Alice Bunn is the International Director at the UK Space Agency responsible for the UK’s international partnerships in space, both large and small; ensuring the security and resilience of our valuable space programmes; and harnessing the inspirational effect of space for skills and education. Alice is vice chair of the Council of the European Space Agency; sits on the Board of Directors at the US Space Foundation; is a member of the Imperial Space Lab Strategic Advisory Board and the Imperial Space Lab Strategic Advisory Board. She is also co-chair of the World Economic Forum Future Global Council on Space technology and a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Dr Clara Barker

Material scientist and vocal LGBTQI+ campaigner

Dr Clara Barker manages the Centre for Applied Superconductivity in the Materials Department of Oxford University. Clara is the vice-chair of the LGBT+ Advisory Group at Oxford University and runs a network of youth groups for LGBTQI+ young people in her free time. Clara regularly gives talks and training on LGBTQI+ inclusion in schools and various groups. A vocal campaigner for LGBTQI+ rights, Clara was awarded a Points of Light Award by the Prime Minister for her volunteer work in 2017.

Dr Jessica Wade

Scientist, wikipedian and campaigner for gender inclusion in science

Jess is a scientist with an enthusiasm for improving diversity in science. Jess won the Institute of Physics (IOP) Early Career Communicator Prize (2015), “I’m a Scientist, Get Me Out of Here!” (2015), the IOP Jocelyn Bell Burnell Award (2016), the Institution of Materials, Mineral and Mining's 'Robert Perrin Award' (2017), the Imperial College Dame Julia Higgins Certificate (2017) and the IOP Daphne Jackson Medal and Prize (2018). Jess sits on the committees of the IOP’s Women in Physics Group, Physics Communicators Group and London & South East Branch. She is on the Council of the Women’s Engineering Society and Women in Science & Engineering Young Women’s Board. Jess researches organic light emitting diodes that emit circularly polarised light. She is interviewed by Anjana Ahuja, a Contributing Writer on science for the Financial Times and other media outlets. Anjana is best known for her columns on topics such as genetics, AI and space exploration.

Josie Young

Feminist AI Researcher

Josie Young advocates for designing Artificial Intelligence (AI) products and systems using ethical and feminist principles. In 2017, she developed and tested a design process for building feminist chatbots. In 2018, Josie contributed to a research project with Charisma.AI and King’s College London to identify ways to deal with bias in large word libraries used for Natural Language Processing. Josie works in London at Methods, leading work to understand the most ethical and appropriate ways to deploy AI in the public sector.

Lady Unchained

Poet, Storyteller and advocate for life after prison

Inspired by her mission to prove there is life after prison, Lady Unchained founded Unchained Poetry, a platform for artists with experience of the criminal justice system. Lady Unchained also hosts Unchained Nights, a night of inspirational storytelling through poetry and music and works with a number of charities, including Body and Soul, Working Chance and Safe Ground. She also co-hosts the National Prison Radio’s show We Are Straightline, a show about getting out of prison and staying out of prison.

Maria Adebowale-Schwarte

Founder of Living Space Project, writer and city and urban place strategist

Maria is a city and an urban place strategist, focusing on collaborative design, policy, and funding models that are inclusive and equitable. Maria is also the Founder of Living Space Project – an urban place making consultancy and think tank. She's also an associate, and on the board of a number of organisations with strong place and city agendas. She’s also the author of the “must read” book, The Place Making Factor, that blends narrative and fact, on place and grant making.

Sofie Hagen

Stand-up comedian, author, podcaster and fat activist

Sofie Hagen is stand-up comedian who burst onto the British scene in 2015 to widespread acclaim. he’s recently been seen on The Nightly Show and Comedy Central’s Roast Battle. She’s spoken to millions as host of her successful Made of Human podcast, and appeared on The One Show, The Now Show and Live From The BBC. She recently filmed her own series for Comedy Central online looking at the sex lives of fellow comedians. She’s is also co-host of the Secret Dinosaur Cult podcast and her forthcoming book Happy Fat will be released in 2019.