The The Curious Curious 100 100

Founder and executive director of Girls Garage, Emily Pilloton-Lam created the nonprofit to empower young women and gender-expansive youth to design and build pro-bono architecture projects in and for their communities. As an architectural designer, builder, educator, and author, her work, at its core, focuses on social and spatial justice, fusing design with hands-on construction.

Pilloton-Lam has been featured on platforms like TED, The Colbert Report, and the documentary If You Build It, and has taught at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and Stanford.

Wendy MacNaughton is an artist, graphic journalist, educator, and proud member of the LGBTQ community who firmly believes drawing is a necessary tool for nurturing human connection. With a background in art, social work, and storytelling, her work inspires people to perceive the world, others, and themselves more deeply. MacNaughton has illustrated 12 books, including three New York Times bestsellers, and has produced visual stories everywhere from Guantanamo Bay to high school cafeterias. Through DrawTogether, a joyful, socially engaged educational project that includes a drawing show, podcast, and publication, MacNaughton empowers kids and adults to use art to connect with the world and each other. Its nonprofit arm, DrawTogether Classrooms, provides free arts and social-emotional learning resources for educators.

Dave Fleischer is a strategist who transformed political outreach through deep canvassing, a never-before-seen approach to changing hearts, habits, and minds on challenging social issues. As director of the Leadership LAB at the Los Angeles LGBT Center for 14 years, he developed this groundbreaking method, whose remarkable effectiveness was validated in a landmark 2016 Science journal study.

Through his work with the LGBTQ Connection PAC, Industrial Areas Foundation, Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, and National LGBTQ Task Force, Fleischer has built powerful coalitions to advance LGBTQ rights and increase voter engagement in diverse communities. His expertise in organizing and training has equipped countless advocates with tools to create meaningful social change, particularly in defeating anti-LGBTQ ballot measures. A graduate of Rice University and Harvard Law School, Fleischer continues to demonstrate how authentic conversation can transform communities.

Marika Shioiri-Clark is a designer and social impact leader dedicated to fostering resilient, creative communities and empowering families to thrive. Trained as an architect and urban designer, she co-founded the nonprofit MASS Design Group while at Harvard Design School and lived in Rwanda to design and oversee construction of the Butaro District Hospital in collaboration with Partners In Health. As a global design fellow with IDEO.org, Shioiri-Clark worked on projects such as an early childhood development platform with the Bezos Family Foundation and a sanitation enterprise in Ghana. Her work with the Nike Foundation reimagined safe spaces for girls in Nigeria and Ethiopia, and she designed early learning programs for refugee families with the International Rescue Committee. Now based in Cleveland, Shioiri-Clark leads creative neighborhood development in Hingetown, working on historic renovations, public art projects, and community spaces.

Rev. Jen Bailey is a public theologian, strategist, and minister rooted in a lineage of remarkable Black women of faith. She founded Faith Matters Network, a Womanist-led organization supporting spiritually grounded leaders in healing themselves and their communities, and co-founded The People’s Supper, fostering connections across differences through over 2,000 shared meals globally.

As executive director of the Dan and Margaret Maddox Fund, Rev. Bailey works to create systems where young people and the planet thrive. An Ashoka Fellow and Truman Scholar, she earned degrees from Tufts University and Vanderbilt Divinity School, where she received the Wilbur F. Tillett Prize.

An ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, her work has been featured on On Being, CBS This Morning, and the New York Times. Her book, To My Beloveds: Letters on Faith, Race, Loss, and Radical Hope, envisions a world where everyone feels seen, valued, and loved.

David Gabriner is a dedicated collector and archivist, preserving vital pieces of San Francisco’s cultural heritage, from rare Bay Area soul recordings to historic People’s Press materials. His enthusiasm for mechanical objects and local history morphs into conversations that connect communities and generations. Currently serving as fire captain on Berkeley’s Engine 5 and vice president of IAFF Local 1227, Gabriner combines his love for exploration with his role as chair of the Berkeley Fire Historical Committee. A husband and father of two, he delights in bringing people together to share stories, passions, and artifacts.

Jamie Blosser is an architect dedicated to equity in the arts. As CEO of the Midtown Arts and Design Alliance (MADA) in Santa Fe, she is leading the revitalization of 50,000 square feet of abandoned buildings into a vibrant community hub for cultural programming and creative workforce development.

Blosser also served as executive director of the Santa Fe Art Institute and was an Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow at the Ohkay Owingeh Housing Authority, where she co-founded the Sustainable Native Communities Collaborative, now the Sustainable Native Communities Lab at MASS Design Group.

A Harvard Loeb Fellow, Blosser has chaired the AIA Housing and Community Development Network and served as a United Nations delegate at Habitat III. She holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and remains committed to fostering inclusive, community-centered design.

Heather Fleming champions innovation and economic empowerment in Native communities as co-founder of Change Labs, an organization fostering entrepreneurship on the Navajo Nation. Her vision for sustainable growth and creative enterprise builds on a decade of leadership at Catapult Design, where she pioneered human-centered solutions for global challenges in rural electrification, water access, and food security. Drawing from her roots in small town New Mexico and experience in Silicon Valley, Fleming brings a unique approach to community development. Her contributions have earned recognition as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellow. Through her roles as entrepreneur, Stanford University lecturer, and advocate, Fleming continues to create avenues for equitable opportunities and sustainable economic growth in tribal communities, reconstructing the landscape of Native entrepreneurship.

Kamal Bell is a farmer, educator, and storyteller using agriculture as a powerful tool for community empowerment. He received his master’s in Agricultural Education from North Carolina A&T. Founded in 2014 during his undergraduate studies, Sankofa Farms is his platform for restoring and celebrating the African American agricultural legacy. An agricultural instructor and children’s book author of Akeem Keeps Bees, he introduces young minds to the magic of farming and environmental stewardship. Featured in over 25 media outlets, Bell’s work goes far beyond traditional farming. He’s creating a movement that connects agriculture with personal growth, cultural pride, and community sustainability. Through Sankofa Farms, Bell empowers people to see agriculture as a pathway to self-reliance, learning, and transformation one seed at a time.

Jocelyn Wyatt, CEO of Alight, empowers displaced and marginalized communities across more than 20 countries, providing services that restore dignity and create pathways to brighter futures. A social innovation leader, Wyatt connects design and social impact. Her leadership at Alight focuses on critical areas like refugee assistance, education, economic empowerment, and emergency response—turning humanitarian challenges into opportunities for human potential. Serving on boards of Marketplace, Airbnb.org, and IDEO.org, Wyatt builds teams that tackle complex global issues with creativity and heart. Wyatt creates life-altering solutions that honor the resilience and dreams of people navigating extraordinary circumstances.

Alua Arthur is a transformative voice reshaping how to understand life, death, and authentic living. As the nation’s most visible death doula and author of the New York Times bestseller Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End, she brings warmth and wisdom to life’s most profound conversations. A former attorney turned founder of Going with Grace, Arthur has trained over 2,750 death doulas across 55 countries, creating circles of care that span the globe. Her powerful TED Talk, Why Thinking About Death Helps You Live a Better Life, has been viewed by millions, while appearances on platforms from Disney’s Limitless to The New Yorker have brought her compassionate message to diverse audiences worldwide. Speaking at conferences, universities, and communities, Arthur shares insights that transform end-of-life planning into a celebration of living fully.

Architect and artist Jha D Amazi reimagines the ability public spaces have to honor diverse histories and inspire social change. As principal at MASS Design Group, Amazi leads the Public Memory and Memorials Lab, working with communities to create meaningful spaces that showcase stories often missing from our memorial landscape.

Amazi’s talents extend beyond architecture—as a spoken word artist and event producer, she creates vital platforms for LGBTQ+ communities of color. Recently appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Black Empowerment by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Amazi brings her expertise from Northeastern University and the University of Pennsylvania to shape more inclusive public spaces. Through her work, she demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform collective memory and empower communities for generations to come.

Yuria Celidwen, of Indigenous Nahua and Maya lineages, draws from her heritage of mystics and healers to explore the meeting of Indigenous studies, cultural psychology, and contemplative science. Her work centers on self-transcendence and its role in fostering ethics, compassion, and ecological reverence. She champions an “ethics of belonging,” linking personal and cultural narratives to address social and environmental justice.

At the United Nations, Celidwen advances Indigenous rights and the rights of Nature, spearheading initiatives like the first mindfulness and compassion training for UN staff. She teaches Indigenous spirituality, leads workshops on prosocial practices, and advocates for ecological and cultural revitalization. Affiliated with UC Berkeley, Celidwen researches Indigenous psychologies and contemplative practices while serving as a Senior Fellow at the Other & Belonging Institute. She also co-chairs the Indigenous Religious Traditions Unit of the American Academy of Religion. Through her work, Celidwen reclaims and revitalizes Indigenous wisdom for planetary well-being.

