In Pursuit of Happiness
The Atlantic’s In Pursuit of Happiness event returns in the spring of 2022 to help people build more intentional and happy lives. Watch our inaugural In Pursuit of Happiness event from 2021 on this site.
What does it take to be happy?
America’s founding document states that the pursuit of happiness is an unalienable right. But this question has preoccupied philosophers, fascinated scientists, inspired artists, launched an enormous self-help industry—and continues to elude many of us.
The Atlantic hosted a live event that explored the human hold on happiness—and aimed to find ways to build a more meaningful life. The event considered happiness and relationships; the role of spirituality; how social media and other technology are affecting our happiness; and the ways in which a year of social isolation has reframed our understanding of a lasting sense of joy.
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Speakers
Arthur Brooks
Contributing writer, The Atlantic
T.D. Jakes
Global spiritual leader, author, humanitarian
Deepak Chopra
Founder, The Chopra Foundation and Chopra Global
Gretchen Rubin
Author and podcast host, Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Vivek H. Murthy
19th and 21st U.S. Surgeon General
Lori Gottlieb
Contributing writer, The Atlantic, and author, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Jeanette Betancourt
Senior Vice President, U.S. Social Impact, Sesame Workshop
Karina Carlson
Founder, Well Read
Ellen Cushing
Special projects editor, The Atlantic
Angela Duckworth
Founder and CEO, Character Lab
Jordan Fisher
and the Global Company of Dear Evan Hansen
Jeffrey Goldberg
Editor in chief, The Atlantic
Julianna Goldman
Founder, MamaDen
Gerald C. Grant, Jr.
President, G Financial Group / Equitable Advisors
Underwriter Session
Emma Green
Staff writer, The Atlantic
James Hamblin
Staff writer, The Atlantic
Dan Harris
Co-anchor, weekend edition, Good Morning America, and author, Ten Percent Happier
Dustin Isom
Instructor, barre3
Tracie Jenkins
Executive Director, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation
Kate Julian
Senior editor, The Atlantic
Sadie Lincoln
Co-founder and CEO, barre3
Alexis Madrigal
Contributing writer, The Atlantic
Thomas Mingone
Founder and Managing Partner, Capital Management Group / Equitable Advisors
Underwriter Session
Candace Montgomery
General Manager, AtlanticLIVE and Senior Vice President, The Atlantic
Brian Offutt
Board of Directors Chairman, Project Healthy Minds
Amit Paley
CEO and Executive Director, The Trevor Project
Evelyn Lewis Prieto
Director of Meditation, Mindfulness Teacher, Headspace
Rebecca J. Rosen
Senior editor, The Atlantic
Laurie Santos
Professor of psychology, Yale University and podcast host, The Happiness Lab
Susan Saulny
Contributor, AtlanticLIVE
Alison Stewart
Contributor, AtlanticLIVE, and WNYC host, “All of It”
Jean Twenge
Professor of psychology, San Diego State University, and author, iGen
Molly Reese Ward
Founder, Well Lived Wealth / Equitable Advisors
Underwriter Session
Connie Weaver
Chief Marketing Officer, Equitable
Underwriter Session
Jazmin Williams
Financial Professional, Equitable Advisors
Underwriter Session
AgendaMay 20
Lobby Opens
Breakfast and Barre
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Karina Carlson
Founder, Well Read
Dustin Isom
Instructor, barre3
Sadie Lincoln
Co-founder and CEO, barre3
OPENING FORUM: What Is Happiness?
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
The Science of Happiness
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Arthur Brooks
Contributing writer, The Atlantic
Jeffrey Goldberg
Editor in chief, The Atlantic
Stepping Stones to Happiness
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Laurie Santos
Professor of psychology, Yale University and podcast host, The Happiness Lab
Alison Stewart
Contributor, AtlanticLIVE, and WNYC host, “All of It”
Equitable Presents: Emerging Happier from the Pandemic: Client Stories by Equitable Advisors
Summary
Produced by our underwriter and not The Atlantic’s editorial team.
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Gerald C. Grant, Jr.*
President, G Financial Group / Equitable Advisors
Thomas Mingone*
Founder and Managing Partner, Capital Management Group / Equitable Advisors
Molly Reese Ward*
Founder, Well Lived Wealth / Equitable Advisors
Connie Weaver*
Chief Marketing Officer, Equitable
Jazmin Williams*
Financial Professional, Equitable Advisors
A Message from the Dalai Lama
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Exploring The Four Tendencies
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Gretchen Rubin
Author and podcast host, Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Susan Saulny
Contributor, AtlanticLIVE
Breakout - Networking
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Breakout - Headspace Guided Meditation
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Evelyn Lewis Prieto
Director of Meditation, Mindfulness Teacher, Headspace
Breakout - “Dear Therapist” LIVE
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Lori Gottlieb
Contributing writer, The Atlantic, and author, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Rebecca J. Rosen
Senior editor, The Atlantic
AFTERNOON FORUM: Roadblocks to Happiness
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Revisiting “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Alexis Madrigal
Contributing writer, The Atlantic
Jean Twenge
Professor of psychology, San Diego State University, and author, iGen
A Message from the Dalai Lama
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
How Our Story Shapes our Future
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Emma Green
Staff writer, The Atlantic
Brian Offutt
Board of Directors Chairman, Project Healthy Minds
Amit Paley
CEO and Executive Director, The Trevor Project
Breaking the Silence on the Struggle
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Julianna Goldman
Founder, MamaDen
Tracie Jenkins
Executive Director, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation
Navigating Loneliness Amid a Pandemic
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Vivek H. Murthy
19th and 21st U.S. Surgeon General
James Hamblin
Staff writer, The Atlantic
Breakout - Networking
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Breakout - Netflix Screening: Headspace Guide to Sleep
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Breakout - “How to Build A Life” LIVE
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Arthur Brooks
Contributing writer, The Atlantic
Ellen Cushing
Special projects editor, The Atlantic
CLOSING FORUM: The Tools to Find Happiness
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
“You Will Be Found”
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Jordan Fisher
and the Global Company of Dear Evan Hansen
Parenting Amid a Pandemic
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Jeanette Betancourt
Senior Vice President, U.S. Social Impact, Sesame Workshop
Angela Duckworth
Founder and CEO, Character Lab
Kate Julian
Senior editor, The Atlantic
How to Be Happier
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Dan Harris
Co-anchor, weekend edition, Good Morning America, and author, Ten Percent Happier
Susan Saulny
Contributor, AtlanticLIVE
A Message from the Dalai Lama
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
The Role of Faith
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
T.D. Jakes
Global spiritual leader, author, humanitarian
Emma Green
Staff writer, The Atlantic
Letting Happiness Find You
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Arthur Brooks
Contributing writer, The Atlantic
Deepak Chopra
Founder, The Chopra Foundation and Chopra Global
What We Learned
Virtual or In-Person
Virtual / In-Person
Speakers
Arthur Brooks
Contributing writer, The Atlantic
underwriter
Event Details
Virtual Event
Thursday, May 20, 2021
11:00 am EDT
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