
2019: Unbreakable
What does it mean to be strong? We live in a world being put to the test, and seemingly on the brink — so how can we make our systems, structures, and institutions stronger? How can we make things less fragile, and simpler — or manage complexity and increase resilience?
When we face challenges, do we stand rigid against the wind – or are we energized, like a turbine? We’ll explore the promising ideas that can help us turn adversity into strength, and help make our civic systems and shared culture become UNBREAKABLE.


Graham Allison: Can history teach us how to avoid war between the US and China?

Chuck Marohn: What makes for a “strong town”?

Mitch Zeller: The past, present and future of nicotine addiction

Carmen Medina: How to be an “organizational heretic”

David Carroll: Democracy Under Attack: One Man’s Journey to Get His Data Back

Maya R. Cummings: Why We Need an Inclusion Revolution

Albert Rizzi: Vision Beyond Sight: One Man’s Story of Overcoming Tragedy

Antonio Tahhan: What Syrian Cuisine Can Teach Us About Humanity

Adrian Bejan: Why does time move more quickly as we age?

Melanie Nezer: The fundamental right to seek asylum

Albert-László Barabási: The real relationship between your age and your chance of success

Sam Schwartz: Should we design for self-driving cars — or for people?

Adam Davies: The Hidden Stories Inside our Public Infrastructure

Ava Pipitone: How one community is stopping homelessness before it happens

John Prisco: Can We Make Encryption That’s “Unbreakable?”

Wellsley Brown: The One True Solution to Plastic Pollution

Kyle Yearwood: Finding your voice through art, online

Abigail Spanberger: How to Bridge Our Divisions? Start by Asking Questions

Khadijah Tribble: Why marijuana matters, and how we can end the war on drugs

David Rothkopf: Has the Washington establishment failed the world?

Jerome Adams: How resilient communities can create a healthier country

Dwan Reece: Understanding the history of ‘blackface’ — and why it’s so harmful

Anne Marie Lennon: A New Way to Detect More Cancers Earlier

Emma Belcher: 3 questions we should ask about nuclear weapons

Allison Archambault: Moving to “Electric Everything” is possible — here’s how

Janet Noh: A kaleidoscopic journey, from finance to music

Sticks+Bars: Youth Marimba Ensemble

Jeff Speck: How History, Architecture and Design Collide in One (Amazing) House

Werner Reich: How the magic of kindness helped me survive the Holocaust

Blair Glencorse: Why we need to catch people doing the RIGHT thing

Maya Ajmera: Why access to scientific information in schools is essential
