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.

Cindy Mori

Anne Thompson

Ana Belaval

Kelly Leonard

Adam Benforado

Francis Slakey

Chuck Salter

Phylicia Rashad

Ben Johnson

Tom Brokaw

Steve Edwards

Kelly Rizzo

Lola Wright

Meredith Stricker

Val Warner

Janet Bodnar

Debbie Millman

Kate Grossman

Carolina Sarassa

Maryam Saleh

Deborah Douglas

Laura Desmond

Geoff Brigham

Odette Yousef

Mats Lederhausen

Touré

Brandis Friedman

Barbara Starr

Andrew Barber

Jane Harman

Louisa Chu

Michal Lev-Ram

Gretchen Carlson

Sandee Kastrul

Cheryl Corley

Jud Snyder

Ally Love

Eve Ewing

Molly Wood

Andee Harris

Karen Jordan

Tricia Eck

Dave Holmes

Laura Washington

Richard Stengel

Desiree Rogers

Neil Stevenson

Lin Brehmer

Ted Fishman

Mark Caro

David Gregory

Padma Lakshmi

Sonny Garg

Kevin Pang

Gigi Pritzker

Jessica Clemons

Dustin Yellin

Terri Hemmert

Kavita Shukla

Ali Velshi

Michael Arndt

Katherine Lanpher

Jessica Malkin

Jon Greenberg

Soledad O'Brien

Dorri McWhorter

Charles Duhigg

Paris Schutz

Campbell Brown

Bethany McLean

Ji Suk Yi

Jessica Grose

Peggy Kusinski

Dan Abrams

Jenan Mohajir

Celeste Headlee

Jay Smooth

Linda Cohn

Linda Lutton

Anne Munition

Shannon Heffernan

Myra Greene

Anil Dash

Mellody Hobson

Mick Dumke

Rachel Bronson

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Bob Morgan

Jessica Yellin

Eddie Aruzza

Valerie Lies

Kelly Grier

Carol Coletta

David Brancaccio

Nick Turner

Michael Slaby

Jason Henrichs

Amanda Seales

Felicia Lawrence

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The History of Slavery in Objects

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Helene D. Gayle on the History of Chicago's Wealth Gap

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Ayana Elizabeth Johnson Focuses on Finding Solutions for Ocean Conservation

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Bring Your Imagination to Life

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Bashir Salahuddin on Chicago's Creative Scene

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Hebru Brantley on the Story Behind Nevermore

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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 His Potential 2020 Run

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Howard Schultz on the State of Our Nation

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