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We Dare

Friday, October 6th at the Harris Theater

There comes a time in every generation when the hazy view of tomorrow challenges us, as a human collective, to chart a path forward. Some step back, allowing doubt to bridle their hope. Others leap, sewing the fiber of the years ahead. In these moments we find success in togetherness as we share ideas, provoke new thoughts, and bond over a common enemy: idleness.

This year, TEDxChicago is celebrating the courage that ignites us and the community which propels us as we hurdle into the world’s most paramount topics. With a rich history of championing togetherness and embracing creativity in times of change, Chicago is poised for this challenge. In 2023, to take the stage means there’s no going back. We dare. Do you?

The All-Inclusive Experience

Every ticket is all-inclusive

  • EAT: Hosted local artisan snacks, desserts, and catered appetizers

  • DRINK: Hosted drinks, including local beer, wine, coffee, and tea

  • THE STAGE: The full exciting onstage experience, including 7 professionally coached TEDxChicago talks and 3 exhilarating live performances

  • THE EXPERIENCE: Immersive pop-up art galleries and dynamic performances throughout the Harris venue

Schedule

Friday, October 6th @ Harris Theater

2:00 PM | Registration & Happy Hour

3:00 PM | Session 1 - Talks & Performances

4:30 PM | Intermission Party - Appetizers, Drinks, Arts, Performances, and Connection

5:30 PM | Session 2 - Talks & Performances

6:30 PM | Celebration

Exciting & Exclusive Opportunities

Premium admission

Includes early access seating to both sessions and invites to virtual meet and greets with speakers and TEDxChicago leadership

Beacon Patron Admission

A limited number of Beacon Patron experiences are available. Learn more about this exclusive experience here.

Campfire Patron Admission

A limited number of Campfire Patron experiences are available. Learn more about this exciting experience here.

The Lineup

Learn more about our speakers and performances

Arts, food, and beverage collaborators to be announced soon

Speaker Lineup

James Evans

COMPUTATIONAL SOCIAL SCIENTIST

James Evans is the Max Palevksy Professor of Sociology, Director of Knowledge Lab and the Institute for Trusted Intelligence in Society, and Founding Faculty Director of Computational Social Science at the University of Chicago and the Santa Fe Institute. James’ research uses large-scale data, machine learning, and generative models to understand how collectives think and what they know. His work is supported by numerous federal agencies, foundations, and philanthropies, as well as being published in industry publications and journals including The Economist, The Atlantic, and The New York Times.

AI, Humanity, Future of Knowledge 

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHER AND INNOVATOR

Dr. Shana Kelley

Dr. Shana Kelley, the President of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago and the Neena B Schwartz Professor at Northwestern University is a renowned leader in her field. Her groundbreaking research focuses on new methods for tracking molecular and cellular analytes with unparallelled sensitivity. As a pioneer in her field, Dr. Kelley has also founded four successful molecular diagnostics companies. With numerous awards to her name, including the ACS Inorganic Nanoscience Award and the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, Dr. Kelley’s contributions to the scientific community have been widely recognized and celebrated. Her memberships in numerous esteemed societies and active editorial roles for scientific journals underline her wealth of knowledge and dedication to advancing her field.

Future of Cancer, Health Innovation, Immunotherapy 

AJ Maestas

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY STRATEGIST

AJ Maestas is the founder of Navigate, a data-driven consulting firm specializing in sports and entertainment. Over the past 20 years he has established himself as a trusted advisor to Anheuser-Busch, ESPN, the NFL, the Chicago Cubs, and numerous other clients on all sides of the industry. AJ is a Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40 winner, a frequent speaker at conferences and events, and host of the Navigating Sports Business podcast, which has featured commissioners, coaches, and CEOs.

Psychology of Sports, Culture, Coming Together 

Ayelet Fishbach

MOTIVATION SCIENTIST

Ayelet Fishbach, PhD, is the Jeffrey Breakenridge Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. She is a distinguished expert on motivation and decision making, having authored a book, as well as earning numerous prestigious awards for her research including the Society of Experimental Social Psychology's Best Dissertation Award and Career Trajectory Award. In her book, "GET IT DONE: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation," Ayelet combines her expertise with personal stories to offer practical insights on goal setting, sustaining motivation, and leveraging social support. Ayelet has also served as the president of the Society for the Science of Motivation and the International Social Cognition Network.

Motivation, Achievement, Future Best Self

YOUTH ADVOCATE

David Williams

David Williams is the Chief Program Officer of Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP), a high-impact social justice nonprofit that provides community-based alternatives to youth incarceration, congregate placements and neighborhood violence. With extensive experience in youth advocacy and program management, having held numerous positions with YAP, David continues to show great commitment to empowering and supporting young people in many aspects of their lives. One of David’s most noteworthy accomplishments with YAP has been establishing Choose to Change™ (C2C™), a partnership with Chicago-based Children’s Home & Aid that has reduced violent crime arrests by almost 50% for its youth participants. David’s outstanding leadership skills and passion for social justice, along with his knowledge of social justice reform, continue to make him a great support to young people and their communities nationwide.

Mental Health, Youth, Community Change 

Dr. Shirley Meng

MATERIALS SCIENTIST AND DOCTOR FOR BATTERIES

Dr. Y. Shirley Meng is a professor at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, and the Chief Scientist at the Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Sciences (ACCESS) at Argonne National Laboratory. Her research focuses primarily on energy storage materials and systems – including rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles and heavy-duty trucks, power sources for Internet of Things (IOTs), as well as grid-scale storage for deep renewable energy penetration. She is a member of scientific advisory boards to SES AI, LG Energy Solution, Shell and Applied Materials. In addition, Dr. Meng is the principal investigator of Laboratory for Energy Storage and Conversion (LESC), from which startup companies such as South 8 Technologies and UNIGRID are spun out. She serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Materials Research Society MRS Energy & Sustainability. She has authored over 290 peer-reviewed journal articles, two book chapters, and holds six issued patents. Dr. Meng has received numerous prestigious awards and fellowships for her significant contributions to energy technology.

