Years back, I got really into TED Talks. And I certainly thought I could maybe do one at some point. Especially when the TEDx events started up. I had friends suggest I apply. But when I thought about it for just a little bit, it never seemed quite right. The talk would have to be about my view of graphic design, in some way, and I never felt any kind of certainty about how to go about doing it. I never applied.
The work I did didn’t warrant this kind of talk. I didn’t do anything all that noteworthy for this kind of talk. This kind of talk was well above me. Time went on. I stopped being really into TED Talks.
But this summer I got a text that led to a meeting with the TEDx Omaha executive producer. We had a chat over coffee. I heard all about this year’s theme Currents & Collisions. I also said my piece about how I don’t think graphic design talks mesh well with TED.
I thought more about my view of design. It did sort of seem to go well with the theme. And I do like being sought out. So it was settled. I submitted my application, had some additional interviews, and was selected.
The statement for my talk:
Graphic design to collide with this current American moment.