David C. Howse, 10th president of California College of the Arts (CCA), is working to expand the college’s impact, building vibrant communities, and championing the effective power of art and design. Formerly the vice president of the Office of the Arts at Emerson College, Howse secured $40 million to support crucial programs, particularly those advancing racial equity through creative expression like the Gaining Ground Fund. Howse’s commitment to cultural diplomacy was recognized when the French Government named him Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2023. An accomplished musician and connector, Howse links communities, industries, and ideas together, forming powerful initiatives and tools for social transformation.

Ai-jen Poo is a labor leader, community organizer, and advocate for women’s rights. As president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and executive director of Caring Across Generations, she has committed her career to uplifting caregivers and advancing equity. A nationally recognized expert, Poo authored The Age of Dignity and served as a commissioner on President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Among her accolades, Poo has been awarded Fortune’s World’s 50 Greatest Leaders, Time’s 100 Most Influential People, a MacArthur Genius Grant, and the Gleitsman Citizen Activist Award from Harvard Kennedy School.

Poo has spoken at events like the Aspen Ideas Festival and TEDWomen, and has appeared on PBS, Nightline, and popular podcasts including On Being and The Ezra Klein Show. A graduate of Columbia University, she holds honorary degrees from CUNY and The New School.

Prentis Hemphill, founder and director of The Embodiment Institute and The Black Embodiment Initiative and host of the Becoming the People podcast, challenges how we connect, heal, and create change. With a decade of experience bridging somatics and social movements, Hemphill has been a key voice in organizations like Black Lives Matter, where they served as Healing Justice Director. Their work has appeared in the New York Times and books like You Are Your Best Thing. A therapist, writer, and political organizer, Hemphill brings deep wisdom to understanding collective curing. Their upcoming book What It Takes to Heal promises to continue questioning how we think about personal and community transformation. When not inspiring change, they’re nurturing life on a small North Carolina farm with their partner, child, and two dogs.

Dr. BJ Miller, co-founder of Mettle Health, developed a deeply human-centered approach to medicine. He creates paths for both patients and caregivers to navigate the complex emotional, practical, and existential aspects of illness and disability. Drawing from his own experiences as a patient, Dr. Miller champions the power of sensory engagement, community connection, and present-moment awareness in crafting meaningful endings. His work spans all care settings, from hospitals to homes, while advocating for cultural change in how we approach aging and dying. As a Princeton graduate in art history, completing his MD at UCSF as a Regents’ Scholar, followed by training at Cottage Hospital and a fellowship at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Miller brings a more compassionate, holistic approach to healthcare.

Sola Biu Dokunmu is a dynamic strategist at the intersection of design and brand marketing. Throughout her career, she has consistently driven innovative storytelling and cultural strategies to reshape companies and challenge societal norms—a focus she continues to champion in her latest role as head of design marketing and experience at Block. Prior to this, Dokunmu was VP of global marketing and engagement at Amyris and head of design brand and communication at Airbnb, where she elevated design as a strategic differentiator. Dokunmu’s influence extends through her board service with the LA Design Festival and collaborations with organizations including Robinhood, Meta, SFMOMA’s SECA Council, the Institute of Black Imagination, and Stanford d.school. Across travel, beauty, fintech, and science sectors, Dokunmu demonstrates how thoughtful design and marketing can drive meaningful cultural change and transform businesses.

Judilee Reed is a leading voice in arts and culture who champions creatives across urban, rural, and tribal communities. As president & CEO of United States Artists, she builds on decades of experience strengthening support systems for artists nationwide. Reed’s journey, through influential roles at the William Penn Foundation and Surdna Foundation, has focused on advancing racial equity and cultural diversity in arts, culture, and public spaces. From managing the Cambodian Artists Project at the New England Foundation for the Arts to her pivotal work with Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC), she transforms conditions for artists whose work shapes our communities. Now based in Philadelphia after years in Boston and New York, Reed brings insights from her rural New Hampshire roots and studies in art history and business to foster creative ecosystems that enrich society.

Patrice Martin, cofounder and CEO of The Holding Co., is channeling her two decades of design innovation expertise—including her groundbreaking work as IDEO.org cofounder—into building a modern care system that works for everyone. Under Martin’s leadership, The Holding Co. is filling in the gaps within care, partnering with over 50 organizations to reimagine everything from financial caregiving to family mental health. Their latest venture, The Sandwich Club, helps the sandwich generation tackle caregiving with confidence. When Martin is not humanizing the care economy, she brings her passion for positive change to her local community, serving on the board of directors for San Francisco’s Dogpatch and NW Potrero Hill Green Benefit District, where she champions urban greening initiatives that make her neighborhood flourish.

Eric Liu dedicates himself to strengthening the civic culture of communities across the nation as the co-founder and CEO of Citizen University. The founding director of the Aspen Institute’s Citizenship & American Identity Program and an acclaimed author, his books include You’re More Powerful Than You Think and Become America. A graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School, Liu is a former White House speechwriter and deputy domestic policy adviser for President Bill Clinton. He also served on the Corporation for National and Community Service Board under President Barack Obama. Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Liu co-chairs its Our Common Purpose initiative on democratic citizenship. Based in Seattle, he co-founded the Alliance for Gun Responsibility and has served on state and local education and library boards. A civic innovator and Ashoka Fellow, Liu reminds communities of the importance behind connection and democratic power.

Dave Isay is the founder and president of StoryCorps, a New York Times bestselling author, the recipient of multiple Peabody Awards, and a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow. In 2003, he founded StoryCorps, an organization that has helped over 620,000 people record intimate conversations, fostering human connection and preserving stories for future generations. These conversations are housed at the Library of Congress, making it the largest collection of human voices ever gathered. Millions listen to StoryCorps’ weekly broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition, with stories also appearing in books, podcasts, and digital platforms.

In 2015, Isay received the $1 million TED Prize to further his vision of using storytelling to spark global change. His latest initiative, One Small Step, was featured on CBS’s 60 Minutes and seeks to bridge political divisions in the US.

Kyle Reis is a leader dedicated to fostering intentional connections and championing bold ideas. At TechSoup, a nonprofit social enterprise, Reis drives innovation to support the social sector. With a career rooted in philanthropy, he previously worked at the Ford Foundation and manages a justice-focused family foundation established by his grandparents.

Reis serves on the board of PRX, enriching lives through audio storytelling, and has held leadership roles with IDEO.org, Innovation Network, and PEAK Grantmaking. Passionate about collaboration, he melds design and philanthropy communities, contributing to a “design vanguard” of corporate and nonprofit leaders. Believing change happens at intersections, Reis thrives on connecting curious people and inspiring partnerships.

Rachel Perić is a mother and advocate for a world of less othering and more belonging. As executive director of Welcoming America, she empowers local leaders globally to reshape communities into spaces of true belonging and connection. Perić’s passion for this work is informed by her own family’s refugee journey, fueling her decade-long mission to expand the Welcomers movement, a network of everyday changemakers building bridges of understanding and inclusion. Perić brings this vision of radical welcome to her board service with the American Visionary Art Museum, Art and Remembrance, and RCUSA.

Anna Verghese spearheads the Audacious Project as executive director, where she has helped mobilize $5.9 billion toward transformative social change worldwide. Her journey in catalyzing bold ideas began as director of the annual $1M TED Prize, where she collaborated with visionaries like street artist JR and oceanographer Sylvia Earle, bringing their ambitious projects to life from the streets of Haiti and Palestine to the rich marine ecosystems of the Galapagos. Before shaping global initiatives at TED, she brought her talents to CNN, working alongside renowned journalist Christiane Amanpour. Through her leadership, Verghese continues to bridge groundbreaking ideas with the resources needed to create lasting impact on a global scale.

Writer, curator, and director at Gagosian, Antwaun Sargent is celebrated for his discernment of art through the lens of desire, identity, and representation. In 2019, he authored The New Black Vanguard: Photography between Art and Fashion and in 2020 edited Young, Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists. Sargent has organized exhibitions such as the Social Works and Social Abstraction series, and solo presentations for artists including Virgil Abloh, Derrick Adams, Awol Erizku, Lauren Halsey, and Tyler Mitchell. His work continues to focus on connecting art, fashion, and social commentary via the creativity of a new generation of artists.

