TEDxBatonRouge Returns with TED Countdown Anchor Event Recognition
One of Only Two Selected in North America, Event to Showcase Local Solutions and Innovation
BATON ROUGE, LA (February 19, 2025) – Baton Rouge is stepping onto the global stage as TEDxBatonRouge returns on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Manship Theatre with the theme Unseen Currents, bringing together bold thinkers, creative problem-solvers, and industry leaders to tackle one of the most urgent challenges of our time: climate change.
In a remarkable distinction, from more than 3,600 events worldwide, TEDxBatonRouge has been selected as one of just 18 TED Countdown Anchor Events and one of only two in North America. TED Countdown is a global TED initiative designed to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis. TEDxBatonRouge, designated as a Countdown Anchor Event, will build on this momentum by reinforcing the themes of TED Countdown through a highly-curated local experience.
"Being recognized and named a TED Countdown Anchor Event provides us an even greater opportunity to showcase how South Louisiana—long seen as ground zero for climate change—can also be a hub for climate solutions," said Melissa Thompson, TEDxBatonRouge co-organizer. "Baton Rouge sits at the intersection of industry, innovation, and environmental impact. This event is about exploring what’s possible when we come together to take action.”
Why Baton Rouge? A Region at the Crossroads of Climate & Industry
With its deep ties to energy, manufacturing, and coastal resilience, Baton Rouge plays a crucial role in the climate conversation. The region faces intensifying hurricanes, rising sea levels, and land loss—but it’s also home to groundbreaking research, emerging green technology, and a resilient community of problem-solvers.
“TEDxBatonRouge will shine a light on the powerful yet unseen forces shaping our world—from algorithms to ocean currents—forces that drive innovation, shape culture, and influence the future,” said Adrian Owen Jones, TEDxBatonRouge co-organizer and partner at Success Labs. “Our goal is to spark action, ignite curiosity, and inspire hope.”
What to Expect: Big Ideas & Actionable Solutions
This year, TEDxBatonRouge will feature dynamic talks, interactive experiences, and hands-on activation stations showcasing climate innovations from South Louisiana and beyond. Speakers will include local and national thought leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, and creatives working on bold solutions.
“One of the most powerful things about TEDx events is their ability to bring together people from every sector—public, private, and nonprofit—to build momentum for real change,” Thompson added. “This isn’t about blame—it’s about opportunity. The future is being shaped right here, and we want the world to see it.”
About TEDxBatonRouge 2025
TEDxBatonRouge is co-organized by Melissa Thompson and Adrian Owen Jones, partners at Success Labs, who bring deep expertise in curating thought-provoking events. Thompson helped launch TEDxLSU, leading its programming since 2013, while Jones has a track record of producing creative, high-impact events, most recently with ThreeSixtyEight's Assembly Required series.
This year’s event is supported by our Community Advisory Board including:
Prosanta Chakrabarty, PhD
Wendy Daniels
Fareed Dawan, PhD
Sherin Dawud
Penny Font
Garret Graves
Joseph Hollins
Adam Knapp
Devin Lemoine
Camille Manning Broome
Cynthia Peterson, PhD
For partnership opportunities or media inquiries, contact info@tedxbatonrouge.com. For speaker nominations, visit tedxbatonrouge.com.
📅 Save the Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025 | Manship Theatre, Baton Rouge
💻 Stay Updated: Follow TEDxBatonRouge on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn & visit tedxbatonrouge.com.
About TEDxBatonRouge
TEDxBatonRouge is a community-connecting, idea-elevating, discussion-starting experience. It’s a space for the leaders, thinkers, doers, and dreamers of the Baton Rouge community to gather and explore possibilities for the region and celebrate the brilliant ideas baked right here at home. TEDxBatonRouge strives to cultivate an inclusive audience spanning all walks of life - students and mentors, artists and engineers, entrepreneurs and philanthropists, and more. Learn more at tedxbatonrouge.com.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)
About TED
TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.
TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events bring people together to share ideas and bridge divides in communities on every continent. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze more than $3 billion in funding for projects that seek to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.
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