It’s time to wake up to the fact that the current state of work isn’t working. The future of work won’t be better if we don’t do things differently. But how do we shift the way we work? Social entrepreneur, Joe Mechlinski, believes that by humanizing the workplace, we can change the way we work and live. The reality is that the future of work begins with you. In this mesmerizing talk, Joe will inspire you to think differently about the future of work, take back your power, and embrace your role in shaping a workplace that works for you. Joe Mechlinski, Founder and CEO of SHIFT and New York Times bestselling author, wants to change the way we work to transform the way we live. At SHIFT, a tech-enabled management consulting firm nationally recognized as a ‘Best Workplace,’ Joe helps leaders build healthy and high-performing organizations by disrupting outdated norms, building engaged teams, and using technology to unlock human potential. Passionate about equity in the workplace, Joe is a partner at Conscious Venture Partners: a group that invests in minority and female-founded businesses. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

The American election system is complicated, to say the least -- but voting is one of the most tangible ways that each of us can shape our communities. How can we rebuild public trust in the American election system and move toward a more transparent, accountable and inclusive democracy? Former Chairman of the Federal Election Commission and current President of the nonpartisan organization Campaign Legal Center Trevor Potter and journalist Jane Mayer share a frank conversation about what’s needed to advance democracy and fight for every American’s right to participate in the democratic process. Trevor Potter is one of the nation's best-known and most experienced campaign and election lawyers. He is the President of the Campaign Legal Center, a former Commissioner and Chairman of the Federal Election Commission, and counsel to several Presidential campaigns. The American Bar Association Journal has described Trevor Potter as “hands-down one of the top lawyers in the country on the delicate intersection of politics, law and money.” During the 2020 election season, Trevor was named to the cross-partisan National Task Force on Election Crises. He is a member of the DC Bar and the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. Jane Mayer is the chief Washington correspondent for The New Yorker, where she covers politics, culture, and national security. Previously, she worked at the The Wall Street Journal where she covered the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, the Gulf War, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. In 1984, she became that paper’s first female White House correspondent. Jane is the author of four best-selling books including “Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right,” which in 2016 the Times named as one of the ten best books of the year. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

While others are looking up, Chelsea Ritter-Soronen is looking down. For Chelsea, the pavement beneath our feet is the most underrated canvases in the world. In this delightful and charming talk, Chelsea explores the unknown history of pavement art as a vehicle for placemaking and protest. You will learn about the various types of pavement art: chalk art and painted, and then in the form of memorial, beautification, protest, expression, campaigning, community connections and education. Chelsea will help you become inspired by the very ground you walk, drive, bike and roll on, and understand its full potential to connect o