Margot Lemaster, executive director of EngageNWA since 2017, has spearheaded Northwest Arkansas’s first strategic plan to bridge community divides, working tirelessly to create a more welcoming environment across sectors. Lemaster’s journey began with the Ozark Literacy Council, where she expanded programs and developed workplace literacy initiatives. With a master’s in international studies from the University of Oregon and experiences studying in France and West Africa, Lemaster brings a global perspective to local community building. She sees her work as a profound opportunity to nurture understanding and collaboration. By strategically connecting regional and national partners, Lemaster continues to weave a more inclusive social fabric, proving that community strength lies in welcoming our differences.

Eunice Lin Nichols, co-CEO of CoGenerate, dedicates her career to connecting ideas and people to solve complex social challenges. With over two decades of experience, Nichols has led initiatives like Generation to Generation and The Purpose Prize. Her work has positively impacted community engagement, from scaling Experience Corps to help children read by the third grade, to advancing multigenerational solutions that reimagine how we support each other. Recognized as a Next Avenue Influencer in Aging and honored with the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award, Nichols confronts how we understand community, collaboration, and collective potential, turning intergenerational connection into a formidable force for social change.

Leslie Berlin is a historian illuminating the stories behind Silicon Valley’s most notable minds. As founding executive director of the Steve Jobs Archive, Berlin is dedicated to preserving creative legacy. With over two decades of research, Berlin has chronicled tech culture’s evolution through books like Troublemakers: Silicon Valley’s Coming of Age and Make Something Wonderful: Steve Jobs in His Own Words. Her work as chair of Stanford University’s Silicon Valley Archives has made her a sought-after voice in synthesizing technological innovation. By highlighting Steve Jobs’s enduring principles of craft and curiosity, Berlin turns historical narratives into springboards for future innovation and a guide for young creatives. Through this archival work, Berlin fuses past achievements with emerging creative potential, showing that understanding history can unlock extraordinary futures.

Carla Fernandez, co-founder of The Dinner Party, has built a national network supporting young adult grievers, channeling personal pain into collective strength. An impact strategist and facilitator working through her design studio, Fernandez creates spaces that bring people together. Her work spans critical areas like climate change, democracy, and the arts, always centering the power of human connection. Recognized by the New York Times, NPR, and Oprah Daily, she’s a senior fellow at USC’s Annenberg School Innovation Lab and a NYU Social Entrepreneurship Scholar. Dividing her time between the Hudson Valley and Joshua Tree, Fernandez continues to investigate how we understand community, grief, and collective care; turning circles of support into catalysts for cultural change.

Ritesh Gupta is a designer, strategist, and educator with a passion for purpose-driven work. A Wieden+Kennedy alum and former director at two Shark Tank companies, he’s the founder of Useful School, design director at Hyperakt, and a volunteer for Where Are the Black Designers? Gupta has led impactful projects like rebranding a global nonprofit and redesigning an app that went on to become one of Apple’s favorites. Their clients include the New York Times and Working Not Working. With expertise spanning design, UX/UI, strategy, DEIB, and communications, Gupta blends creativity with intention. He leads rebrands, product designs, and workshops on financial wellness, decolonization, and organizational transformation, while mentoring others to do the same. An optimistic Indian-American, Gupta is dedicated to designing identities, websites, and apps that matter; building a more inclusive, innovative future.

Favianna Rodriguez is an artist and cultural strategist who sparks social change through art, activism, and entrepreneurship. Based in Oakland, her work confronts critical issues from migration and reproductive justice to climate change, while celebrating joy and healing to promote transformation.

As president and co-founder of The Center for Cultural Power, she builds vital ecosystems supporting BIPOC artists and cultural change. Her creative impact spans partnerships with major institutions like the Presidio Trust, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Ben & Jerry’s, Spotify, Old Navy, and Playboy, and her thought leadership has inspired audiences at the UN Climate Summit and Smithsonian. A recipient of fellowships from the Robert Rauschenberg, Atlantic, and Soros foundations, Rodriguez continues to unite art and social justice through initiatives like the Constellations Culture Change Fund.

Kelli Anderson is a design alchemist blurring the lines between design, publishing, and technology, creating interactive projects such as This Book Is a Camera, which transforms into a working camera; This Book Is a Planetarium, which houses paper devices, including a planetarium; and Alphabet in Motion, her upcoming book about typography. Anderson’s other projects include a viral paper record player and a New York Times parody with The Yes Men. Anderson’s design work features clients like NPR, MoMA, and Apple, while her Tinybop Human Body app fundamentally changed nonverbal medical communication. An educator and artist, Anderson has taught at NYU, Parsons, and Cooper Union, inspiring students to see design as a tool for connection and wonder. Her projects, supported by institutions like the Japan Foundation and the Exploratorium, invite us to reimagine the potential of everyday objects.

Mick Ebeling is an entrepreneur and humanitarian who reconstructs the impossible into reality. As the founder of Not Impossible Labs, Ebeling has spent over a decade creating life-changing solutions through projects like The Eyewriter, Project Daniel, and Music: Not Impossible. His innovations, recognized as TIME’s Best Inventions three times, embody his “Help One. Help Many.” philosophy, tackling humanity’s biggest challenges with creativity and purpose. His work led him to being named one of Fortune’s Top 50 World’s Greatest Leaders and honored with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award. Ebeling believes that storytelling has the power to drive meaningful change. A sought-after keynote speaker, he shares the journeys behind his projects, motivating audiences to release limiting beliefs. With every talk, Ebeling energizes people to take action so that they too can make their impossible NOT impossible.

Adrienne Benjamin is an Anishinaabe artist and cultural educator shaping conversations about Indigenous representation and equity. As a multifaceted creator, she channels her experiences as a special needs mother, GBS survivor, and modern Indigenous woman into powerful, socially conscious work. A passionate advocate for justice, Benjamin champions arts and education initiatives within the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and beyond. Benjamin’s work as Minnetonka Moccasin’s reconciliation advisor created avenues for Native artists to receive design fees and product royalties. An accomplished arts administrator and avid collector, Benjamin supports Indigenous and BIPOC artists, amplifying voices often marginalized in creative spaces. Her approach centers on restoring cultural dignity, challenging historical narratives, and creating genuine, respectful collaboration.

Erwin Hines is an artist and designer currently based in San Diego, with a focus on multidisciplinary work that fosters empathy and inclusion. He has led industry-defining projects for companies such as Google, Coach, Beats by Dre, Nike, and more. Through these experiences, Hines saw how the artifacts we create help shape people’s perception of the world and their place within it. This helped define the purpose of his work and distinct vision for a more equitable society through design of experience, space, and brand.

Juan Villanueva is a Peruvian typeface designer, letterer, and educator who brings creativity and inclusivity to the world of typography. As a senior type designer at Monotype, he shapes influential typefaces including Helvetica Now, Futura Now, and Walbaum, while crafting custom designs for global brands like Google, Microsoft, and Tencent. His passion for democratizing type design education shines through his role as co-founder of Type Electives, an online school reimagining typography education.

As founder of Type Crit Crew and former lead instructor at Type West Online, Villanueva champions accessible design education that emphasizes community and collaboration. He shares his expertise at international design conferences and created Typefaces as Cultural Objects, an archive celebrating Latin American designers’ contributions to typography. A graduate of Type@Cooper’s Extended program, Villanueva’s work bridges cultural heritage with contemporary design, making typography more accessible and representative of diverse voices.

Ari Melenciano is an artist and technologist whose work dissolves the boundaries between arts, technology, design, education, and culture. Through her multifaceted art practice, she explores everything from improvisational dance as ethnomusicological research to AI and botanical data as artistic mediums, with her work appearing in venues from Dubai’s Museum of the Future to the Studio Museum in Harlem. As founder of Afrotectopia, a dynamic social institution, Melenciano creates spaces where art, technology, and culture converge through festivals, think tanks, and educational programs. Her latest project, the art book Black Metal, emerged from a collaboration between Afrotectopia, MIT Media Lab, and NYU. A former creative technologist at Google’s Creative Lab, Melenciano brings her interdisciplinary approach to teaching at prestigious institutions like NYU and Parsons, continually pushing the boundaries of what’s possible at the core of creativity and technology.

Academy Award–winning production designer Hannah Beachler became the first African American to win an Oscar for her work on Black Panther, directed by Ryan Coogler, a longtime collaborator of hers. Most recently she designed No Sudden Move with director Steven Soderbergh, Dark Waters with director Todd Haynes, and Beyoncé’s highly-acclaimed visual album Lemonade, which earned Beachler an Emmy nomination, a Peabody Award, and an Art Directors Guild Award.

