2019 Opening Night Agenda

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KEYNOTE LINEUP

Don’t miss this diverse lineup. You’ll walk away inspired and armed with practical ideas to make positive changes in your life!

5:30 PM

THE CALL TO COURAGE

DR. BRENÉ BROWN, researcher, storyteller and TED speaker
We live in a culture that’s rife with perfectionism and pleasing, and with the erosion of civility. Although it’s easy to stay quiet and hide in our ideological bunkers to “fit in,” now more than ever we need to choose courage over comfort, take chances and put an end to the spiritual crisis of disconnection facing us. With her trademark mix of research, storytelling, and honesty, social scientist Brené Brown will offer a clear path to help us show up as our true selves and brave the wilderness of uncertainty and criticism. Attend this inspirational talk to gain the courage to redefine what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization.

6:00 PM

LIVE SMARTER: A CONVERSATION ON HOW TO SKIMM YOUR LIFE

DANIELLE WEISBERG & CARLY ZAKIN, co-founders and co-CEOs, theSkimm
WITH SHAYNA SEYMOUR
By breaking down the biggest stories and explaining why they matter in a fun, irresistible tone, theSkimm newsletter has attracted seven million subscribers in seven years. Join this session to hear theSkimm co-founders Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin share why they left their jobs as NBC producers, took a leap of faith, and started what is now an empire. This fireside chat will deliver theSkimm’s trademark mix of real talk, humor, and inspirational messaging to take all of the daunting, cumbersome and frankly unsexy parts of being an adult, and break them down in the same way they break down a complicated news story every morning in our inbox. They’ll also take you on a journey through their experiences with entrepreneurship and reveal how their evolving the brand to meet the demands of the future.

6:30 PM

FINDING YOUR ACTIVISM AND TURNING THE POLITICAL INTO THE PERSONAL

ANGIE THOMAS, #1 New York Times best-selling author, The Hate You Give
In this talk, Angie Thomas traces the development of her captivating debut, The Hate U Give—and in so doing, speaks to the heart of race, activism, and social change in America today. She explains why young black people need to see themselves in fiction—especially since they are forced to see themselves, traumatically and routinely, as the victims of discrimination, poverty, and police brutality. She argues for writing that can turn the merely political into the deeply personal: a way to inspire action and speak truth to power. And she makes audiences see, and feel, why empathy is more powerful than sympathy—and when done right, that fiction can help us find our voice, or lend it to others. Ultimately, Angie Thomas is the young, outspoken writer ready to hit three truths home: that life fuels art, art mirrors life, and books can change lives.

ALSO FEATURING:

SOCIAL HUB

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

BUILD IT, BE IT: How to Use LinkedIn to Create a Powerful Personal Brand

Don’t miss your chance to attend LINKEDIN PROFILE MAKEOVER WORKSHOPS to perfect your networking skills. Featuring AMANDA HEALY, national social media speaker & head of IoT brand marketing at Cisco. @amanda_healy

HEALTH & WELLNESS PAVILION

7:00 – 7:30 PM

FLASH COUNT DIARY

Darcey Steinke, menopause researcher & author, Flash Count Diary

Menopause hit Darcey Steinke hard. First came hot flashes. Then insomnia. Then depression. As she struggled to express what was happening to her, she came up against a culture of silence. Steinke longed to understand menopause in a more complex, spiritual, and intellectually engaged way, and she ultimately conducted a ton of research to write Flash Count Diary which addresses aspects of menopause that have rarely been written about before. Attend this talk to explore her personal menopause story and learn about her research which will open your mind, change the way you think about menopause and embrace the beauty and power of the post-reproductive years.

7:30 – 8:00 PM

BABECAMP BOOTCAMP: LOSE HATE NOT WEIGHT

Virgie Tovar, author, activist and one of the nation’s leading experts and lecturers on fat discrimination and body image

Virgie Tovar put her life on hold for a Very. Long. Time. She was always on a diet. She engaged in starving behavior and obsessive exercising, but no matter what she did she never felt good enough, pretty enough or thin enough. If this sounds familiar, this is the session for you – because everyone deserves to have a harmonious relationship with their body. Acclaimed body image expert Virgie Tovar will share her personal journey to help you finally break up with diet culture, adopt a healthy lifestyle and embrace a positive body image wherever you on in your journey! Learn how to replace a weight-consumed mentality and re-center yourself with self-care and self-love, which are the touchstones of our native relationship to our body.