TED Democracy Philadelphia

On June 13, 2026, TED partnered with Visit Philadelphia to convene TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, marking the United States’ 250th anniversary in the city where modern democracy began.

Bringing together 20 thinkers, advocates, journalists, and changemakers from across disciplines, the event explored one central question: What will we build together over the next 250 years?

Across a full day of brand-new TED Talks and conversations, speakers examined the evolving practice of democracy through a wide range of lenses, including media literacy, race, economic equity, civic trust, technology, and participation. Set in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the Great Experiment, TED Democracy Philadelphia invites audiences to reflect on democracy not as a finished system, but as an ongoing practice shaped by each generation. Learn more about this partner event.

TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures
Michael Dimock: Why democracy requires renewal
Pew Research Center president Michael Dimock has spent years listening to what Americans think — and what they're telling him right now is pretty dark. But buried in the data is something revealing: people are ready for bold democratic reform that the country hasn't seen in decades. He explores how America's founders didn't create a finished system of government but rather launched an ongoing project that requires each generation to renew, adapt and reimagine democracy. The survey says Americans are ready to do the work.
Watch this talk
TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures
Jen Golbeck: How surveillance tech erodes your privacy
You've probably heard the warnings about digital privacy: read the terms of service, think before you share, be careful what you click. But AI ethicist Jen Golbeck says the problem runs a lot deeper than that. In this eye-opening talk, she reveals how corporations and governments built a system of "data colonialism" that tracks your movements, searches and habits — for profit and control. Learn how you can fight back against the surveillance state, starting with the devices in your own home.
Watch this talk
TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures
Sally Kohn: Why economic inequality is the biggest threat to democracy
Is authoritarianism winning, or is democracy just failing to deliver? Communications strategist Sally Kohn lays out how democracy has evolved before and why it must evolve again, into what she calls "Democracy 3.0" — a version that finally shares power and opportunity equally. "We the people demand that our politics and our economy work way better for us," says Kohn.
Watch this talk
TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures
Jon Alexander: How citizens (not politicians) are building the future
Citizen strategist Jon Alexander spent a decade gathering stories of democracy in action — and found that most change doesn't come from politicians or institutions. He shares examples from across the globe of ordinary people working together to improve their lives and communities, showing why the key to fixing things may already be in your own hands.
Watch this talk
TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures
Danielle Roberts: The pursuit of happiness requires free time
Do you feel short on time? Writer and work expert Danielle Roberts would like to help you with that. In this quick talk, she makes the case that free time isn't a reward you earn but a civil right you're owed.

TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures

03:53
Danielle Roberts

The pursuit of happiness requires free time

About TED Institute

Learn more about how to host a TED Institute event.