Beachler’s creative partnership with Beyoncé continued on the OTRII Tour, Black Is King, and the Renaissance Tour. In 2020, she also served as the lead curator and designer for The Met’s exhibit Before Yesterday We Could Fly: An Afrofuturist Period Room. Recently, she made her theatrical set design debut with The Wiz on Broadway and is currently working on the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone with director Gina Prince-Bythewood. Her artistry continues to pave the way for Black women behind the camera.

Tavares Strachan is an artist exploring the human experience through art, science, and politics. Born in Nassau, Bahamas, and educated at RISD and Yale, Strachan’s work challenges historical narratives and shines a light on hidden stories. Spanning disciplines from aeronautics to deep-sea exploration, Strachan’s art uses complex themes of displacement, aspiration, and cultural invisibility to create visual anthems. His neon sculptures and immersive installations speak to the most urgent social moments, mobilizing community through creativity. A MacArthur Fellow and recipient of numerous awards, Strachan has exhibited globally including the Venice Biennale, London’s Hayward Gallery, and MIT List Visual Arts Center, Cambridge. His practice creates emblematic experiences that question how we understand knowledge, identity, and human potential.

Dung Ngo is an author, publisher, and 20th-century design expert known for exploring the intersection of art, architecture, and culture. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of AUGUST Journal, a magazine that delves into the design and creativity of diverse places, and the publisher behind August Editions. A devoted collector of visual and material culture, Ngo’s work celebrates the beauty behind everyday objects. From 2006 to 2015, he served as the creative director and senior architecture editor at Rizzoli International, shaping conversations about design on a global stage. With a keen eye and love for travel, Ngo remains an insightful voice in the design community, inspiring others to look deeper at the world around them.

Emily Sara is an artist, designer, writer, organizer, and alt educator whose practice critically examines the Medical Industrial Complex (MIC) while specializing in accessible design.

Named a 2024 DF Fellow by the Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, and United States Artists, Sara’s work has earned recognition from institutions including Carnegie Museum of Art; Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; MoMA; Victoria and Albert Museum; and Yale University. She founded cripple, a publishing initiative that supports disabled and neurodivergent artists, and developed Stim Aesthetics, a theoretical framework exploring disability and neurodivergence in contemporary art.

Photo by Brittanny Taylor. Providence, Rhode Island.

Bing Chen, executive chairman and CEO of Gold House, champions multicultural creators and companies, building powerful platforms that unite, invest in, and elevate all diverse communities. After revolutionizing YouTube’s creator ecosystem as global head of creator development, Chen continues to break barriers. His work spans investing, technology, media leadership, and philanthropy, and extends through membership in influential organizations like the World Economic Forum, Young Presidents’ Organization, and as the managing director of AU Holdings. Recognized by Forbes, the Hollywood Reporter, the LA Times, and countless other prestigious institutions, Chen is more than an entrepreneur—he’s a bridge-builder. From Tennessee to Shanghai to the University of Pennsylvania, his journey reflects a commitment to connecting cultures and empowering creators and founders across continents.

Sanjit Sethi, president of Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), is leading the charge on fresh approaches that link art, leadership, and social change. With over two decades of experience, Sethi has created initiatives like the master’s in Creative Leadership, elevating MCAD’s local and national profile. His professional journey includes leadership roles at the Corcoran School of Arts and Design, where he championed institutional innovation and cultural equity. An accomplished artist, curator, and writer, Sethi’s projects, such as the Kuni Wada Bakery Remembrance and Richmond Voting Stories, showcase his ability to tell powerful stories across diverse media. Holding degrees from Alfred University, University of Georgia, and MIT and serving on boards of the Jerome Foundation and Artist Communities Alliance, Sethi continues to advance equity and its impact on communities in creative spaces.

Sarah Stein Greenberg reconceptualizes education at Stanford’s d.school. As executive director, she shapes how students think, create, and lead by bringing together practitioners, academics, and innovators across disciplines. Author of Creative Acts for Curious People: How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways, Stein Greenberg promotes unconventional approaches to learning. Her leadership has launched design degrees, published influential books, and created learning experiences that tackle complex challenges from health to sustainability. With an MBA from Stanford and a history degree from Oberlin, Stein Greenberg teaches design history and ethics while mentoring students interested in applying their design skills to oceans-related innovation. Serving on boards for Rare and Habib University, Stein Greenberg connects global perspectives and creative thinking. Outside of educating, she captures the world’s beauty through underwater and wildlife photography.

Tiffany Yu is an advocate and author who transforms how society views and values disability. As CEO & founder of Diversability, she leads an award-winning social enterprise celebrating disability pride, while her Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter has powered disability projects across 14 countries. Her book The Anti-Ableist Manifesto offers a blueprint for building a more inclusive world.

Drawing from her personal journey with disability, which began at age nine, Yu brings unique insights to her roles on the NIH National Advisory Board on Medical Rehabilitation Research and LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games Working Group. Her path from Goldman Sachs investment banker to disability rights champion has earned recognition from the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Forbes. Her influential TED Talk on workplace inclusion has also reached over a million viewers. Through her advocacy work, Yu continues to forge new paths for disability representation at the highest levels of business and society.

Jennifer Dunlop Fletcher brings design to life as the Helen Hilton Raiser Curator and Head of Architecture and Design at SFMOMA. Since 2008, she has championed bold works that bridge the late 20th century to present day. Fletcher’s curatorial vision shines through exhibitions like Get in the Game, Nature × Humanity: OXMAN Architects, Conversation Pieces, Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, Far Out: Suits, Habs and Labs for Outer Space, and The Sea Ranch: Architecture, Environment and Idealism, each exploring the convergence of design, humanity, and possibility. Before SFMOMA, Fletcher held positions at The Getty Research Institute, Southern California Institute of Architecture, and the Hammer Museum. Her academic journey spans New York University (BA in Art History), Bard College (MA in Curatorial Studies), and Harvard University (M.Des in Architecture History and Theory).

Monica Chadha is an architect reshaping Chicago’s design landscape through Civic Projects Architecture. With over two decades of experience, Chadha crafts spaces with the intention of strengthening intercommunity connection. Her portfolio spans from the Obama Presidential Museum to subversive arts spaces. Rooted in her early experience with renowned architect Balkrishna V. Doshi, her work continually tests limits by creating functional spaces that serve and uplift communities with creativity and compassion.

As a female minority architect, Chadha brings a unique perspective to the field, challenging traditional design boundaries. Beyond her architectural practice, Chadha shares her experience through teaching at the Illinois Institute of Technology and currently serves on the Graham Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Prasad Boradkar, dean of the University of Minnesota’s College of Design, uses a mix of design expertise and anthropological insight to connect technology and sustainability with humanity. Previously leading user experience and sustainability research at Google’s Advanced Technology & Projects Division, Boradkar has championed creative approaches to product development in the health and wellness space. At Arizona State University, Boradkar directed the Biomimicry Center and InnovationSpace, producing collaborative spaces where design, technology, business, as well as social and environmental consciousness intersect. An accomplished author, Boradkar has written Designing Things: A Critical Introduction to the Culture of Objects and is currently exploring Indian design in his latest book. From corporate innovation to academic leadership, Boradkar reconstructs how we understand the relationship between people, objects, and our shared environment.

Sean Sherman, an Oglala Lakota chef known as The Sioux Chef, is reclaiming and celebrating Indigenous food traditions within American cuisine. From his roots on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation, Chef Sherman is fast becoming a sought-after authority on Indigenous sovereignty through his nonprofit NATIFS and the Indigenous Food Lab. Sherman’s James Beard Award–winning book The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen and his restaurant Owamni, which earned the 2022 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant, showcase the complexities of Native American gastronomic heritage. Named among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People and a recipient of the Julia Child Award, Chef Sherman continues to honor and challenge the collective understanding of American food, creating avenues for Indigenous food access and education.

Azeez Alli is a product and design leader who harnesses creativity to drive social impact and educational innovation. As head of product design at XQ Institute, he develops tools that help empower educators and students to reimagine the future of high school education. Through his co-founded design studio, Árokó Cooperative, Alli weaves together Afrocentric and Indigenous philosophies with contemporary design practices to uplift marginalized communities. His journey through roles at Netflix and IBM has demonstrated how intentional design can amplify overlooked voices and inspire change. Known for building collaborative, bold, and inclusive teams, Alli creates systems and experiences that balance empathy with strategy to advance equity.

