TEDxUCLA 2026
Renaissance & Revival
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Northwest Auditorium, UCLA
Festival of Ideas
Renaissance & Revival
Join us in celebrating the spirit of innovation and renewal at TEDxUCLA 2026. This year’s Festival of Ideas is themed ‘Renaissance & Revival,’ reflecting on the transformative journey of the past 25 years and envisioning a future of endless possibilities. As we stand a quarter into the 21st century, let’s draw inspiration from our shared history to ignite a Renaissance for all. In the wake of challenges like the LA Fires, it’s time to revive our collective passion for knowledge and creativity. Be part of the conversation that shapes the future.
Venue Information
Date
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Time
Location
Northwest Auditorium, UCLA Campus, Los Angeles, CA 90095
TEDxUCLA SPEAKERS TEDxUCLA SPEAKERS TEDxUCLA SPEAKERS
Brett Brewer
Co-Founder of MySpace
Social Media
Jaimie Krems
Friendship Researcher
Friendship
Sharad Aggarwal
Lead Strategist @ Google Cloud
AI
Tiffany Barber
Art Historian
Harlem Renaissance
Celine Shaw
Engineer, Ballerina
Learning
TEDxUCLA SPEAKERS TEDxUCLA SPEAKERS TEDxUCLA SPEAKERS
Kelly Turner
Urban Environment Researcher
Urban Cooling
Corey Crossfield
Music Marketing, EMBA
Synesthesia
Martin Burns
CEO, Bruin Biometrics
Preventative Care
Raul Hinojosa
Chicano Studies Scholar
Great Rebalancing
Daniel Estrada
Senior Custodian
Belonging
Featured
Articles featuring TEDxUCLA student organizers and speakers.
Students revive TEDxUCLA as a campuswide ‘festival of ideas’
UCLA’s newsrooms highligts TEDxUCLA on May 26, 2026, revived by a dedicated team of UCLA students as a vibrant celebration of ideas, connection, and intellectual curiosity.
Under the theme “Renaissance and Revival,” the evening will feature 10 dynamic speakers exploring topics ranging from the future of AI and social media to friendship, urban cooling, creativity, and community. From a MySpace co-founder and Google Cloud strategist to a friendship researcher, an art historian, and a longtime UCLA custodian, the lineup reflects the breadth of perspectives that make UCLA unique.
This year’s event marks not only the return of TEDx to campus but also a renewed spirit of optimism and cross-disciplinary dialogue at UCLA.
Tickets and more info below: tedx.ucla.edu
TEDxUCLA Speaker Spotlight: Daniel Estrada
For 15 years, UCLA senior custodian Daniel Estrada has worked the night shift cleaning hallways, bathrooms, and classrooms long after students have gone home. On May 26, he steps out from behind the scenes to deliver one of the most anticipated talks at this year’s revived TEDxUCLA.
Estrada will share hard-earned lessons on personal responsibility, pride in your work, and the “invisible labor” that keeps a university running. His memorable question, “How are you going to change the world if you can’t even flush the toilets?” captures the spirit of his message: true leadership and world-changing begin with owning the small things.
Estrada brings a powerful, ground level perspective to the stage under the theme Renaissance and Revival.
Tickets and full speaker lineup below.
TEDxUCLA returns, centering stories of work, art, resilience
TEDxUCLA held its first conference since 2023 Tuesday night, featuring business owners, researchers and a speaker from UCLA’s custodial unit.
The conference, which drew about 300 attendees to the Northwest Auditorium, hosted 10 speakers. TEDx events are independently organized local events that are licensed through nonprofit media organization TED and share TED Talk’s storytelling style.
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