Naperville's TEDx Offers Thought-Provoking Talks

NAPERVILLE, IL — Twenty speakers from Chicagoland and beyond are coming to Naperville for the 8th Annual TEDx talks at The Yellow Box. TED is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ideas worth spreading. The 'x' means it's an independent event, put on entirely by volunteers, but still sanctioned and licensed by TED. Friday, from 1 p.m. to 7, speakers will have 18 minutes to deliver provocative ideas to an audience. Naperville’s TEDx conference is the longest running independent TED event in the Midwest. This year’s theme is "Full Spectrum," which explores how our individual uniqueness contributes to and drives our collective legacy, according to a press release from TEDx. It's a passion project for Arthur Zards, who founded and curates TEDxNaperville.

“We bring a very unique and diverse group of thought leaders to entertain and challenge your perceptions,” he says. People like Daryl Davis, an African-American jazz musician who has a certificate of friendship from the Ku Klux Klan. Lynne Franklin will be sharing her experience about how she talked her way out of a hostage situation where the captor had a machete. There's also the head of one of the country’s largest hospital groups, Dr. Edward Ellison, who will speak about the unknown state of our doctors.

Other speakers include Naperville’s own YouTube star Matt Bray, an internet crimes investigator, a mind mapper and a satiation distributor.

The conference includes break-out sessions and field trips earlier in the day. Locations include Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab and Solomn Oath Brewery and Sourcebooks to learn about book publishing. There is a handful of tour tickets left for a select few tours.

Guests are encouraged to eat lunch before the event and there will be particularly good food and drinks available this year, says Zards. The event is put on by volunteers and the speakers do not get paid. TEDx Naperville start at $75 and all the proceeds go directly to the costs associated with putting on the event. The Yellow Box is located at 1635 Emerson Ln. It has sold out the last four years, so tickets should be purchased soon. Volunteer positions are also available through the website.

Main images: Arden Warner speaks in 2015, Lena Hatchett speaks in 2016, unveiling the Naperville flag in 2016.