Kevin Bethune is the founder and chief creative officer of dreams • design + life, a brain trust focused on groundbreaking design solutions through empathic understanding. With over 25 years of experience spanning engineering, business, and design at companies like Westinghouse Nuclear, Nike, and BCG, Bethune brings a unique perspective to helping brands meaningfully enhance people’s lives. His new book, Nonlinear: Navigating Design with Curiosity and Conviction, follows his first publication, Reimagining Design: Unlocking Strategic Innovation. Bethune also serves as a board trustee for ArtCenter College of Design.

adrienne maree brown blends movement facilitation, somatics, science fiction, and doula work to harness the power of social change. brown offers fresh perspectives advised by a foundation of concepts like emergent strategy, pleasure activism, radical imagination, and loving correction to encourage personal and collective healing. As a New York Times bestselling author and editor, brown’s insight has impacted many through their published works. Outside of exploring the written word, they’re a ritual singer-songwriter who co-created the Lineages of Change Tarot Deck. Together with Autumn Brown, they analyze paths to resilience through their podcast How to Survive the End of the World. brown’s latest book, Loving Corrections, continues their tradition of nurturing thought through accessible, profound wisdom.

Liz Tran is a writer, executive coach, and advocate for unlocking everyone’s Inner Genius. She is the author of The Karma of Success, weaving career guidance with spiritual teachings like Taoism and Buddhism, and the forthcoming Agility Quotient, which explores thriving in an unpredictable world. Drawing from her experience as an executive in venture capital and tech, Tran coaches founders and CEOs of high-growth companies, helping them navigate challenges with clarity and intention. She also hosts the podcast Reset with Liz Tran, where she shares insights on growth, resilience, and self-discovery. Rooted in her joyful, comprehensive approach, Tran’s work empowers disparate groups of people to achieve personal and professional fulfillment.

Gaelynn Lea is a musician and disability rights advocate transforming perspectives through her artistry and activism. Since winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2016, she has collaborated with renowned artists like Michael Stipe from REM and The Decemberists, while composing for Broadway’s Macbeth starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga. As co-founder of RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities) and co-creator of the original musical Invisible Fences, she champions inclusion and accessibility in the arts. Her work has earned her the Disability Futures and Whippoorwill Arts Fellowships. Now writing her memoir Linger in the Sun, set for a 2026 release, Lea continues to blend music, disability advocacy, and creativity.

Nu Goteh is a designer, strategist, and educator dedicated to creating conditions for people to live meaningful, equitable lives. As founder and principal of Room for Magic and co-founder and creative director of Deem Journal, Goteh uses design, culture, art, and community to inspire social transformation. He has collaborated with nonprofits like the Art for Justice Fund and the Ford Foundation, cultural institutions such as The National Memorial for the Underground Railroad, and brands like Jordan and Headspace. A board member of AIANY and SEGD, Goteh’s work has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Wallpaper, and more. Rooted in his Liberian heritage and love for counter-culture, Goteh uses design as a tool for empowerment. Through global keynotes and transformative projects, he invites communities to reclaim their stories and shape a more inclusive future.

Dario Calmese is an artist, creative director, and design theorist who dissects how we understand identity and history through image and design. His comprehensive work spans photography, fashion, performance, and critical theory, reaching a historic milestone in 2020 when he became the first Black photographer to shoot a Vanity Fair cover, featuring the legendary Viola Davis. As founder of The Institute of Black Imagination (IBI), Calmese has created a platform that recognizes innovators in art, design, and technology through a podcast, digital archive, and Space 001, an innovative concept store at the Oculus World Trade Center. A 2023 Loeb Fellow at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design and former member of the global advisory board for Estée Lauder Companies, Calmese shares his expertise at Parsons School of Design and has creatively shaped visions for Alvin Ailey, Adobe Lightroom, Vogue México, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Pierre Thiam is a chef shifting our understanding of West African cuisine and sustainable food systems. Through his companies Yolélé and Teranga, Thiam is a global advocate connecting smallholder farmers in the Sahel with international markets. Thiam’s passion goes beyond the kitchen. As a celebrated author and entrepreneur, he introduces the world to ancient, nutritious grains like fonio while championing agricultural innovation. His TEDTalk on African food systems has inspired over a million viewers, showcasing the incredible potential of reimagining global cuisine. Serving on boards of mission-driven organizations like IDEO.org and SOS Sahel, Thiam merges culture, sustainability, and economic empowerment. His award-winning cookbooks are love letters to West African culinary traditions, inviting readers to explore, taste, and connect.

Crystal Sacca is a designer, artist, author, and co-founder of Lowercarbon Capital, the world’s leading fund for climate tech startups. At Lowercarbon, she backs companies pursuing the world’s most ambitious solutions to the climate crisis. Sacca draws on her experience as a co-founder of Lowercase Capital, where she co-led seed deals including Uber and Blue Bottle, and her years as a globally renowned advertising creative, helping companies like Audi, Intel, HBO, and Barclays speak to a worldwide audience with thought-provoking insight and wit.

Sacca is a New York Times bestselling author and designer of two books and serves on the National Board of the Smithsonian Institution. She has been a trustee of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; a founding member of The Design Vanguard; and was named to the A100 list celebrating the world’s most impactful Asian Pacific leaders. She is also a US Olympic & Paralympic Foundation Trustee.

Outside of design, investing, and philanthropy, Sacca can be found traveling, hiking, skiing, playing tournament pickleball, painting, coaching basketball, and raising three girls in the Last Best Place–Montana.

Keith Yamashita is dedicated to fostering a more creative, inclusive, and just world. He co-founded The Institute for Moral Imagination, which empowers artists, changemakers, and everyday citizens to build a thriving future through creativity and autonomy. Yamashita founded SYPartners, a transformation consultancy, and the kyu collective, one of the world’s largest creative networks. During the pandemic, he launched This Human Moment, an online community exploring new paths to humanity.

In addition to his professional work, Yamashita is a poet, photographer, and proud gay dad. He holds an MA in Organizational Behavior and a BA in Quantitative Economics from Stanford University. Through his efforts, Keith continues to imagine and create futures where all can flourish.

Dr. Bon Ku is a physician transforming healthcare through technology and design. At ARPA-H since 2023, he brings insights from his innovative work as director of the Health Design Lab at Thomas Jefferson University, where he explored the applications of human-centered design principles to healthcare delivery and medical education.

Combining his doctorate in medicine from Pennsylvania State University with a master’s degree in public policy from Princeton, Dr. Ku continues to practice as an emergency physician while advancing healthcare innovation. His work, including co-authoring Health Design Thinking and hosting the Design Lab Podcast, has been featured in the New York Times, CNBC and Fast Company. Through presentations at SXSW and Aspen Health, he demonstrates how design can revolutionize medical care and create healthier communities.

Theaster Gates is an artist whose dynamic vision bridges conceptual art, urban planning, and spiritual traditions. Drawing from his training in urban design and Japanese ceramics, his work is informed by principles from Shintoism, Buddhism, and Animism, honoring the sacred essence within objects. Within Gates’s methods lies a profound commitment to preserving and reimagining Black cultural heritage through the care of culturally significant objects, archives, and spaces. His contributions have earned him significant acclaim, including the Isamu Noguchi Award, the Frederick Kiesler Prize for Architecture and the Arts, and the National Building Museum Vincent Scully Prize. As a thinker, maker, and builder, Gates breathes new life into traditions that might otherwise fade from memory.

Ekene Ijeoma is an interdisciplinary artist who researches how systems unjustly affect people and develops artworks that poetically expose inequity or engage people in collaboratively changing society. His data-driven and interactive multimedia works include a series of performances in which notes are removed from the Star-Spangled Banner at the increasing rate of incarceration in the US, a light installation that invites participants to synchronize their breathing with his and another that invites them to hold hands together.

His work has been presented by Onassis Foundation, Van Alen Institute, Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston, The Arts Club of Chicago, Kennedy Center, Annenberg Space for Photography, Neuberger Museum of Art, Storefront for Art and Architecture, and Museum of Modern Art. His work has also been supported by New York Foundation for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, Creative Capital, Map Fund, and Wave Farm.

From 2019–2024, he founded Poetic Justice, the first artist-led and arts-focused group at MIT Media Lab. His lab researched how artists can work at the scale of injustice and developed large-scale participatory artworks. In 2022, he founded Black Forest, a participatory art initiative recording 40,000 stories about Black lives in the US and planting over 40,000 trees for them across all 50 states. In the last few years, he’s developed partnerships with local governments, organizations, and communities to plant over 500 trees of many species and sizes across 8 states.

