Blue Stingray recently attended TEDxStLouisWomen
Blue Stingray recently attended TEDxStLouisWomen, an annual event that celebrates the impact women are making in St. Louis and across the world. Here’s an account of the event from Project Manager Korina Bogdanovic.
It was a gorgeous and sunny October day when we stepped out of our Uber ride and went into the Peabody Opera House. Locally, the venue is known as the host of many upscale, world-class events; today, it was the site of TEDxStLouisWomen.
As we walked in, the event’s sponsors were set up and ready to meet us. We talked with Maryville and Impact, and even got the chance to snag bags with cool swag like fancy notebooks, flash drives, and even Altoids. What a way to start our TEDx journey!
We were there a bit early and and had time to mingle and meet some of the other attendants. Variety in abundance — different races, different ages, everything different but one little detail: We were all women. Except for a few brave men, that is.
Keith Alper, TEDxStLouis Curator, kicked off the event, speaking briefly about the history of TED talks and how TEDxStLouis came together. Then, the real event started. The speakers were amazing; seven women and one man gave speeches fitting with the “It’s About Time” theme. This encompassed a range of subjects; from relationships (and the upsides of being single), to women of color in leadership, to allowing yourself to be smart and attractive, to the potential of men signing the “Father of a Daughter” initiative and keeping it in plain sight in the workplace. One topic was especially close to heart for the Blue Stingray crew: embracing the wisdom of new thought led by millennials.
The intermission came quickly, and while reflecting on the lessons of the first half of the day, we enjoyed sweets from Sarah’s Cake Shop. Back at the theater, the talks continued with a panel of female executives talking about being women C-Suites.
After a few more speakers, we were treated to a strange surprise; a man that came out on the stage wearing nothing but a suit and red pumps. Yes, red, shiny, high heel pumps — and he looked spectacular. He even encouraged the rest of the male workforce to do the same. We won’t hold our breath, but the thought is certainly entertaining.
We enjoyed a few cocktails (quite a few, actually), mingling with many of the speakers and attendees. TEDxStLouisWomen was a major success and time well spent; it was an affirmation of the growing importance of women in the workplace and in our society as a whole, and as the theme suggested, it’s certainly “about time.” We’ll be there again next year — say hello if you see us!
