TEDx MidAtlantic has been bringing together some of the smartest thinkers around the world for the past few years. The schedule has often been a mix of politicians, entrepreneurs, educators and advocates who spur ideas and innovations that shape the future.
However, looking at this year’s speaker list, there are a number of people who come from outside the usual TED hivemind, giving the event a unique spin from prior years.
With the overall theme this year revolving around “the power to initiate change,” here are some of the most intriguing speakers scheduled for TEDx this weekend:
Gbenga Akinnagbe
How you know him: Chris Partlow from HBO’s “The Wire,” along with a score of other major motion pictures
Why he’s at TEDx: To speak about his clothing line ‘Liberated People’
What’s compelling: Akinnagbe’s T-shirt line is aimed at raising bringing global injustices to the public’s awareness. While he believes that “t-shirts have an incredible power,” the website attached to the project is what could bring about real change. Weareliberated.com is attached to groups that help mentor at-risk youth in Baltimore through wrestling, as well as provide online access to classrooms around the country.
Speaks: Saturday
Sam Berns
How you know him: Berns has recently made national headlines for his battle with Progeria, an extremely rare disease that causes accelerated aging in children. His mission has been chronicled by HBO for a documentary that debuted earlier this week.
Why he’s at TEDx: To speak about his accomplishments despite his disease, which include being a section leader in his school’s marching band and becoming an Eagle Scout.
What’s compelling: Berns’ story is immensely inspiring, having exceeded expectations in the face of a disease doctors’ know very little about. Speaking in public about the disease since he was 4, he has teamed with the Progeria Research Foundation in order to find a cure for the disease.
Speaking: Friday
Matthew Green
How you know him: Cryptologist at Johns Hopkins who recently came under fire from the NSA for a blog post that criticized the government agency’s actions regarding online security.
Why he’s at TEDx: Individual online privacy is hot topic in the wake of this year’s NSA revelations. Green is an expert in systems that secure information across a number of growing online sectors, from medical records to Bitcoin.
What’s compelling: With the government trying to take action against Green, it will be intriguing to hear what he has to say about the need for online privacy, and if its possible to bring about change without raising suspicions in the process.
Speaking: Saturday
Juan Llanos
How you know him: You probably don’t, but his area of expertise, Bitcoin, has been a hot topic for months.
Why he’s at TEDx: There is a lot of mystery and volatility surrounding the online currency. Is it a novel way to launder money or it the future of online commerce? Llanos, who is an anti-money laundering specialist while also being a member of the Bitcoin Foundation’s Regulatory Affairs Committee, will provide some insight into where this market is headed.
What’s compelling: Bitcoin has been largely tied to underground Internet drug bazzars, but you can also buy everyday things, like pizza, with the currency as well. If Bitcoin intrigues you even in the slightest, Llanos is worth listening to.
Speaking: Friday
Chris Ullman
How you know him: You probably don’t know Ullman on name alone, but the four-time “national and international whistling champion” has performed with a number of local orchestras and appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
Why he’s at TEDx: Ullman has performed since he was 5, whistling for everyone from B.B. King to George W. Bush. A key theme in this year’s talks is how to initiate change “with simple gestures of kindness,” which Ullman does nearly daily: he claims to perform 350 personalized Happy Birthday whistles a year.
Why he’s compelling: Being known as an international whistling champion isn’t enough for you? The stories Ullman has from performing in front of a wide swath of the public may inspire you to step back and take a look at how simple acts or changes could make a world of difference in your professional and personal life.
Speaking: Saturday
TEDx MidAtlantic runs this Friday and Saturday at Harman Theater in Washington, D.C. Tickets are still available through the event’s website.