TEDxJohannesburg Women: Blueprint

Blueprint addresses women as constellations. Women as architects.

TEDxJohannesburg Women: Blueprint centres on the paradigm of "every woman" as both a unifying principle and a lens for intersectional inquiry. It engages not with a singular or compartmentalised notion of womanhood, but with the complex, intersecting identities that women inhabit in full.

Across science, entrepreneurship, activism, art and strategy, our speakers will share ideas grounded in expertise and lived experience. Each talk offers a different perspective on what it means to challenge inherited patterns, create new possibilities, and leave a blueprint others can build on. The theme recognises that no person is defined by a single role or story. Every individual is a constellation of experiences, identities, ambitions and contradictions. Blueprint creates space for this multiplicity, presenting stories that are thoughtful and deeply human. This reflects the event’s broader framing of women as “constellations and architects” and its intention to celebrate their multiplicity and wholeness. Each speaker holds depth and conviction. They are women who do not merely occupy their fields but actively shape them, bringing both expertise and a clearly articulated sense of purpose to their work.

The TEDxJohannesburg team invites you to experience a day where ideas, art and human connection come together. The programme will unfold across three curated sessions featuring 13 speakers, spoken-word and live musical performances, and short video interstitials that create moments for reflection. Between sessions, conversation breaks, and a shared lunch will invite guests to connect with the ideas, the speakers and one another.

Join us as we question the patterns we have inherited, celebrate the people creating new possibilities and discover the blueprints shaping our collective future.

Speakers:

Lezanne Viviers | Conceptual fashion designer & founder of Viviers

Zoë Modiga | Multi-award-winning songstress and performer

Bonita Meyersfeld | Human rights lawyer working in areas of international law, gender justice, and business and human rights

Refiloe Lepere | Researcher, transdisciplinary gender scholar, performer, storyteller, and theatre-maker

Sindi Mabaso-Koyana | Chairperson of MTN and the founder of the African Women Chartered Accountants

vuyo viwe | Flautist, composer, vocalist

Tinyiko Makwakwa | Artist

Angela Yeung | Award-winning jewellery designer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, author and mountaineer