Best known for her intricate knot-work, artist Windy Chien explores the relationship between technology and craft. In 2016, she embarked on a path of discovery by learning a new knot every day, culminating in Chien’s most recognized work, The Year of Knots. Her creations, varying in scope from pocket-sized to comprehensive installations, are beloved by private collectors and institutions. Following long careers at Apple and as owner of Aquarius Records, Chien launched her studio in 2015. Chien’s clients include the National Geographic Society, De Young Museum, San Francisco MOMA, Nobu Hotels, Google, the US Department of State, and the Kering Group. And her work has been featured in Wired, the New York Times, and Martha Stewart. Chien’s book A Year in Knots, published by Abrams, shares her journey and creative process, inspiring others to see beauty in every twist and loop.

Carol Coletta, former CEO of Memphis River Parks Partnership, creates public spaces like the award-winning Tom Lee Park by orchestrating remarkable multimillion dollar revitalizations. Coletta’s work features partnerships with the Knight Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and ArtPlace, where she championed creative placemaking and cross-sector urban initiatives. Coletta has also managed grant portfolios exceeding $60 million, driving success in 26 communities and reimagining civic spaces. Recognized twice by Planetizen as one of the most influential urbanists and honored with the ASLA LaGasse Medal, Coletta continues to redefine how we think about public spaces by turning infrastructure into vibrant, inclusive environments that bring communities together and spark collective imagination.

Tré Seals is an award-winning graphic designer and typographer based near Washington, DC, whose work blends design with advocacy. A two-time brain tumor survivor, Seals turned to creativity early in life. By high school, he was crafting everything from graffiti-style name cards to tattoos, comic strips, and fonts. In 2016, he founded Vocal Type, a foundry dedicated to highlighting the stories of marginalized communities through typography. Inspired by pivotal social movements like the Civil Rights Movement and Tiananmen Square protests, Vocal Type’s fonts have become symbols of activism, appearing in Black Lives Matter murals, the Amazon Labor Union, the March on Washington to Free Palestine, and more.

Seals’s studio, originally built by his great-great-grandfather in 1908, sits on family land, reflecting his mission to reclaim and honor untold histories. Seals continues to inspire designers to connect culture, history, and advocacy, reshaping the future of design with authenticity and equality.

Ronald Rael is a multifaceted innovator who bridges architecture, art, technology, and social justice. As both a trained architect and traditional builder, he draws from his experience as a multigenerational rancher to create groundbreaking work that merges indigenous practices with contemporary technologies. His creative endeavors span writing, entrepreneurship, human rights advocacy at the US-Mexico border, software development, and architectural innovation. Rael’s distinctive approach combines traditional materials with modern techniques to explore complex themes of identity and otherness in contemporary society. His work has earned recognition from prestigious institutions, with pieces in permanent collections at MoMA, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, The London Design Museum, LACMA, San Francisco MOMA, and the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Rael currently serves as chair of the Department of Art Practice and Eval Li Memorial Chair in Architecture at UC Berkeley.

Kristen Stain is a multidisciplinary artist and designer whose work weaves together art, culture, and communal care. Moving from their roots in Fresno to their current home in Oakland, they have evolved from working in footwear and apparel design to creating powerful community-based art initiatives. As co-founder of Aroko Cooperative, Stain champions design as a path to Black Liberation, developing objects, spaces, and systems that nurture well-being and sustainability.

Stain’s artistic practice thoughtfully merges ancestral traditions with contemporary research, guided by principles of pleasure, connection, and environmental reverence. Through Black Clay, their ceramic workshop series in Oakland, Stain has created an intimate space where Black members of the community can explore pottery without financial barriers, connecting to the rich ceramic traditions of the African diaspora. Their work demonstrates how thoughtful design and craftsmanship can build bridges between heritage and innovation while fostering healing and social transformation.

Ivan Cash is an award-winning artist, filmmaker, and creative entrepreneur exploring human connection in the digital age. His genre-defying projects, presented at events like Tribeca, SXSW, and Sundance, have garnered millions of views online. Cash’s work is in the permanent collection of the V&A Museum in London, and he was named a 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30 artist. Notable projects include IRL Glasses, which block screens to encourage offline interaction; “No-Tech Zone” signs posted in San Francisco parks, prompting reflection on the role technology plays in our lives; Snail Mail My Email, where volunteers turned emails into handwritten letters; and Selfless Portraits, a global initiative where strangers drew each other’s Facebook profile pictures, garnering over 50,000 submissions from 152 countries. Cash believes that talking to strangers can change the world, but nothing would make him happier than if you closed your eyes for 20 seconds and just listened to your breath.

Jessica Hische is a New York Times bestselling children’s book author and lettering artist solidifying typography as an indispensable art form. With a dynamic career spanning over 15 years with work featured in Wes Anderson films to United States Postal Service stamps, Hische has been recognized by Forbes, Print Magazine, and Adweek as a design maverick. Her typographical work extends across logos, books, and commercial projects for clients like Target, Hallmark and Penguin Books. Beyond her artistry, Hische is an entrepreneur who owns two Oakland shops and co-founded Studioworks, a studio management software platform. Honored as a Print Magazine New Visual Artist, a Forbes 30 under 30 in Art and Design, an Adweek Creative 100, and an ADC Young Gun, she continues to turn letters into landscapes of imagination with her playful approach.

Hank Willis Thomas is a conceptual artist whose work explores themes of perspective, identity, commodity, media, and popular culture. His art has been exhibited globally at the International Center of Photography, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Musée du quai Branly, Hong Kong Arts Centre, and Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art.

Thomas’s public art includes permanent works such as The Embrace in Boston, REACH with Coby Kennedy at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, and Duality at The Underline in Miami. He has also contributed to projects like Question Bridge: Black Males and For Freedoms.

In 2022, Thomas received the US Department of State Medal of Arts from the Office of Art in Embassies. He holds a BFA. from New York University and an MA/MFA from the California College of the Arts. In 2024, he received an honorary doctorate from CCA, following honorary doctorates from the Maryland Institute College of Art and the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts in 2017. Through his work, Thomas continues to inspire conversations on identity and social justice, urging viewers to see the world through a more inclusive lens.

Leah Thomas is an environmentalist combining social justice and environmental advocacy through her ingenious concept of “eco-communication.” As founder of Intersectional Environmentalist, a leading ecological media nonprofit, and author of the Indie Bestseller The Intersectional Environmentalist, she reshapes how we understand and discuss environmental issues.

Thomas’s influence spans brands like Apple, Patagonia, and Meta, while her groundbreaking initiatives include London’s first Black Ecofeminist Summit and the earth sessions music program. Named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 2024, TIME100 NEXT, and EBONY Power 100, Thomas’s insights can be found in Vogue, the Washington Post, and major news networks. She continues to champion a more inclusive and nuanced approach to eco-activism.

Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a marine biologist and climate champion examining our relationship with the planet. As co-founder of the nonprofit Urban Ocean Lab, co-editor of All We Can Save and a New York Times bestselling author of What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures, Dr. Johnson brings scientific expertise and storytelling to the global climate conversation by reshaping environmental challenges into opportunities for hope and action. With her BA from Harvard University, PhD from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and as a distinguished scholar at Bowdoin College, Dr. Johnson sees climate solutions not as burdens, but as invitations to create a more vibrant, sustainable world.

Phoebe Schenker is a problem-solver who shifts complex challenges into opportunities for positive change. After beginning her career as an architect, she now crafts solutions to pressing environmental and social issues. As executive director of Reuse Alliance since 2023, Schenker is leading the transition from a throwaway culture to one of a sustainable reuse economy. Under her leadership, the organization has expanded its impact in practicing, advocating for, and supporting reuse initiatives. Schenker’s holistic approach reveals how sustainability addresses multiple challenges while creating meaningful human connections. By bringing joy and purpose to the serious work of resource conservation, Schenker champions the idea that buying used items can be both impactful and delightful, altering our relationship with objects, each other, and our planet.

Justin Garrett Moore is a designer and urbanist who transforms public spaces to advance equity and inclusion. As program director for the Mellon Foundation’s Humanities in Place program, he brings his expertise in architecture, planning, and design to create meaningful change. Moore’s impact spans from shaping New York City’s landscape as executive director of the Public Design Commission to developing waterfront projects and cultural districts. Through his work, Moore intersects urban design, cultural heritage, and community engagement to build more considerate cities. A respected educator at Columbia, Morgan State, Tuskegee, and Yale, Moore shares his insights with the next generation of designers. His contributions were recognized with the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Architecture, and in 2021, President Biden appointed him to the US Commission of Fine Arts.

