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TEDxFulbrightSantaMonica, September 26

at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica

Posted: 10/01/2015 11:16 am EDT Updated: 10/01/2015 5:59 pm EDT

I've had the good fortune and privilege of traveling abroad twice as a Fulbright Scholar -- once to Islamic Malaysia in 2002 shortly after 9/11, and a second time to Bucharest, Romania in 2010. The first time I was a Fulbright Senior Scholar, the second, a Fulbright Senior Specialist in American Studies (Theater). Unlike most academics, I was not a "lecturer" per se; rather I was a teacher of theatrical workshops in solo performance, improvisation, and clowning.

Both Fulbright grants offered extraordinary experiences, for me personally, and I hope too, for my students and colleagues in each of these unique parts of the world. I like to think that I was able to spread the concepts and practices of freedom, initiative, self-expression, and creativity, things that America is known for throughout the world, and things for which I was funded to spread. You can read about my Fulbright experiences on TCG's (Theatre Communications Group) website.

On Saturday, September 26, 2015, the national Fulbright Association and LA's local Fulbright Chapter presented TEDxFulbright at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.

Fulbright and TED... were match made in heaven.

The international Fulbright Program, established in 1946 by Senator William J. Fulbright, is a competitive, merit-based program created to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills. It is currently the largest academic exchange program in the world. The Fulbright Association, established in 1977, was created to promote opportunities for life-long learning, collaborative networking, and service at home and abroad for alumni, supporters and friends of the Fulbright Program.

While TED, a nonprofit organization devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading", started as a four-day conference in California 26 years ago, and has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives.

TEDx is a local, self-organized event (this one organized by the national Fulbright Association in Washington D.C. and the local LA Fulbright Chapter and its hard-working Board) that brings people together through TED talks, video and live speakers, all of which combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.

There was an impressive lineup of 18 speakers at TEDxFulbright including Hollywood action star, Dolph Lundgren, who presented a surprisingly personal Talk about the childhood abuse he grew up with in Sweden.

Most of the speakers were former Fulbright Scholars or Fulbright Students, and they included: Ryan Bart, magician, Alice Blumenfeld, flamenco dancer, Brian Boxer Wachler, physician, Ralph Gibson, photographer, Kate Conklin, performer/educator, Michael Goldberg, venture capitalist, Alice Kimm, architect, Samantha Lakin, genocide expert, Leland Lazarus, public relations expert, James Mary O'Connor, architect, Ruairi Robertson, nutritionist/microbiologist, Priyali Sur, journalist, Catalina Talero, civic engagement educator, Cristina Trenas, filmmaker/communications expert, Brigham Yen, broker and urban development expert, and yours Trulesly, Eric Trules, blogger/clown.

The event was organized by Kristina Hahn, co-organized by Juliane McCall and hosted by Debra Levine of "arts.meme" and Laura Trombley of the Huntington Library, the entire LA Fulbright Chapter worked together to produce the event, in tandem with the National Fulbright Association led by Shaz Akram, and all the speakers worked with coaches, John Bates and Grant Graves.

Sir Ken Robinson, who has delivered the most popular TED Talk of all time on the web, was a surprise speaker on the 26th. He said: Aesthetics means a sense of beauty. It's as important in mathematics as it is in music, or dance. There is a difference between an aesthetic experience and one that it anesthetic. An anesthetic is something you take to dull your senses so you become immune to the world around you. An aesthetic experience is the opposite; it's one that heightens your experience of the world around you and opens your senses.

That's why the arts are so important. We live in two worlds, an interior world and an exterior world. The extent to which we connect with the world around us is the extent to which we understand and resonate with the world within us. The arts are channels for that.

TEDxFulbrightSantaMonica's theme was "Fights Worth Fighting". "It reflects the spirit of Fulbrighters, spreading mutual understanding between the people of the US and the rest of the world, sharing ideas worth spreading, and the fierce fight Fulbrighters take on to protect their beloved Program." TEDx, similarly, has shown immense promise in furthering ideas for the benefit of all societies in a way that is both personable (revolutionary story-telling) and powerful (demonstrating incredible feats of intellect, creativity, and collaboration). It is TEDxFulbright's continuing desire to provide Fulbright alumni a unique framework to most effectively excite and gather others to join efforts in working for the sake of humanity's progress.

It may seem a rather odd theme to some, "Fights Worth Fighting For", because Fulbright is known for educational and cultural exchange through primarily peaceful and diplomatic means. But I will always remember, as a young teenager in October, 1962, American UN Ambassador , Adlai Stevenson, making his combative remark over the Cuban Missile Crisis, "I am prepared to wait for my answer until Hell freezes over." It was shocking. And confrontational. And Stevenson will always be remembered for it. Because sometimes, one simply has to hold one's ground. Stand up for one's principles. Not placate, not compromise, not fold -- in the face of stubborn opposition.

The all day event was entirely immersive, brought together current and former Fulbrighters from all over the world, and delievered on its promise of global immersion in the ideas, ideals, and practices of both TED and Fulbright. In a City of celebrity and reality shows, it offered a terrific alternative of immersing Angelenos and Fulbrighters in an all-day feast of the mind.

