Engaging with our community at TEDxBirmingham
Photos by TEDxBirmingham and Joe DeScoise, 2018.
ARC Realty prides itself on our community engagement. From supporting local nonprofits to the dedication our staff and realtors have to volunteering throughout the community, ARC has developed relationships across the state.
This includes supporting events that help us engage together as a community. At TEDxBirmingham, attendees not only get to hear ideas from speakers who reflect the diversity of our community, but they can meet people who they do not regularly interact with in the course of a regular day. It is these relationships that develop from events like TEDxBirmingham that make our community more cohesive.
TEDxBirmingham 2018 – Before & After was our first time sponsoring this event. It was impressive from start to finish. The activities, the speakers, and seeing our community come together and discuss the issues and ideas of the day was inspiring.
“This was my first experience at TEDx and it was an event that I won’t forget! The speakers were phenomenal and challenged the audience in their thought process. The most innovative approaches from the day were Van Moody, who spoke on financial literacy in Birmingham and how payday lenders take advantage of those who are not financially literate,” ARC’s Virginia Markstein explained.
One of the exciting things TEDxBirmingham offers is the opportunity to engage with the speakers once they are off stage. During the interactive sessions, attendees can meet with and discuss the speaker’s topic.
Virginia added, “Andrew Deutscher spoke on how to manage personal energy more deliberately and skillfully by utilizing the four dimensions of energy: Physical, Emotional, Quantity & Quality. He teaches clients how to efficiently and effectively give 100% to both work and family. I walked away from the event revitalized and energized to be my best self in both work and family.”
There were a wide variety of activities to give attendees a break from the crowds – from a pop up bookstore and coffee shop to blackout poetry, virtual reality, and meditation, there was something for everyone. For the more adventurous, people could try out a Forced Door Entry simulation firefighters use for training.
During the closing reception, TEDxBirmingham displayed the final product of their “Before I Die…” wall. At the end of the second session, attendees could write on a series of chalkboards what was on their bucket lists.
So, what do some of our fellow Birminghamians want to do “Before I Die”?
- Visit Barcelona
- Find a pearl in an oyster
- Play harmonica on stage at Gip’s
- Write a book
- Love my kids more when they fail
And, of course, there was someone who wants to “speak at TEDxBirmingham”.
We’re already looking forward to what’s in store for TEDxBirmingham 2019!
