PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: TEDxWomen: SESSION 2, LIVE FROM LA {RELATIONSHIPS} {LONG VERSION}

Summary

One in a series of events and special screenings presented at the Paley Center for Media. Held at the Paley Center in Los Angeles, this bicoastal one-day event is an independently-organized extension of the TED conference series, celebrating innovative, progressive women and their actions. The second session focuses on the theme of relationships. Host Trevor Neilsen of the Global Philanthropy Group offers opening remarks and displays the results of the audience poll about the average time spent with one's friends and family.

Neilsen then introduces entrepreneur and Emotiv Systems company co-founder Tan Le, who takes the stage and talks about her family's harrowing experience escaping Communist China and settling in Australia, where she encountered feelings of alienation and prejudice. She explains that she experienced a "gathering of resolve" to overcome her challenges and eventually entered law school and became involved in social activism, later being named the Young Australian of the Year in 1998. She highlights the need for "humility and daring" in achieving one's goals, and explains the impact of her grandmother's remarkable life and death.

Next, Neilsen introduces filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and a clip is shown of her documentary "Miss Representation" (ACCNUM 106337). She discusses the disparity between the responses to the birth of her daughter and her son, noting that women's worth is evaluated in terms of appearance and beauty rather than intelligence and ability. Stressing pop culture's impact on skewed culture norms, she points out that men overwhelmingly control the country's media outlets and highlights the offensive, gender-focused commentary on both Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin during the 2008 Presidential race. She cites the importance of responsible consumerism, reminding the audience that they vote with their dollar.

Neilsen next introduces Matt Petersen, president and CEO of Global Green USA, and he discusses humanity's "bad relationship" with the Earth, noting the wealth of minerals found in the Congo, which is "the rape capital of the world," and highlighting the particular vulnerability of women to climate change and environmental dangers. He proposes the need to become "citizen entrepreneurs," telling the story of a woman who worked to create a carbon-neutral neighborhood in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and notes the importance of loving and respecting one's home.

Next to the stage is Laura Turner Seydel, chairperson of the Captain Planet Foundation and daughter of noted environmentalist Ted Turner. She discusses the extreme growth in the world's population in a small space of time, noting the dangers of future shortages of food and water and stressing the need to empower women and girls about health care and family planning. She stresses the need for access to contraception for all, explaining several other countries' recent progress in providing reproductive health care and education.

Following this, Neilsen introduces famed actress and activist Barbra Streisand, who takes the stage to discuss the epidemic of heart disease in women, explaining that it is perceived as a "men's illness" and that only a small percentage of research goes towards women's cardiac health. She describes her work at the Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in California, explaining the physiological differences between men and women's hearts and the frequent misdiagnoses experienced by women. She then introduces Dr. Noel Bairey Merz, who compares the issue to the breast cancer movement and describes the differences between male and female heart disease and the various scientific tests, noting the problem "the Yentl Syndrome," referring to Streisand's famous cross-dressing character. She notes that female stem cells often prove to be more effective in research, and promotes the need for advocacy for the disease, including the "red dress" campaign.

Finally, Neilsen brings songwriters Alan and Marilyn Bergman to the stage, and they discuss their families' heritage as Jewish immigrants to New York and their births at the same hospital, as well as their meeting while working with the same composer and eventual marriage in 1958. With assistance from pianist Bill Cantos, Alan closes the evening with their song "The Windmills of Your Mind" from the 1968 film "The Thomas Crowne Affair." Cataloging of this program has been made possible by Verizon Communications.

Details

• NETWORK: N/A
• DATE: December 1, 2011 2:15 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:37:02
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: 107016
• GENRE: Paley Council
• SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
• SERIES RUN: N/A
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Trevor Neilson … Host
• Marilyn Bergman … Performer
• Alan Bergman … Performer
• Tan Le … Guest
• Noel Bairey Merz … Guest
• Matt Petersen … Guest
• Jennifer Siebel Newsom … Guest
• Laura Turner Seydel … Guest
• Barbra Streisand … Guest
• Hillary Clinton
• Sarah Palin
• Ted Turner