Chicago Ideas is a nonprofit platform built on one core belief

When audiences of every background have the same access to thought leaders and innovative ideas – people have the power to spark change in the world.

Who are our thought leaders? We thought you'd never ask.

Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair

Luis Ahn

Fawzia Mirza

Ramesh Srinivasan

Margaret Gould Stewart

Tim Ferriss

Shradha Agarwal

Bashir Salahuddin

Radha Agrawal

Edward Norton

Nick Kokonas

Massimo Lepore

Shannon Watts

Colin Powell

Shane Battier

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot

Dick Costolo

LeVar Burton

Charlamagne Tha God

Jose Antonio Vargas

Janet Comenos

Jamie Metzl

Brandon Boyd

Hillary Sale

Francoise Baylis

Emily Bear

Rahm Emanuel

Helene Gayle

Cedric Alexander

Bing Gordon

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson PhD

Liz Phair

Brian Wallach

Yusef Salaam

David Lynch

Cameron Esposito

Alec Baldwin

Bryan Cranston

Questlove

S.E. Cupp

Chicago Ideas is a nonprofit platform built on one core belief:

Chicago Ideas is a nonprofit platform built on one core belief

When audiences of every background have the same access to thought leaders and innovative ideas – people have the power to spark change in the world.

About the Organization

About the People

Who are our thought leaders? We thought you’d never ask.

Geoff Brigham

Brandis Friedman

Linda Cohn

Jud Snyder

Soledad O'Brien

Ji Suk Yi

Karen Jordan

Sonny Garg

Paris Schutz

Katherine Lanpher

Debbie Millman

Molly Wood

Jay Smooth

Jessica Wohl

Lin Brehmer

Brian Babylon

Jane Harman

Janet Bodnar

Terri Hemmert

Nick Turner

Desiree Rogers

Kelly Grier

Myra Greene

Ally Love

Mellody Hobson

Mick Dumke

Padma Lakshmi

Adam Benforado

David Brancaccio

Touré

Carol Coletta

Jamil Smith

Gigi Pritzker

Maryam Saleh

Dave Holmes

Jessica Yellin

Jenan Mohajir

Kelly Rizzo

Val Warner

Jason Henrichs

Jessica Grose

Chuck Salter

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Eddie Aruzza

Andrew Barber

Charles Jenkins

Poppy Harlow

Meredith Stricker

Gretchen Carlson

Dan Abrams

Linda Lutton

Bob Morgan

Ali Velshi

Mark Caro

Bethany McLean

Lola Wright

Peggy Kusinski

Dorri McWhorter

Shannon Heffernan

Laura Washington

Kelly Leonard

Cheryl Corley

Deborah Douglas

Carolina Sarassa

Michael Arndt

Ted Fishman

Amanda Seales

Anne Munition

Eric Becker

Sandee Kastrul

Ana Belaval

Anne Thompson

Phylicia Rashad

Laura Desmond

David Gregory

Keisha Howard

Robin Givhan

Charles Duhigg

Monica Eng

Steve Edwards

Campbell Brown

Rachel Bronson

Andee Harris

Odette Yousef

Richard Stengel

Mats Lederhausen

Neil Stevenson

Melissa Clark

Kate Grossman

Barbara Starr

Louisa Chu

Kate Sullivan

Stephanie Gosk

Cindy Mori

Kavita Shukla

Michael Slaby

Bobby Ghosh

Tricia Eck

Francis Slakey

Valerie Lies

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The History of Slavery in Objects

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Bring Your Imagination to Life

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Xavier Ramey Sits Down with Charlamagne Tha God to Talk Black Men & Mental Health

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Howard Schultz on the State of Our Nation

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