Articles

Ever wonder what gets the staff of the Aspen Ideas Festival talking (and thinking)? Looking for your next great read or binge-worthy watch during the holidays? The 2024 Aspen Ideas Festival Staff Picks are here! Think of it as a backstage pass to the pop culture we loved this year — shows and movies we devoured, books we got lost in, music that moved us, podcasts that kept...

New York Times columnist and bestselling author David Brooks is known for bringing his thoughtful reflections on politics and culture, but at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival, he started off his talk a little differently. In rapid-fire succession, Brooks offered the audience over a dozen tidbits of practical wisdom. From taking responsibility for your actions and making de...

Ethical dilemmas, stakeholder pressure, building trust — leading organizations requires wisdom and stamina from the top. Who wouldn’t want some advice?

Three people whose lives have been irrevocably changed by the Israel-Palestine conflict share their stories of profound loss, grief and forgiveness.

Our need for human connection is profound and deep. Yet, today, one in two adults are living with measurable levels of loneliness – and the numbers are even higher among young people. At Aspen Ideas: Health 2024, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy challenged each of us to commit to simple daily actions that can help strengthen the relationships that are critical to our indi...

Perspective, identity, history, commodity, race — these are just a few of the issues conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas explores through his work. He’s the 2024 Aspen Institute Harman/Eisner Artist in Residence, and we were thrilled to host two of his artworks at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival. We caught up with him about how art helps him make sense of the world, what...

Women are crucial to the climate movement, but their voices are often underrepresented and their work goes under-supported. Meet just a few of the women from this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival and Aspen Ideas: Health whose big ideas and bold leadership are paving the way to a better future for people and planet.

Sarah Longwell is a political strategist and publisher of The Bulwark. She spoke at the 2024 Aspen Ideas Festival, where she helped attendees unpack the first presidential debate. We caught up with her about what she's learned from hundreds of focus groups with Republican voters, why she believes we need to tell a better story of democracy, and what she hopes for the futur...

Watch select daily livestreams and join the virtual #AspenIdeasHealth conversation from June 20-23!

Meet Dan Barker, a 2024 Festival Fellow and the CEO of Halcyon, an incubator and investor in early-stage, impact-driven startups from around the globe. Ahead of the Festival, we caught up with him about how Halcyon is supporting underserved entrepreneurs and working to change the venture capital landscape.

Meet Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri (aka Dr. May), a 2024 Aspen Ideas: Health Fellow and the Psychiatrist-In-Chief at Pinnacle Medical Services, Nigeria’s leading mental health center. Learn how she's using innovative technology to democratize access to mental healthcare for developing countries.

The 20th year of the Aspen Ideas Festival highlights intellectual exploration, artistic expression and boundless innovation.

Meet Jahnavi Rao, a 2024 Festival Fellow and the founder and president of New Voters, a nonpartisan organization on a nationwide mission to help young people register to vote. Learn how she founded the organization when she was 17 years old and how it’s grown to over 400 high school chapters with 80,000 young students registered to vote.

Meet Georgina Dukes-Harris, a 2024 Aspen Ideas: Health Fellow and the Founder of Swishvo. Having experienced critical gaps in maternal healthcare firsthand, she's on a mission to use technology to help connect mothers with doulas, midwives, and nutritionists, to support safe birthing experiences for all.

Did you know that Aspen is situated nearly 8,000 feet above sea level? To make the most out of your Aspen Ideas: Health experience, it’s important understand the impact the elevation can have on your body and the steps take you can take to prevent altitude sickness. Dr. John Torres of NBC News shares some tips!

Ahead of his live taping with actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival, we caught up with him about his intensive research process, the ingredients of a good conversation, and how he gets people who have given thousands of interviews to say something new.

Meet the 2024 cohort of Aspen Ideas Festival Fellows, a diverse group of leaders who are selected for their innovative work, inspired accomplishments, and ability to transform ideas into action.

Meet Ar’Sheill Monsanto, a 2024 Aspen Ideas: Health Fellow and the Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships for Link Health. Learn how she's bringing healthcare, higher education, and community stakeholders together to help people in underserved neighborhoods enroll in vital benefits they're eligible for.

As the Aspen Ideas Festival returns this June, attendees will include 30 exceptional high school students and educators from across the United States and Africa—the 2024 cohort of the Bezos Scholars Program. These student Scholars are some of the youngest attendees at the Festival every year, and they are eager to learn, network, and hear from some of their favorite thinke...

Meet Samuel Rodriguez, a 2024 Festival Fellow and the Executive Director of Walls for Justice, a nonprofit using public art to beautify cities and bring awareness to social justice issues. Learn how Rodriguez is transforming public spaces and protesting with a paintbrush, one mural at a time.