By Sarah Fertsch
Staff Writer
A dark auditorium is illuminated by a single spotlight over a red bubble. The audience is abuzz with anticipation, and iconic block letters on the far right hint at what’s to come.
Attendees of all ages flip open notebooks and review the agenda. A crew member places a wooden stool on stage and a single glass of water. The projector is ready, the speakers are prepared, and the show is about to begin.
“Welcome to the 11th year of TEDxCapeMay,” Norris Clark, the event organizer, announces. “There are two reasons people visit Cape May,” he continues. “They come for recreation, or shopping or swimming at the beach. And they also come for RE-creation, meaning that their soul transforms into something new.”
Clark invites Michelle O’Donnell to stand, a longtime attendee of the TEDx series. When asked why she brought 18 guests, she responded, “It’s so amazing, and I wanted as many friends as possible to enjoy it.”
Long-time listeners of TED Talks appreciate the brief yet educational lectures given by experts in diverse fields. Established in 1984, TED was created to “discover and spread ideas that spark imagination, embrace possibility and catalyze impact.” The acronym stands for technology, entertainment, and design, but TED has covered thousands of other topics.
Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Stephen Hawking, Al Gore, James Cameron, Sarah Silverman, and Temple Grandin have all taken the stage for TED. Brene Brown, a shame and empathy researcher and lifestyle guru, found a platform through TED and has sold millions of books based on her presentations.
TEDx is an extension of TED that allows independent communities to host their own speaking events with their own speakers. These volunteer-driven events use the TED format and branding to fuel passion in localities and support grassroots self-actualization.
On Oct. 15, TEDxCapeMay’s theme was “Discoveries.” The program included the following speakers: Max Strom, Tammi Van Hollander, Samuel Mann, Hazel Clark, Laura Baxter, Sirisha Kuchimanchi, Richard Vague, Anais Remili, and Derek Selinger. The show took place at the Cape May Convention Hall at 1:15 p.m.
Max Strom jump-started the event. The trauma and grief specialist traveled from the Netherlands to speak at TEDxCapeMay for the fourth time. This year, Strom challenged listeners to process grief communally and consider evolutionary contexts for surviving and thriving. “Almost three-quarters of this room has been trained in CPR, meaning that they know how to restart a heart. But none of us are trained on how to heal a broken heart,” he said.
In the second half of the event, Laura Baxter, a German opera singer, explained the power of voice. With the help of silly audio files and a song, Baxter illustrated how varied range, adding intention, and proper breathwork create more interest and trust.
Sirisha Kuchimanchi, a podcaster with a Fortune 200 resume, used anecdotes from her childhood in India to help parents teach their children about money. Former Pennsylvania Secretary of Banking & Securities Richard Vague highlighted the paradox of national debt through graphs and humor.
William Childers, a first-time audience member at TEDxCapeMay, told Shore Local News that his favorite session was Derek Selinger’s appeal to dreaming more like children. “It’s just so inspiring, and I can’t wait to ask my grandkids more about their lofty ambitions. Even in retirement, I can dream!”
Childers and his wife Tonya stayed at Congress Hall for the weekend and attended the lecture series on a whim, drawn in by the sign along the Promenade. They stayed for the reception and open bar after the final talk, and mingled with others for the rest of the evening. “We can’t wait for next year,” the couple said.
For more information on TEDxCapeMay, visit their website at https://www.tedxcapemay.com/.
Sarah Fertsch was born and raised in Egg Harbor Township, and holds a dual degree in public relations and political science. Prior to joining Shore Local full-time, she worked at a CSPAN affiliate, writing about Pennsylvania legislation. When she isn’t writing, Sarah enjoys painting, horseback riding, and Crossfit.
