TEDxKC -- Patrick Meier -- Changing The World, One Map At A Time

Maps have always been a source of fascination and intrigue. Today's maps, however, can also help to save lives during disasters, document human rights abuses and monitor elections in countries under repressive rule. This presentation will explain how today's live maps can combine crowds and clouds to drive social change. Patrick Meier is Director of Crisis Mapping at Ushahidi—a non-profit technology company voted by MIT's Technology Review as one of the 50 most innovative companies in the world alongside Facebook. Patrick is also co-founder of the International Network of Crisis Mappers and previously co-directed Harvard University's Program on Crisis Mapping and Early Warning. This year's TEDxKC program, If Only. Only If., examines how radical collaboration, transparency and an open-source mind-set are shaping our world. More information about TEDxKC can be found at: http://www.TEDxKC.org 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)