Sustainable Future, Battery Innovation, Energy Grids

PROFESSOR OF LAW

Aziz Huq

Aziz Huq is a distinguished constitutional law scholar at the University of Chicago, specializing in US and comparative constitutional law. His research ranges from democratic backsliding to AI regulation. In addition to his scholarly books and articles, he has written for Politico, the Washington Post, The Nation, and the New York Times. Aziz maintains a pro bono practice in civil liberties matters, and sits on the boards of the American Constitution Society, the Seminary Coop, and the ACLU of Illinois. Prior to teaching, Aziz litigated on behalf of ‘war on terror’ detainees at the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Project. He was also a Senior Consultant Analyst for the International Crisis Group’s Asia division. And he was a law clerk for Judge Robert D. Sack of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Democracy, Rule of Law, Courts

Performer Lineup

DANCE COMPANY

Movement of Desis

Movement of Desis is a Desi-Fusion dance company bringing global dance culture to Chicago while showcasing the richness of Desi heritage. Their unique dance philosophy fuses the authentic Desi culture of India with global dance culture to create an authentic experience, pushing the boundaries of creativity through performance and art. With a mission to promote cultural pride, Movement of Desi celebrates the heart of being Desi while captivating an audience.

VISIONARY, VOCALIST, AFROSOUL VIRTUOSO

Nola Adé

Nola Adé is a vocalist and visionary, evoking emotion and inspiring audiences through music. Through a journey of self-exploration, this Nigerian-American songbird has come to discover that the purpose behind her gift as an artist is to help her audience find themselves and understand joy as she knows it. Her EP, Royal, is the embodiment of that purpose, at once a celebration of Nola’s journey as it is a reminder for others to celebrate all that is royal within themselves.

RAPPER, U.S. HIP HOP CULTURAL AMBASSADOR, EDUCATOR

Pinqy Ring

Pinqy Ring is a radical, revolutionary Puerto Rican rapper, decolonizing minds one rhyme at a time. Born and bred in Chicago, she manifests her vision for a more just world as an MC, speaker, Hip Hop Educator and proud U.S. Hip Hop Cultural Ambassador. Collaborating with organizations including the Universal Hip Hop Museum, Google, The Aspen Institute, Spotify, and more, Pinqy provides culturally competent creative consulting and programming for organizations and schools looking to engage youth and explore the power of Hip Hop as a transformative tool. Pinqy Ring has been featured on NPR, the Chicago Tribune, SoFar Sounds and the Chicago Sun-Times, and was named Best Hip Hop Artist by the Chicago Reader in 2023.

YOUNG MUSICIANS, YOUTH MUSIC EDUCATION

Guitars Over Guns

Guitars Over Guns offers students from the most vulnerable communities a powerful combination of music education and mentorship with professional musicians to help them overcome hardship, find their voice and reach their potential as tomorrow’s leaders. With a mission to empower young people through music and mentorship, Guitars over Guns is shifting how young people think about the world and their place in it. By sharing skills and experience, rooted in a common passion for music, they inspire students to see a future that’s filled with potential – and help them be excited and accountable while cultivating and enriching community bound by the arts.

Lobby Artists & Performers

Meet the exciting artists, collaborators, and performers you’ll experience during registration, intermission, and the celebration

  • Dr. Justin Fiala

    Pulmonary/Critical Care Specialist and Artist
    IG: @justin.fiala

  • DayDay

    Contemporary Artist, Sculptor, and Explorer of Materials
    IG: @hmmdayday

  • Sahr Ngekia

    Abstract Artist Specializing in Line Work
    IG: @artofsahr

  • MK Jilek

    Talented and Visionary Abstract Artist
    IG: @emkayohdeej

  • Gunjan Chawla Kumar

    Elemental Artist and Scholar
    IG: @gunjan_kmr

  • David Chiriboga

    Spanish Guitarist Connecting People Through Music

    IG: @david_chiriboga_music

  • Jeffery Beckham

    Artist and Community Leader

    IG: @artbyjeffbeckham

  • Bill MacKay

    Acclaimed Guitarist, Composer, and Improviser

    IG: @billdmackay

  • Chris Robbin'

    Rapper, Multi-Instrumentalist, and Studio Engineer

    IG: @chrisrobbin222

  • Reco the Great

    Multidisciplinary Art Expert

    IG: @recothegreat

  • Tobalase Apata

    Imaginative Poet and Entrepreneur

    IG: @tobaa_

  • Benjamin Barnes

    Masterful Magician

    IG: @barnesmagic

Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Located near Millennium Park in downtown Chicago: 205 E Randolph Street, Chicago

Our home at the Harris Theater is located in the cultural heart of downtown Chicago, against the spectacular backdrop of Millennium Park – the top tourist attraction in the Midwest. As the home venue of nearly 30 of Chicago’s not-for-profit arts organizations and a presenter of great artists from around the world, the Theater boasts some of the most diverse offerings of any multi-use venue in downtown Chicago.

 

HOW TO GET THERE & PARKING

Learn more about how to get to the Harris and parking information here. We’ll send out additional logistics and day-of event information the week of TEDxChicago 2023.

ACCESSIBILITY

Learn more about accessibility options at the Harris here. You can indicate any accessibility needs you may have when you purchase your ticket, and our team will accommodate you.

Experience Our Prior Events

Check out our prior event Archives from the menu above, including TEDxChicago 2022 Showtime: Chi✶Time, browsing the photos below our our event gallery on Flickr, and by watching our event reels.