Chilliwack, BC – TEDxChilliwack held it’s first Applicant Showcase Night on January 24. Fifteen people from this year’s applicants took the stage for four minutes each. In their time on stage, they explained what their “idea worth sharing” was, why they are qualified to speak on it, and how it would encourage TEDxChilliwack attendees to take action. Following their 4-minute synopsis, each speaker was posed a question from one of the emcees.
When all fifteen speakers had taken their turn, the sold-out theatre audience voted for “The People’s Choice”. At the same time, a speaker selection panel of TEDxChilliwack organizing committee members chose three additional applicants to move on to speak at TEDxChilliwack’s main event on April 13, 2019 at G.W. Graham theatre.
When votes had been cast, and speakers selected, the following four people were chosen:
- Dave Dinesen, Cloverdale, speaking on farming technology that allows for year-round growing in difficult terrain and climates,
- Natalie Forstbauer, Chilliwack, speaking about turning her brain injury into a brain upgrade,
- Jess Montgomery, Vancouver, speaking on the sustainability movement in the clothing industry and
- Kevin Orieux, Abbotsford, speaking about returning the “care” to patient care in the medical field
Another four applicants chosen at the second Applicant Showcase Night on January 31, 2019 will join these four speakers in moving on to the April 13 TEDxChilliwack event. Additionally, the organizing committee has previously curated four additional speakers to speak. One of the curated speakers, Steven Point (Xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl), is well known in Chilliwack. Mr. Point has served as Chief of the Skowkale First Nation, the Tribal Chair of the Stó:lō Nation, was Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 2007-2012, and is currently a provincial court judge. The other curated speakers will be announced at a later date.
Michael Berger, marketing chair and event co-emcee, said, “We had fifteen fantastic applicants put themselves out there trying to earn a coveted spot as a TEDxChilliwack speaker. Our speaker selection panel had a difficult choice to make in narrowing the field down.”
Scott McVetty, chair of the speaker selection panel, added, “We are really looking for that ‘idea worth spreading’. We feel that the speakers chosen will not only speak to our theme of On Purpose, but really inform and surprise our audience with their ideas.”
The Applicant Showcase Night is the second in the series of events leading up to the TEDxChilliwack main event on April 13, 2019 at G.W. Graham Theatre. The Showcase Nights are free to attend for all who may be interested; however, all attendees must reserve their seat at https://www.tedxchilliwack.com/showcases.
The first TEDxChilliwack event took place in 2016. Each year since, the organizing committee has refined and improved on the process of finding, selecting and supporting potential speakers. TEDxChilliwack has attracted dozens of nascent and experienced speakers who have given engaging talks on an array of subjects related to the year’s theme. With this year’s theme, “On Purpose”, TEDxChilliwack will give audiences an elevated experience with top-quality, enthralling speakers and a unique and entertaining event.
TEDxChilliwack (www.tedxchilliwack.com) is a not-for-profit, annual one-day event held in Chilliwack, British Columbia. Come hear live speakers share innovative and optimistic ideas with a community of open and curious minds searching for ways to make a difference. TEDxChilliwack is independently organized and operated under a license from TED.
