The Surem - Stories of the beginning: Marcelino Flores at TEDxTucson 2013

An enrolled Tribal member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Marcelino is comprehensively familiar with opportunities and issues associated with economic development related activities. He has served as the Pascua Yaqui Tribe jurisdictional representative at the Pima Association of Governments Environmental Planning Advisory Committee for over seven years. Within the Tribe, he was involved in researching CAP/TAMA history, renewable energies, and water conservation technologies. He has received specific training from the Bureau of Reclamation, National Renewable Energy Lab, and Economic Development Institute. Moreover, with Tribal support, he is actively pursuing certification as an economic developer as accredited by the International Economic Development Council. Fittingly, he is passionate in achieving local self-sufficiency and regional balance linking resource management, emerging technologies, and regional economic development. As an artist, his goal is to highlight lesser-known facets of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and their symbiotic link to the Sonoran desert.

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)