As the school year winds down, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about your events for the Fall 2023 semester. Lavin’s speakers explore topics that matter to college audiences—from pop culture to inclusion to working through your climate anxiety—and inspire people of all ages to think more deeply. Drawing on their unique expertise, our speakers make the most crucial topics of today accessible to everyone, sparking conversation and helping us look at these ideas in a new way. Â
Kwame Anthony Appiah challenges us to look beyond the boundaries that divide us, and find a common ethical ground in a world of division. Drawing on his work as The Ethicist for The New York Times Magazine, he shows us how to develop a new morality that celebrates our common humanity while still embracing our differences and diverse identities.
Chuck Klosterman is our most insightful and hilarious guide to culture—pop culture. He’s investigating the biggest pop culture phenomena of our time, showing how pop culture is actually a conversation that anyone can engage in. In his instant New York Times bestselling books and brilliant talks, Chuck both entertains and informs audiences on our unique cultural moment.Â
Britt Wray knows that our anxieties around climate change have never been more overwhelming—but she argues that they’re also the key to saving the planet. In her talks, Britt draws on her scientific research and her book Generation Dread to show us how we can work through our emotions to find purpose, avoid burnout, and fight for a more sustainable future.
Heather McGhee says that racism is profoundly damaging for us all, not only for people of color — which means that when we tackle inequality, we create a better future for everyone. Drawing on her New York Times bestseller The Sum of Us, plus her Young Readers edition and crucial podcast, she charts a hopeful path towards a better future and challenges us to fight for justice.
Steven Pinker is one of the world’s foremost thinkers, acclaimed by the likes of TIME and Bill Gates. In his latest book Rationality, he rejects the idea that humans are inherently irrational. We all possess reason, he says, which is why the world is actually getting better, not worse. He shows how we can leverage this rationality to find hope and continue creating a better future.
Megan Phelps-Roper was raised within the infamously intolerant Westboro Baptist Church. But she left when she realized another world was possible: one where empathy overcomes hate. In talks, she draws on her book Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church to show how we can bridge divides and expand our worldviews through compassion.
Anthony Jack says that getting into college is only half the battle. Once students enter college, we need to make sure that they have the support and inclusion they need to really succeed. A Harvard professor and author of The Privileged Poor, Anthony shows how we can break down the barriers to success on campus and make sure everyone has the same chance to thrive.Â
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz says that for life’s biggest questions, we can’t trust our often-flawed instinct. When we look at the data instead, we can make better decisions—and even get happier. Seth is a New York Times bestselling author and former Google data scientist. He shows us how developing a data-driven mindset can help us use all the information we have at our fingertips.
