Pop Culture Is Culture

Chuck Klosterman has been hailed by the likes of Stephen King and Bret Easton Ellis as one of our most insightful guides to pop culture. In hilarious, unpretentious talks, this New York Times bestselling author shows how culture is a conversation that anyone can engage in. He reveals how the music, art, and writing that we overlook hold the keys to understanding—and participating in—our unique cultural moment.

Humor Can Bridge Our Deepest Divides

Muslim comedian Negin Farsad is at the forefront of social justice comedy—a field that she insists totally exists (or should). The author of How to Make White People Laugh and director of The Muslims Are Coming!, Negin uses laughter to bridge the gap between “us” and “them.” In fresh, accessible talks, she shows us how to use humor to change the narrative, fight Islamophobia and other forms of hatred, and learn to laugh together.

We Must Build a Campus Where Everyone Can Thrive

Colleges are accepting a more diverse student body than ever before. But not all of them are equipped to help these students succeed. As the author of The Privileged Poor and the forthcoming Class Dismissed (and former first-generation student), Boston University professor Anthony Jack shows what schools need to do so that students can get the most from their experience and leave ready to thrive in the world beyond.

Images Can Spark a Movement Towards Racial Justice

We are constantly bombarded by images of every kind. If we learn to think critically about the stories they’re telling, we can use them to build a better, more equitable story for the future. The founder of Vision & Justice, Sarah Elizabeth Lewis shows how images can shift our cultural narratives to ensure everyone is fully seen: “Where we once blocked our rightful view of one another, we now have the means to build windows.”

We Can Be Fully Human in a World of Technology

Technology, once a force for human connection, now isolates and represses us. But it’s not too late to turn back and remake society like the team we are. Douglas Rushkoff—bestselling author of Team Human, Program or Be Programmed, and many more—shows us how we can embrace autonomy, community, and humanity in our digital age: not by rejecting progress, but by taking control of it so it serves us all.

Tap Into High Performance by Talking to Yourself

The voice inside your head can be your worst critic—or your best coach. Psychologist and University of Michigan professor Ethan Kross can show you how to make it work for you rather than against you. Drawing on his book Chatter, which grit pioneer Angela Duckworth calls “a masterpiece,” he offers practical and surprisingly simple strategies that can help you build resilience, avoid burnout, and reach your full potential.

Invest In Hope—And in the Fight for a Better America

It’s easy to give up on the fight for true diversity. But Wajahat Ali says that if we invest in hope, we can still create the future we want. In talks, Waj draws on his memoir Go Back to Where You Came From—a funny and deeply personal look into growing up as a Pakistani-American Muslim—to merge inclusion with storytelling and laughter. “Because boring an audience is a sin, I think, in all world religions!”

Your Climate Anxiety Can Help Save the Planet

Worries about the climate have never been more widespread. But Britt Wray, author of Generation Dread, has good news: Our “eco-distress” is the key to finding purpose and making real change. Wrestling through our inertia and messy emotions—”rolling up your sleeves, getting clear-eyed, being convicted and courageous”—is how we create the conditions to have real hope, take action and save our future.

Overcoming the Mental Health Crisis On Campus

“There’s a real mental health crisis in college, and it’s getting worse,” says positive psychologist Dan Lerner. “But there are ways for students to navigate it.” As author of U Thrive and instructor of the wildly popular NYU course “The Science of Happiness,” Dan helps students normalize mental health struggles, set realistic expectations, and build strong relationships—equipping them with the tools they need to thrive.

Anxiety Feels Bad, but It’s Actually Good for You

“Anxiety exists in the space between where we are now and where we want to be,” says Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, psychology and neuroscience professor and author of Future Tense. Tracy proves that although anxiety may feel bad, it’s actually a normal response to an uncertain (but hopeful) future—and an essential tool for increasing grit, finding purpose, and prioritizing what really matters in life.