Mae-ling Lokko, assistant professor at Yale School of Architecture, leads the development of bio-based materials that promote both environmental health and social justice. Lokko’s approach to teaching brings together environmental design with sustainable building technologies. At Yale’s Center for Ecosystems in Architecture, Lokko leads doctoral research on eco-friendly, nontoxic materials. Through her company Willow Technologies in Accra, Ghana, she’s converting agricultural waste into affordable building materials and water treatment solutions, making sustainability accessible to more communities. This work has captured global attention, earning exhibitions at venues including New York MoMA, the Nobel Prize Museum, and Dubai’s Museum of the Future. Lokko’s influence extends even further through her leadership roles on the boards of the International Living Future Institute and the Architectural League of New York.

John Ochsendorf is a designer and educator with architecture and structural engineering serving as the nucleus of his work. As a longtime MIT professor, he co-founded the Morningside Academy for Design (MAD), a hub for empowering young designers to take risks and approach challenges through scholarships and innovative programming. Ochsendorf’s research explores the limits of traditional and digital materials, expanding the possibilities of design. His partnership with world-renowned architects and artists has created unconventional forms, contributing to award-winning projects globally. A celebrated educator and thinker with work featured at the Venice Biennale of Architecture; the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; and the National Building Museum, Ochsendorf’s passion for curiosity and creativity is captured in the film Questions as Tools, which highlights his approach to blending disciplines and inspiring the next generation of designers to make consequential contributions to the world.

Jennifer Newsom is an architect and artist who, alongside Tom Carruthers, co-founded Dream The Combine—a creative practice known for challenging the limits between real and imagined spaces, engaging with the social and political aspect of sites to challenge perceptions and spark curiosity. The studio has received significant accolades, including the 2023 Emerging Voices award from The Architectural League and the 2022–2023 Rome Prize in Architecture. Newsom’s work has been showcased at the Venice and Chicago Architecture Biennials, Lisbon Architecture Triennial, MoMA, MoMA PS1, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art and has appeared in Metropolis, Harvard Design Magazine, and Journal of Architectural Education. Newsom is also an assistant professor of architecture at Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. A graduate of Yale College and Yale School of Architecture, her portfolio invites us to reimagine the spaces around us and what they signify.

Celebrated Deaf artist and member of the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians in the Kumeyaay Nation, Nancy Rourke, was born Deaf but undiagnosed until age six. Upon discovering the De’VIA (Deaf View/Image Art) movement, Rourke used art to analyze Deaf experiences through a cultural and linguistic perspective. With a Master of Fine Arts from Rochester Institute of Technology, her work has been showcased in solo and group exhibitions globally. Her large-scale paintings are part of distinguished collections, such as the Silesian Museum in Poland.

She has created over 47 public murals, including a 56 × 19-foot mural at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, and another in Turin, Italy. Rourke’s journey has been documented in the book Deaf Artist Series: Nancy Rourke by James Van Manen, highlighting her contributions to Deaf art and culture.

Dr. Niobe Way is a professor of developmental psychology at NYU who has been researching the social and emotional development of adolescents for the past 40 years and creating and implementing The Listening with Curiosity Project (LCP) in schools and universities around the world for the past decade. She is also the founder of the Project for the Advancement of Our Common Humanity (PACH), co-founder of agapi.teens—which will be an AI-driven friendship app co-designed for and with teenagers that fosters interpersonal curiosity—and was the president of the Society for Research on Adolescence. Her mixed method and federally funded research has repeatedly revealed that interpersonal curiosity is significantly associated with social and emotional well-being, feelings of connection, and a sense of a common humanity. Yet interpersonal curiosity is rarely included in programs, apps, platforms, technologies, or curriculum that seek to build human connection.

Deana Haggag, program director of Arts and Culture at the Mellon Foundation, is bringing an effective approach to championing creativity to communities across the country. Prior to joining the foundation, she was president and CEO of United States Artists and executive director of The Contemporary. Haggag has also served as a lecturer, consultant, and educator connecting art, academia, and social impact. Serving on the boards of MoMA PS1 and the Pillars Fund, she helps create spaces where art can flourish by going beyond traditional cultural work and reimagining how institutions can support and elevate artistic voices.

Hannah Williams is a social activist and former data analyst based in the Washington, DC, area, championing the cause of pay transparency. After discovering she was underpaid, Williams launched Salary Transparent Street, an online series where she interviews strangers about their careers and earnings to break the stigma around discussing pay. Her work has sparked a global conversation, influencing social norms, legislation, and efforts to close wage gaps. Williams has been invited to testify in support of pay transparency bills in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and her dynamic work has been featured in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and BBC. With a mission to empower workers and foster fairness, Williams is transforming how we talk about money.

john powell (who prefers his name in lowercase) is the director of the Othering and Belonging Institute as well as a Professor of Law, African American, and Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley. A visionary thinker, powell has held leadership roles at the Kirwan Institute and the Institute for Race and Poverty and served as the National Legal Director of the ACLU. He is a co-founder of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council, shaping policies and practices through his “opportunity-based” model linking housing to education, health, and employment.

Renowned for developing the concepts of “targeted universalism” and “othering and belonging,” powell’s work inspires change worldwide. A sought-after educator, powell has taught at top institutions, including Harvard and Columbia. His latest book, The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong, offers transformative insights for creating an inclusive society.

Denise Hamilton is an author, speaker, and consultant championing the human side of organizational evolution, guiding leaders to build authentically connected teams. Hamilton’s approach uses optimism and practicality, helping organizations navigate challenges like remote work, AI integration, and workforce diversity. Featured in MIT Sloan Management Review, Harvard Business Review, NPR, Bloomberg, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, and Newsweek, Hamilton offers concepts that go beyond traditional leadership strategies. With her debut book, Indivisible, she explores how shared purpose can bridge divides and create stronger, more resilient communities. Hamilton believes in society’s collective potential to reimagine how to work together via addressing complex workplace dynamics and birthing collaborative solutions.

Dr. Joy Buolamwini champions ethical AI development while safeguarding human dignity as the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, researcher, poet of code, and author of the national bestseller Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines. Dr. Buolamwini’s work spans publications such as Time, the New York Times, Harvard Business Review and The Atlantic, while her artistic endeavors creatively explore AI’s societal impact. Her MIT research on facial recognition technologies, featured in the Emmy-nominated Coded Bias, inspired major tech companies to reconsider their law enforcement partnerships. Dr. Buolamwini’s extraordinary contributions have earned her many accolades, including a Rhodes Scholarship, the Smithsonian’s Octavia Butler Award, and recognition from the World Economic Forum and Martin Luther King Jr. Center, establishing her as a trusted voice in responsible AI development.

Shanelle Matthews, through her collaborative work with activists, organizations, and campaigns, fuels the journey toward justice and liberation. Her expertise shines through leadership roles, including her tenure as communications director for the Movement for Black Lives, and her role as a distinguished lecturer at City University New York. As founder of the Radical Communicators Network (RadComms), Matthews has cultivated a global community where movement communications workers share, learn, and grow together. Her latest venture, co-editing Liberation Stories: Building Narrative Power for 21st Century Social Movements, captures the narrative strategies being reshaped by contemporary community leaders and social movement efforts.

Rahsaan Thomas is a writer, filmmaker, and advocate who found his voice while incarcerated, publishing over 50 stories in outlets like the Boston Globe and Slate. As co-founder and executive director of Empowerment Avenue, he helps incarcerated writers and artists launch careers, earning living wages before release. Thomas sparked the campaign that restored voting rights to people on parole in California and co-founded the San Quentin Film Festival, the first held inside a state prison. A passionate filmmaker, he directed Friendly Signs, a 2024 Superfest Advocacy Award winner, and produced What These Walls Won’t Hold. Best known as “New York” from the duPont Award–winning and Pulitzer Prize finalist podcast Ear Hustle, Thomas is now co-directing films with incarcerated creators. Paroled after serving 22 years, Thomas is an Emerson Collective Community of Champions Fellow, Right of Return USA Fellow, and Soros Equality Fellow, using his platform to amplify untold stories and inspire change.

Ezra Mei-Chee Kong is a facilitator and strategist transforming the landscape of design justice as executive director of Design Futures Forum. With deep commitment to combating systems of oppression, Kong brings communities and designers together to create positive change—from collaborating with unhoused residents in West Oakland to expanding transit access for underserved communities in Northern California.

Curated and hosted by Kong, Design Futures is an interdisciplinary design convening for students to reimagine design as a powerful tool for social equity. Kong’s approach brings together cultural strategy and community organizing to envision more just futures. Growing from their roots in the Midwest forests to their education at Washington University in St. Louis, Kong brings a unique perspective to their work with QTBIPOC-led land projects. Kong’s insights have captivated audiences at venues such as SxSW, SF Design Week, and Allied Media Conference, sparking conversations about design’s role in building grassroots power.

