Albuquerque’s first women only TEDx event sold out

culture@dailylobo.com

Discussions about prenatal psychology, violence against American-Indian women and sexism in the military come to Albuquerque this weekend for Albuquerque’s first TEDx event that features only female presenters.

TEDxABQWomen curator Carrie Williar-Linn said audiences can expect a wide variety of talks and performances focusing on women’s issues worldwide. The speakers are all women who live in or are involved with the Albuquerque community. Approximately 400 people are expected to attend the sold-out show.

“TEDxWomen is being held in (Washington) D.C. on the same day, and we’re actually one of 140 events being held around the world,” she said. “People will hear when they come to this event things that affect women and girls around the world.”

TEDxABQ is a local group that holds “technology, entertainment and design” (TED) talks independently from the TED organization itself. It was started in 2010 and runs purely on a volunteer basis. Williar-Linn has been a part of Albuquerque’s TEDx since its inception and has worked to find and train speakers for events. She said TEDxABQWomen will be her last event before she pursues paid employment opportunities.

“It’s basically a full-time job I’m doing for free, and you can’t do that forever,” she said. “When you work with TEDx, you certainly meet a variety of people. They’re actually the ones coming to me and offering me jobs.”

Although this is Williar-Linn’s final TEDx project, she’ll go out with a bang. Topics include domestic violence, women in the military, women in media and more. Each talk will last between 6 and 9 minutes.

A lecturer from the Netherlands, Anna Verwaal, will talk to audiences about the birth experience and how it affects both mother and child.

“It’s about your own birth. What might have happened at the moment you were conceived leaves an imprinting on your life,” she said. “It’s whatever our earliest imprinting is, is what leaves the flavor for our lives.”

Verwaal said she travels around the world to talk to people about prenatal and natal psychology. This will be her first TED talk. She said volunteers at TEDxABQ have been crucial in preparing speakers for the event, helping with content as well as providing free access to voice, acting and speaking coaches.

“The process that they put us through is grueling as well as incredible,” she said. “We are very well trained. Even though I am a public speaker, this is the most terrifying talk I will ever do.”

UNM graduate student Ambar Calvillo will also be speaking at the event. She studies educational leadership and will talk about mentorship. She said that this event is not only a great opportunity for herself, but for audiences as well.

“It’s like you’re sitting down and having a conversation with 16 of the brightest women in New Mexico,” she said. “It’s important that audience members find a way to take these ideas back to people who can’t attend.”