Play Music and Fight Crime: Mike de la Rocha at TEDxVeniceBeach

Mike de la Rocha is a musician, author and speaker in the fields of criminal justice, spirituality and self-development. He uses music as a way to stimulate conversation, build community and inspire the public imagination around issues of change and transformation. With more than 15 years experience advancing public policy and empowering community stakeholders, Mike has facilitated strategic coalition-building efforts, drafted groundbreaking legislation and implemented innovative youth development programs nationally and internationally. He is currently the Director of Strategic Partnerships in Los Angeles for Californians for Safety and Justice and advises members of the United States Congress and other state and local elected officials on criminal justice issues. In 2012, Mike merged his love of politics and music by creating The Living Rooms Across America Tour, an annual, nationwide tour that utilizes music as a vehicle to shift the public conversation around violence.

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)