Imani Barbarin is a disability inclusion advocate who is leading conversations about accessibility with wit, wisdom, and humor. Through her writing and social media presence, Barbarin brings the disabled experience into sharp, engaging focus, challenging stereotypes and sparking necessary dialogue.

Originally from Philadelphia, with degrees in creative writing and global communication from Eastern University and the American University of Paris, Barbarin’s published work has been featured in Forbes, Rewire, and Bitch Magazine. Her blog, CrutchesAndSpice.com, has become a haven for sharing perspectives often overlooked in mainstream media.

Angela Glover Blackwell is the founder in residence at PolicyLink, which she established in 1999 to advance racial and economic equity. Under her leadership, PolicyLink became a national force in promoting public policy to enhance opportunities for low-income communities of color, with a focus on health, housing, transportation, and infrastructure. Blackwell also hosts the Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life and Radical Imagination podcasts and serves as a professor of practice at the University of California, Berkeley.

Before founding PolicyLink, Blackwell was senior vice president at The Rockefeller Foundation and a partner at Public Advocates. She also founded the Urban Strategies Council. A recognized leader, Blackwell is the co-author of Uncommon Common Ground: Race and America’s Future and the author of The Curb Cut Effect and How We Achieve a Multiracial Democracy.

Layla Zaidane, president and CEO of Future Caucus, is building a healthier and more curious political culture by activating more than 1,900 Gen Z and millennial elected officials across the nation—and across the political spectrum. Before Future Caucus, Zaidane launched initiatives at Generation Progress, including the “It’s On Us” campaign against campus sexual assault and the “Higher Ed, Not Debt” coalition to make higher education accessible and affordable. Zaidane’s work has been featured in Forbes, Teen Vogue, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and on NPR, showcasing her ability to amplify young voices. A fellow of the Civil Society Fellowship and Aspen Global Leadership Network, Zaidane continues the work of dissolving political divides and providing platforms for young leaders to turn potential into action.

Krista Tippett is a broadcaster and author who creates spaces for exploring life’s deepest questions and complexities. As founder of the On Being Project, she guides a media and social healing initiative that intertwines moral imagination, social creativity, and joy to nurture both inner life and collective well-being.

Tippett’s acclaimed On Being show, which aired on NPR for two decades and continues as a widely celebrated podcast, has transformed public conversation around meaning and spirituality. From theologians to physicists, her thoughtful dialogues have drawn out wisdom that speaks to our time. A National Humanities Medal recipient and Peabody Award winner, Tippett brings insights from her journey as a journalist in Cold War Berlin and her theological studies at Yale to create conversations that embrace complexity and invite deeper understanding. Through her bestselling books and profound work, she continues to illuminate the complexities of human existence.

Mona Chalabi is an award-winning writer and illustrator who brings data to life through her art. Known for turning complex statistics into accessible, thought-provoking visuals, she has earned a Pulitzer Prize, an Emmy nomination, and recognition from the Royal Statistical Society. Her work has been showcased at the Smithsonian Design Museum, the Tate, and the Brooklyn Museum, and appears in The New Yorker, the Guardian, Netflix, NPR, BBC, and National Geographic. Chalabi is currently writing a book exploring how we talk about money and serves as executive producer and creative director for an upcoming animated series with Ramy Youssef, A24, and Amazon Studios. Chalabi studied international relations in Paris and Arabic studies in Jordan; her work bridges cultures and ideas, making data relatable, inspiring, and impactful.

Bonnie Wan, the creator and author of The Life Brief, applies brand strategy principles to personal experiences, helping people navigate complexity with clarity, creativity, and courage. With a 30-year career as a brand strategist, Wan has been recognized as Chief Strategy Officer of the Year and named among America’s 100 most influential women. Her approach has inspired companies like Apple, Google, Airbnb, Accenture, Change.org, SXSW, Goop, World 50 Group, and Jane Goodall’s Activating Hope Summit. Beyond being a strategist, Wan empowers individuals to live with greater intention and imagination, demonstrating that strategic thinking can unlock extraordinary potential.

ALOK is an artist with work spanning across poetry, comedy, public speaking, and acting. Their literary works Beyond the Gender Binary, Femme in Public, and Your Wound, My Garden serve as explorations of gender, loss, and life, resonating with readers worldwide. They have performed in over 40 countries, including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Netflix Is a Joke Festival. Their latest comedy special BIOLOGY!, executive produced by Christopher Guest, showcases ALOK’s ability to blend humor with deep insights about the human experience. The multidisciplinary artist continues to advance conversations about identity, creativity, and human expression.

Perry Zurn is a scholar who explores the convergence of political philosophy, critical theory, and trans studies, while integrating psychology and network neuroscience. As visiting associate professor at Cornell University and provost associate professor at American University, he investigates the politics of curiosity, voice, and resistance through both theoretical and scientific lenses.

His work includes authoring Curiosity and Power: The Politics of Inquiry, and co-authoring Curious Minds: The Power of Connection, exploring the understanding of how curiosity shapes knowledge and connection. Zurn’s research has been featured in prestigious journals such as Nature Human Behavior and has reached audiences through 50+ media appearances, spanning academic disciplines. Through his appointments at leading institutions, Zurn continues to reshape our perception of curiosity, power, and human potential.

Maurice Cherry is a designer, strategist, podcaster, and voice actor who blends design with advocacy. A founder and creative director of Lunch, an award-winning studio, Cherry helps brands craft meaningful messages for their audiences. Trailblazing a lane of his own in the digital creator space, Cherry is best known for Revision Path, the first podcast inducted into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. His work has earned recognition from Apple, Adobe, NPR, and more. He shares his expertise with the next generation of creatives; having taught web design, development, and podcasting.

Among his many honors, Cherry received AIGA’s Steven Heller Prize for Cultural Commentary, was named one of The Root 100, and is a former William O. Steinmetz designer in residence at MICA. A graduate of Morehouse College and Keller Graduate School, Cherry continues to shape and inspire the creative industry.

Alice Wong is a powerful presence in disability activism, shaping cultural narratives through her work as a nonspeaking disabled writer, editor, and community organizer. As founder of the Disability Visibility Project, a vibrant online community that creates and amplifies disability media and culture. Her influential works include the groundbreaking anthology Disability Visibility in both adult and young adult editions, her memoir, Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life, and her latest anthology Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire.

Alongside writer-director Shaina Ghuraya, Alice co-produces the Disabled BIPOC Film Collective, fostering opportunities and community for disabled filmmakers of color. Her transformative contributions to disability rights and representation were recognized with a MacArthur Fellowship in 2024.

Baratunde Thurston is a storyteller who mixes humor and heart with insight. From Emmy-nominated hosting to his podcast Life With Machines, Thurston explores the complexities of relationships with technology, nature, and each other. A New York Times bestselling author of How to Be Black and host of PBS’s America Outdoors, Thurston crafts narratives that are simultaneously profound and playful. His work spans podcasting, writing, and public speaking. Recognized for delivering what MSNBC’s Brian Williams called “one of the greatest TED talks of all time,” Thurston continues to explore how we perceive citizenship, technology, and human connection. Serving on boards like Civics Unplugged and the Brooklyn Public Library, Thurston is a catalyst for understanding.

Joy Harjo, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, brings words to life in ways that touch both heart and spirit. She made history as the first Native American US Poet Laureate, serving three terms that opened fresh conversations about Indigenous voices in American literature. In addition to ten poetry collections, two memoirs, and several plays and children’s books, Harjo has also produced seven award-winning music albums and edited notable anthologies. Her work, honored with the Frost Medal and National Humanities Medal, among others, speaks to both early wisdom and modern struggles. As a founding board member of the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation and the first Artist-in-Residence at Tulsa’s Bob Dylan Center, Harjo weaves together memory, myth, and everyday life into stories that remind us what it means to survive, celebrate, and thrive.

Kameelah Janan Rasheed is an educator and artist who investigates communication and consciousness across species, states, and spaces. Her work spans architecturally scaled installations, publications, performances, and more, continuously pushing the limits of artistic expression.

A 2021 Guggenheim Fellow and recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the 2022 Creative Capital Award, Rasheed’s work has been featured in solo exhibitions at REDCAT, KW Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago. She has authored seven artists’ books and founded both Orange Tangent Study, which provides artist microgrants, and The Little Octopus School, a roaming ecosystem for radical play. As faculty at Yale School of Art and the School for Poetic Computation, Rasheed continues to shape new possibilities for artistic practice and liberatory learning experiences.