Many thanks to all of you -- especially donors Michael Reyes, Case C., Joe Schipani, Muhammad Balagamwala, Doris Lee, Kristi Jackson, David Oleniczak, Charlotte Brown, Lewis Otieno, Stanley Amaya, and Rajkumar Kaliaperumal -- joining us on April 3rd!

For those of you who couldn't RSVP in time to make it, please join the TEDxHouston mailing list at http://j.mp/TEDxHOU to be the first to hear about future events!

Disruption is usually unwelcome. It represents conflict, chaos, and potential danger. We discourage disruptive behavior in our homes and our societies, often favoring passivity and compliance.

But disruption can be a positive – sometimes vital – catalyst for change. It can challenge old assumptions, ignite conversations, activate authorities and expose new possibilities. Disruption can shed a unique light on difficult issues, giving a fresh urgency and perspective to the challenges of our global community. To solve the most intractable challenges in health and development, we need positive disruption -- it's the path to true progress.

TEDxChange 2013 is a TEDx event co-organized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and TED. Convened by Melinda French Gates and hosted by Chris Anderson, TEDxChange will focus on issues surrounding global health and development. TEDxChange type events are TEDx events hosted around the live webcast of TEDxChange, and also feature local speakers.

TEDxHoustonChange comes to you from the TEDxHouston curators, and is one of many TEDx events happening around the globe on April 3rd that will expand on the ideas brought up at TEDxChange 2013. We will also bring some of Houston's world-changing Disruptors, big thinkers and innovators to the stage on April 3rd to discuss what we're doing locally to create global impact.

Many thanks to CT. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, and Hesam Panahi for their sponsorship and support of this event!