Talkin’ TED: Which Lexingtonian’s TED Talk Would You Want to Watch?

Lexington native and pioneering artist Amanda Palmer will be one of the 70 speakers at

According to Palmer’s microbio on the TED website, the “alt-rock icon … believes digital content should be free, and that artists should be directly supported by fans via a ‘patronage’ model.”

A musician who gained fame with the Dresden Dolls, Palmer grabbed headlines recently for the über-successful Kickstarter campaign for her latest musical project. Her upcoming TED talk could in some form delve into crowdsourcing and sharing on the Internet.

But TED talks famously cover all subjects, featuring innovators and influentials with “ideas worth spreading.” Diverse as they are, one thing the presenters have in common is that they all have a story to share.

And Lexington – the “Birthplace of American Liberty” and, more recently, of entertainers and innovators – has had its share of residents with worthwhile ideas and stories to tell.

So with that in mind, we want to know, Which Lexingtonian, past or present, would you like to see deliver a TED talk?

Would it be one of the town’s founders, benefactors or someone from revolutionary times, like Capt. Parker? The famously rooted, like Palmer or Bill McKibben? Or someone infamous, like Charles Ponzi? A modern transplant, perhaps, who moved here for the proximity to a burgeoning business or educational institution? Or would it be an inspiring teacher, local official, municipal worker or entrepreneur?