SXSW Additions: Cecile Richards & More

The Forrest Four-Cast: February 8, 2017

Yesterday, SXSW announced many additions to an already impressive Keynote and Featured Speaker lineup. 15 of the most intriguing names from the big Tuesday, February 7 release are as follows:

1. Buzz Aldrin. The engineer and former astronaut known for his historic Apollo 11 moonwalk, Aldrin will be interviewed by Jeffrey Kluger (Editor at Large for Time) on Tuesday, March 14.
2. Cory Booker. The Senator from New Jersey is the event’s Opening Speaker on Friday, March 10. This will be Booker’s second time to participate in March Magic in Austin. His inspiring Long Center presentation from a few years back earned him the honor of “Speaker of the Event” at the 2013 event.
3. John Cena. A WWE superstar, actor, television host and champion of the Make-a-Wish charity, Cena returns to SXSW on Monday, March 13.
4. Lili Cheng. The pros and cons of AI will be one of the biggest talking points at this year’s event. The General Manager of Artificial Intelligence and Research at Microsoft, Cheng will be part of the “Inside Bots” session on Sunday, March 12.
5. Julia-Louis Dreyfus. The Veep star adds to the increased focus on politics at the 2017 event. Catch her session on Monday, March 13.
6. Sarah Kate Ellis. As President of GLAAD, Ellis leads the world’s leading LGBTQ media advocacy organization. On Friday, March 10 at SXSW, she and Tinder’s Sean Rad will talk about the need to create more inclusive online ecosystems.
7. Tim Ferriss. The initial push for “The Four Work Week” was hatched after Ferris spoke at SXSW 2007. A decade later, he has another best-selling book and one of the world’s most popular podcasts. For this Friday, March 10 session, he interviews “Wild” author (and fellow podcaster) Cheryl Strayed.
8. Mick Fleetwood. On Wednesday, March 15, the founder of one of the most successful bands of the last fifty years will be interviewed by Rolling Stone’s David Fricke as part of the “Music Influencers” track.
9. Kesha. The global pop star and outspoken advocate against bullying, sits down with Refinery29’s Chief Content Officer Amy Emmerich for a conversation about how women must reclaim their domain, taking ownership of their lives online — and in real life. Scheduled for Tuesday, March 14.
10. Cecile Richards. What happens to Planned Parenthood funding over the next four years? On Friday, March 10, The President of this organization, Cecile Richards (pictured above), discusses the future with Tumbler’s David Karp. SXSW historians will remember that her mother Ann was the keynote speaker at the 1992 event.
11. Chris Sacca. One of the world’s most successful and influential startup investors, Sacca is now part of the Shark Tank crew. Hear him speak on Saturday, March 11.
12. Jessica Shortall. At Texas Competes, Shortfall is one of the leading voices against a Lone Star version of the Bathroom Bill. Her keynote speech on Sunday, March 12 will discuss the moral as well as the economic case for LGBT equality.
13. Bruce Sterling. One of the world’s most insightful futurists, Sterling delivers his bittersweet reflections on the current state of technology and the current state of the world on Tuesday, March 14.
14. Jake Tapper. This CNN co-host (and frequent Kellyanne Conway sparring partner) is one of many top-level news personalities participating in the 2017 event. Tapper interviews General Paul Selva, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Friday, March 10.
15. Cindy Wilson. In the 1980s, she was a founding member of wacky new wave rock band The B-52s. Her new solo project takes her music in a completely new direction. Hear Wilson reflect on her impressive career on Friday, March 17.

Be part of March Magic in Austin by registering for SXSW. Save $100 on walkup badge fees if you purchase before end of day on Friday, February 10. Watch this video to understand the 2017 badge system.

Hugh Forrest tries to write four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts generally cover technology-related trends. When not attempting to wordsmith or meditating, he serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW in Austin.