"The Fulbright Program aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship." - Senator William J. Fulbright

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Please visit Trules' personal WordPress blog,"trules rules" at:www.erictrules.com/blog/

And his WordPress travel blog,"e-travels with e. trules", at:www.etravelswithetrules.com/blog/

Follow Eric Trules on Twitter: www.twitter.com/etrules

Sir Ken Robinson

on the arts, at TedxFulbright conference

30 Sep 2015 | Language & ideas
Tags: photos by dana ross · sir ken robinson· tedx · tedxfulbright · the broad stage

by debra levine

Parrying as an event host with the estimable educational thought-leader Sir Ken Robinson at the recent TedXFulbright Conference at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica (Sept, 26, 2015), I so enjoyed Sir Ken’s thoughtful and inspiring words about the arts:

I talk a lot about creativity, but I’m very keen not to conflate creativity with the arts. I’ve been a lifelong advocate of arts education; I was a professor of arts education and it’s a big passion of mine. But creativity is a bigger idea than the arts. It’s represented in part by the arts, but you can be creative in science, in mathematics, or technology, absolutely anything that involves human intelligence.

Aesthetics means a sense of beauty. It’s as important in mathematics as it is in music, or dance. There is a difference between an aesthetic experience and one that it anesthetic. An anesthetic is something you take to dull your senses so you become immune to the world around you. An aesthetic experience is the opposite; it’s one that heightens your experience of the world around you and opens your senses.

That’s why the arts are so important. We live in two worlds, an interior world and an exterior world. The extent to which we connect with the world around us is the extent to which we understand and resonate with the world within us. The arts are channels for that.

Getting bright at the Broad Stage

By David Pisarra on September 29, 2015 in

It was April of 2009, the financial crisis was still not fully understood. KCRW and National Public Radio did a live show called Planet Money – Live! The show was held at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.

I remember walking across the parking lot and seeing this guy in tight jeans, and a really bright blue, green and red cowboy shirt. He had this straw colored hair and bright blue eyes and was so alive. I instantly liked him. John K. Bates is his name. We’ve been friends ever since that day.

John is a professional speaker and a coach for people who want to become known for their TEDx talks (www.ExecutiveSpeakingSuccess.com). He is one of the organizers of TEDxSantaMonica and they put on events around town that involve viewing TED talks and instigating interesting conversations. I’ve been to many events with John, and when he says something is going to be interesting, I listen.

This past Saturday John was the emcee at a TEDx event that was put on, again at the Broad Stage, but this time it was with the Fulbright Association. TEDxFulbright was a year in the making. Shaz Akram is the senior director with the Fulbright Association and she was in charge of this well put together and exciting event.

TEDxFulbright is an international effort and the participants come from all over the world. Cristina Galalae had flown in from London, where she lectures on business at Coventry University. I had the chance to speak with her briefly at lunch. She was so busy working behind the scenes that she barely got to see the speakers.

A word about the speakers; all Fulbright scholars and students, all amazing.

Fulbright students and scholars are winners. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. Department of State’s flagship exchange program, administered through bilateral agreements with 155 countries. The Fulbright Program awards U.S. citizens who are students and scholars scholarships to go abroad to teach or study; and awards scholarships to international citizens to study, teach or research in the U.S. There have been 360,000 alumni of the Fulbright Program since 1946. The Fulbright Association is the official alumni association of the U.S. Fulbright Program and they organize TEDxFulbright events annually. The Fulbright Association is based in Washington, D.C.

Saturday was awesome, with speakers sharing their experiences, their dreams and visions. The day started out with a speech by James Mary O’Connor about his role as architect on the Grangegorman Urban Quarter Master Plan in Dublin, Ireland. He had worked with John Bates on his speech presentation and he clearly did his homework. A well presented, clearly articulated talk that showed both logic and emotion. It was a wonderful way to open the presentation session.

Brigham Yen did a review and a forecast of downtown Los Angeles that was truly eye opening for me. I’ve lived here since 1989 and downtown has always been someplace to pass through, but after Brigham’s talk, I could see the vibrancy and life that has returned to the core of Los Angeles.

For me though the most interesting presentation was by Ralph Gibson, a professional photographer who did a presentation on his lifetime behind the lens and about finding a visual identity. I’ve spent many hours behind the lens and found his incites intriguing. Photography is a form of revealing yourself through the pictures you take. As we are in a new era of recording our lives, I found this to be especially intriguing. I often note the number of expensive cameras that hang off the necks of tourists going unused. Contrast that with the rise of the selfie and the foodie and it makes for a sad commentary on the state of humanity’s creativity.

But Gibson’s talk sparked a thought in me about my own photographic work. The photos I’ve taken over the years, my view of the camera as a tool and the subconscious consistency of my subjects. This is the point of TEDx talks. They are Ideas Worth Spreading.

If you like well educated people, who have travelled, explored and experienced, then this is the group for you. TEDxFulbright was a great event. I met some very interesting people and I hope that they return to Santa Monica again.

David Pisarra is a Los Angeles Divorce and Child Custody Lawyer specializing in Father’s and Men’s Rights with the Santa Monica firm of Pisarra & Grist. He welcomes your questions and comments. He can be reached at dpisarra@pisarra.com or 310/664-9969.You can follow him on Twitter @davidpisarra

Introducing the image and theme of TEDxFulbrightSantaMonica

Munir Sayegh, TEDxFulbright Designer (May 1, 2015)

Explanation from the designing team:

Color: Decided to go with the standard TEDx theme colors for consistency and boldness.
Font: The "Worth" is more of a human font (it is custom, Munir's handwriting, digitized), while the classic Helvetica for the "fights" and "fighting."
Fist: The bulb rays are present to signify the spreading of ideas. The bulb-base is the idea and the fist is the fight.