MANSFIELD — Mansfield has plenty of ideas worth sharing with the world. Tracy Graziani believed that, so she applied to put the city in the TEDx universe.
“TEDx was created to be independently organized community events,” Graziani summarized. “And ours will be a community event. It will be meant to be in the same spirit of a TED event and everything in the TED Universe is built around ideas.”
TED is a nonpartisan nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 110 languages.
According to TED, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.
If a talk doesn’t have an idea at its core, Graziani said, then it’s not a fit for TEDx Talks.
“Just because something is a 20-minute talk doesn’t make it work,” she said. “Personality just makes it interesting to hear, but it’s the idea that makes it worth getting to the special place: the TEDx stage.”
Mansfield has many good ideas which could be great talks, Graziani continued, so she applied.
The application process took about three months. TED kept asking her to refine her application, as a way to prove she understood what the talks were about.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I felt like now is the time (to have a TEDx license),” she said. “I really believe cities like Mansfield get forgotten. With the urbanization of our country, smaller cities and towns are disappearing into the background … that certain part of the rust belt or where ever you are is kind of disappearing — not because we don’t exist, just because the sheer numbers elsewhere are crowding us out.
“I think there are some very unique ideas and perspectives that we can make to the world. I think we need to highlight that. I think we need to think about our community as worthy and valuable and intellectually stimulating — all of those things. We have a lot of great stuff happening here, and I think now is the time we start talking about that.”
As part of the application process, Graziani said she had to give potential talk ideas. One she suggested is the state prison, Mansfield Correctional Institution.
“It is a part of our identity in the community — Both the active prison and the historical prison (the Ohio State Reformatory). They are both baked into the fabric of our community in interesting ways. For better or for worse, and people tend to focus on the ‘worse.’
“I think people act like it’s not here, yet we have a lot of people moving into our community to be closer to someone that’s in prison. That’s not something that is usually discussed in the population gains and losses. But I think it should.”
Graziani added TEDx Talks can be hosted by people outside of the community who are experts about a similar situation.
“It has to be relevant in our community, maybe one similar to ours who has expertise that is relevant to the community,” she said. “The idea is that we want these to be things relevant to our community.”
Graziani said there is much planning to do before a talk can take place, though she plans for fall. The license lasts 12 months and once the year is over, she will have to reapply.
“I think the TED brand is pretty valuable and well formed. People know what it is. We have to keep the integrity of that brand with what we do. That’s probably why we have to apply each year.”
Graziani said she has friends with TED and TEDx experience, which she plans to use as aids through the planning process. She said she also needs volunteers and sponsors to help her film, and put on the events.
There are plenty of people in the city who can make it happen, she said.
“I think if we trust the process and follow the rules, we will find that it benefits us,” she said. “We want to a really great job. Our hope is we do a really great job and a few of our talks get put on TED.com.”