Speak On It

SXSW's first round of featured conference speakers for 2024 include Rosario Dawson and more

Priyanka Chopra was one of the most talked-about speakers during the 2023 SXSW Conference.

Photo by Miguel Esparza

Don't panic, but South by Southwest (SXSW) is already making announcements about 2024's lineup. We know you still have to brave the Austin City Limits Festival, the Austin Food & Wine Festival, your holiday shopping, and your whole new-year-new-you shtick. But hopefully looking forward to these big-name speakers in March will give you the strength to carry on.

SXSW announced yesterday its first round of featured conference speakers for 2024. Although round after round of announcements can be fatiguing, it's necessary to make any sense of the massive lineup. This conference is the 38th and will feature notable people in technology, film, television, and music.

From there, the categories are further divided into 24 programming tracks. This year they will include 2050, Artificial Intelligence, Climate Change, Creator Economy, Film & TV Industry, Psychedelics, Transportation, and more. Festival performances are fun to see, but conference talks are where most of the learning happens. And it's not all dry business talk; Last year, influencer Alexis Nikole Nelson (a.k.a. BlackForager) taught attendees how to forage yummy plants.

“Whether it’s how AI will change the way we create, or how storytelling can further amplify voices that fully represent our communities, at SXSW we’re constantly discussing how the future will impact our world,” said SXSW Chief Programming Officer and Co-President Hugh Forrest in the announcement.

“Ranging from Peter Deng to Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, to Amy Webb, our first group of Featured Speakers includes world-renowned experts who can provide answers to the many questions posed by these fast-developing industries,” he continued.

The following featured speaker sessions constituted the initial announcement (edited for brevity):

AI and Humanity’s Co-evolution with OpenAI’s Head of ChatGPT: Venture Partner at SignalFire Josh Constine and OpenAI's VP of Consumer Product and Head of ChatGPT Peter Deng will explore the role of humans in the age of AI.
Amy Webb Launches 2024 Emerging Tech Trend Report: CEO of the Future Today Institute and professor at NYU Stern School of Business Amy Webb will provide a data-driven analysis for the emerging tech trends that need to be on your radar this year.
Building the Next Era of the Internet: Author, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, and founder and Managing Partner at a16z crypto Chris Dixon reflects on the history of the internet and how it’s brought us to the precipice of a more democratic internet.
A Conversation with Alex Cooper and Matt Kaplan: Creator, Host, and Executive Producer of the podcast Call Her DaddyAlex Cooper and founder and CEO of ACE Entertainment Matt Kaplan discuss their latest Gen Z media venture and production company – Trending – for an independent, resourceful, and inclusive generation.
Dichotomies: Visions of Technology’s Role in Divergent Futures: Deloitte Consulting’s Chief Futurist Mike Bechtel will share stories about how next-gen tech can both help and hinder our progress towards a more digitally connected society.
Keep It Weird: AI is a Tool For Creativity: Principal Designer for Emerging Design, AI/ML at Adobe Brooke Hopper and author, Host of the Webby Award-winning podcast Design Matters and co-owner and Editorial Director of PrintMag.com Debbie Millman as they discuss using generative AI creatively.
Masterclass: Storytelling for Social Impact: Five-time #1 New York Times bestselling author and Director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Publisher and General Manager of The EmancipatorAmber Payne discuss their experience using storytelling to confront racial injustice in America.
The Science & Craft of Storytelling: How to Make People Care: Filmmaker and founder and CEO of Creative Breed Cheryl Miller Houser will offer a 3-step storytelling method grounded in the science and craft of storytelling.
Tim Ferriss and Kevin Rose: The Random Show!: Investor and five-time #1 New York Times bestselling author Tim Ferriss and serial entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder and CEO of PROOF Kevin Rose join together for a live recording of The Random Show for Tim’s podcast!
Women Who Embody Revolution Through Storytelling: Actress, producer, activist, and founder of The Rio Dawn Foundation Rosario Dawson, tribal attorney and founder of the Giniw Collective Tara Houska, musician and filmmaker Gingger Shankar, and co-founder and Executive Director of One Earth Justin Winters discuss their new storytelling collective Little Indian Girl.
One final, unspecified session features author, co-founder of THINX, and co-founder, CEO, and Chief Community Architect of Daybreaker Radha Agrawal.

SXSW will be held across many venues in Austin from March 8-16. Registration for badges (Music, Film & TV, Interactive, and Platinum) is open now at sxsw.com.

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A New Light

Wildflower Center's Luminations light show debuts new features in 2024

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Luminations

Photo by Theresa DiMenno

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is bringing back Luminations with some new elements.

A South Austin holiday tradition is sprouting a little differently this year at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Luminations, an immersive light installation, is bringing new art and adding access to a separate installation to keep things growing fresh year after year.

The 2024 show runs from November 22, 2024, to January 5, 2025. The family-friendly exhibition will show off work by local designers alongside food truck vendors and three full-service bars.

Austinites who haven't been to Luminations may still recognize it from social media photos. The glowing O-shaped swings are hands-down the most popular exhibit to photograph since they are interactive, but other popular ones include an array of color-changing discs to step on and a herd of rainbow, origami-like deer.

A few elements are new this year.

A new location
No sane event organizer would leave the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center; actually, the installation is now even closer, taking place in the main gardens. According to a release, this was to make the path more walkable, which in turn allows guests to feel more immersed. It already was a walking exhibit last year, but it was spread out across nearly two miles. Neither the website nor the release offer an updated distance estimate, but the website does show a map.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Luminations map Here's where Luminations is held now.wildflower.org

New art
The release promises "interactive opportunities and never-before-seen light installations." Of course, it doesn't give it all away before people get to see it. But potential visitors can get an idea by of what's in store by checking out other work by the six designers who contributed this year: APM Designs, ASA Designs, Cicada Designs, Dada Labs, Holiday Lighting Designs and Ion Art Designs.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Luminations These swings are always a big hit, and they appear to be on the map again this year.Photo by Ann Alva Wieding

“We work closely with local Austin designers to make our light show special, and there’s something surprising and different every year,” said the Wildflower Center's director of hospitality, Erika Tucker, in the release.

A trip to Fortlandia
Another one of the Wildflower Center's interactive projects, Fortlandia, is now right next to Luminations. For Fortlandia, local designers — including one that crosses over with Luminations, Ion Art — designed children's playscapes that push traditional playground boundaries. These modern forts aren't just beautiful to look at, but extra fun to play in thanks to the novelty.

This fun fort is part of Fortlandia.Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center/Instagram

Since it will be dark out during the light show, Fortlandia will also have its own lighting. Additionally, keeping kids entertained at Fortlandia might give parents a bit more time to appreciate the art in Luminations.

The goal is the same
Although some aspects of Luminations are new this year, it fills the darker days of winter, gets people to visit the Wildflower Center in the off-season, and it benefits the center's conservation work.

Throughout the year, the center conducts research on protecting native ecosystems, cultivates rare plants, maintains a seed bank, educates Texans on how to foster native plant life, and even helps plan eco-friendly projects for outside clients using its own findings.

Last month, the center announced planned updates to its 284 acres of gardens.

Tickets to Luminations ( $28 for adults, $18 for youth) are required for entry. Reserved parking is available at an additional cost. The entrance to the exhibit is located at 4801 LaCrosse Ave.

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