Looking For Love Again: Abandoned Buildings That Ask Cities For Renewal

From a member of the Little Rock Nine to the award-winning author of one of the country’s most challenged books, these 12 top Black History Month speakers show us how to honor the legacy and history of Black communities across America.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Lavin’s cutting-edge speakers offer new perspectives on the 2024 theme: “Where to Start: Mental Health in a Changing World.” They reveal how to become your own best coach (instead of your worst critic), how to design cities that bring us together, and more.
Every Juneteenth, we commemorate the end of slavery, reflect on the progress we’ve made, and commit to our ongoing fight for true freedom and racial justice. Our brilliant speakers—including the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of On Juneteenth—illuminate the history and importance of this celebration.
Artificial Intelligence is disrupting our entire economy, which means that smart companies have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to consolidate power today, says AI leadership speaker Ajay Agrawal. As the founder of the Creative Destruction Lab, the largest incubator of AI startups on the planet, Ajay shows leaders like you practical ways to get ahead—and stay ahead—in the AI future.
Lavin is proud to welcome new exclusive speaker Clint Smith, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller How the Word Is Passed. In talks, he offers a compelling exploration of how the legacy of slavery continues to shape our cities, our policies, and the stories we tell—and how we can work towards a more equitable story for everyone.
The legacy of slavery still shapes our cities, roads, and stories today. Understanding our history will help us make sense of our world—and fight for a better one.
World-renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky was awarded a Sony World Photography Prize for outstanding contribution to photography, and he dedicated the award to the Ukrainian photographers diligently documenting the war launched by Vladimir Putin. At the event, Edward said: “As a Canadian-Ukrainian, I would like to share this award with the artists of Ukraine, many of […]
The city you live in has a powerful effect on how you behave. How, then, do we design happy cities?
To save our democracy, we must invest in our cities, our people, and our institutions today.
This year has been an unforgettable one, to say the least. Marked by a global pandemic, a worldwide call for racial justice, and the worst economic recession we’ve seen since the Great Depression, 2020 also happens to fall on an election year. Soon, we will decide on the next President of the United States—a decision […]
Lavin’s Top 10 Social Activist Speakers are the thought-leaders and advocates pushing for a better world. Whether it’s through art, history, education, or humanitarian efforts, these speakers are not only calling for change, but actively making it happen. LaToya Ruby Frazier: LaToya Ruby Frazier treats art as activism. With her powerful images of post-industrial towns […]
Everyone wants to be happy and healthy—but it doesn’t come easy. The pressure of performing well at work and having a fulfilling personal life can often be hard to manage—and that’s where Lavin’s Top Happiness & Wellness Speakers come in. Experts in how to actively enhance our inner lives and outer selves, they inspire audiences […]
The last time Rick Mercer hosted the iconic comedy showcase was a whopping 16 years ago. On October 23rd, he will pick the mic up once again, kicking off a cross-country tour starting in NewFoundland and ending in British Columbia. Last year, Rick Mercer said goodbye to his beloved CBC program The Rick Mercer Report […]
This year Titus Kaphar and Vijay Gupta join a whopping SIX other Lavin Speakers in receiving MacArthur “Genius” Grants—a prestigious honor awarded to those who are forging truly significant progress towards “building a more just, verdant and peaceful world.” Get to know Lavin’s “geniuses”: Titus Kaphar’s sculptures, paintings, and installations create new and striking ways […]
“Libraries don’t just provide free access to books and other cultural materials,” says sociologist, bestselling author, and speaker Eric Klinenberg, whose just-released book, Palaces for the People, excerpted in The New York Times Opinion section this week, makes the compelling case that libraries, parks, churches, and other community spaces, are absolutely crucial to the future of American […]
The question of who you think you are is inextricably linked to what you think you are. That is, what gender, religion, race, nationality, class, culture. In Kwame Anthony Appiah’s latest book, The Lies That Bind, the celebrated philosopher and bestselling author explores, disarms, and repositions the collective, contradictory identities that are responsible not only […]
Consider the possibility of handling the everyday challenges of work, school, city dwelling, and creative pursuits with nothing more than your own mind. Speakers Daniel Lerner, Emily Esfahani Smith, and Charles Montgomery lay out straightforward actions towards living well, avoiding burnout, and maintaining your performance at work. Happiness is just one part of it. Daniel Lerner: Balancing Passion with Everything Else Sometimes it seems […]