In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Barking Legs
1307 Dodds Ave
Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37404
United States

In The Company of Wolves (Sydney and Brayden Guerrette)

This singer/songwriter duo, originally from Portland, Maine, now call Chattanooga, Tennessee home. They intertwine their love for music with a passion for story-telling, as they combine thought provoking lyrics with layered melodies.Inspired by some of their favorite musical influences, including Novo Amor, Bon Iver, and Mumford and Sons, Sydney and Brayden use their unique sound, both vocally and instrumentally (think Glen Hansard meets Phoebe Bridgers), to share their passion for community and their commitment to making sure youth, especially those struggling with their mental health, feel seen, heard, and loved.

Luke Simmons

Luke Simmons hails from the small town of Anniston, Alabama, right off the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains where he spent most of the time plucking on his acoustic guitar and contemplating on just how big the world around him was. As is the call of many impressionable young men, he felt burdened with purpose to share love and joy through his songs, so he set off from his home and took root in Chattanooga, TN where he met a plethora of talented musicians. He was swept away by the local music scene and from the smallest venue to the biggest stages and even to the elaborate festivals, he has given his all in the name of good music and good vibrations. And now he desires to place his name in that melting pot of music. Luke Simmons & the Lovestruck was born in late 2015. He along with his incredibly talented friends have begun marching from the practice rooms to the stages, wherever they are welcome to show people that no matter how confusing this world we all live in may become, love and a little bit of good music can go a very long way.

Sunny War

Sunny War enlivens traditional folk and blues by freshening her musical attack and writing lyrics that reflect 21st century concerns. Her first album, Worthless, arrived in 2014, and she continued to gain attention over the next few years as she built up a cult following that crested with the release of 2018's With the Sun. After a series of independent releases, War moved to New West for the 2023 album Anarchist Gospel. Born Sydney Lyndella Ward to a single mother in Nashville, the singer/songwriter spent her childhood moving around the United States with her parent, spending significant time in both Nashville and the Detroit suburb of Rochester. During this time, she learned to love a wide variety of music, picking up the guitar at the age of 13. After she spent a rough period combating substance abuse and poverty, she gravitated toward blues and folk and relocated to California, traveling between San Francisco and San Diego before settling in Venice Beach. Adopting the performing name Sunny War, she'd sometimes moonlight with her punk side band Anus Kings, but it was her folk-blues showcased on a self-released album that gained notice from local scenesters -- including critics at LA Weekly -- in 2009, the same year she signed a publishing deal with BMI and a promotional deal with Gibson Guitars. After a few years, she released her official debut, Worthless, which appeared in 2014. A second independent record, Red White and Blue, arrived in 2016. Sunny War signed with Hen House Studios for 2018's With the Sun, a record that also included cameos from Micah Nelson's Insects vs. Robots band. After that album, she moved from Venice Beach to downtown Los Angeles, quickly delivering her next LP, Shell of a Girl, the following year. The album was preceded by the single "The Place," a collaboration with French-born singer/songwriter Edith Crash. After releasing the EP Can I Sit with You? in 2020, she independently issued the Simple Syrup album in March 2021. War signed to New West in 2022, releasing the singles "No Reason" and "Higher" before the album Anarchist Gospel appeared in early 2023. Produced by Andrija Tokic, the album melded subtle atmospheric touches with songs exploring Ward's inner struggles with self-destruction and order.

Swayyvo (Jerod Morton)

Chattanooga, Tennessee has given rise to a host of hip-hop musicians and producers using the blood and sweat born from Southern experience and memory. Tackling the expanding passages of modern rap music with an eye toward its jazz, neo soul and heavy 90s hiphop influences, Swayyvo (born Jerod Morton) has been breaking down the barriers between various genres for years and reinventing his sound and ear consistently. Sought after for both his virtuosic saxophone stylings and his knack for arranging unique and complex beat-driven movements without sacrificing his own individuality, Swayyvo has given Chattanooga's hip-hop scene a sustained direction in which to grow. Swayyvo has been seen collaborating with brands such a NBA, NFL, Nickelodeon, Vayner Media, and dozens of artists such as K Camp, Yung Bleu, YGTUT, Project Pat, Sy Ari Da Kid, and Earth Gang.