TEDxAuckland 2014 Announces Next Round of Speakers

TEDxAuckland 2014 Announces Next Round of Speakers

In 2012, broadcaster and Chairman of the Urban Maori Authority, Willie Jackson, planned to bring out heavyweight champion Mike Tyson to New Zealand. Making the second application for Tyson’s Special Visa, Jackson believed the value Tyson had to offer troubled youth was enough to waive his criminal convictions and bring him into New Zealand.

What transpired was a litany of articles and op-eds querying Tyson’s integrity as a role model and an eventual denial of his Visa. Now, two years on, Willie Jackson will take on the critics and explain why he believed the convicted rapist’s story of redemption could have been an invaluable change agent to turn young people’s lives around. Within his role supporting whanau of his community as Chief Executive for the Manukau Urban Maori Authority, Jackson knows the value of making a difference to one person’s young life.

Jackson will be joining another round of incredible speakers who will share ideas worth spreading. Designed to stimulate Aucklanders through storytelling, sustainable-thinking and innovation, this year’s TEDxAuckland event will celebrate the resilience and courage of individuals who are making the world a better place through the theme of Ascending.

The descriptions of speakers and artists in the third round are:

Rebecca Wadey – a cancer survivor and mother, Rebecca has embraced a lifestyle of wellbeing. A chance friendship with Little Bird’s Megan May, buying a Vitamix and the essential addition of yoga has marked a turning point in Rebecca’s journey.

Sarah Longbottom – Sarah is Creative Director of the Nga Rangatahi Toa Creative Arts Iniatiative, a mentoring and transition programme that connects top creative talent of Aotearoa with young people in alternative education

Willie Jackson – Willie is one of the leaders for Maori in Auckland, and is also one of the country’s leading media personalities, a broadcaster, political commentator and talkback host for Radio Live and Radio Waatea.

Waikare Komene –a young professional from Otara, who is passionate about empowering communities from the grassroots up. Waikare is the driving force behind ‘The Roots Creative Entrepreneurs’: a collective with the aim to empower young people by developing opportunities to showcase creativity, innovation, and design by educating young people towards environmental awareness and sustainability.

Luke Hurley – an independent New Zealand guitarist and singer-songwriter, Luke was born in Kenya, and spent his first twelve years exposed to Arabic, African and Indian styles of music which influence him to this day.

TEDxAuckland will be at the Aotea Centre on Saturday August 16, 2014 between 10:00am-6:00pm.

For ticketing information, please visit: TicketMaster or TEDxAuckland. com

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