Jayde I. Powell Joins TED’s First-Ever Creator Cohort at TEDNext
Atlanta, GA — Creatorpreneur Jayde I. Powell recently partnered with TED as one of its inaugural creators for TEDNext. The collaboration represented TED’s growing commitment to elevating creator voices within its global community of thinkers and changemakers, while also marking how TED continues to shape some of the most notable conversations led by leading experts.
What Is TEDNext?
TEDNext is a three-day immersive journey designed to spark expansive thinking—about personal growth, leadership, community, and the future. The experience blends classic TED magic with hands-on exploration, including:
Live TED Talks from more than 45 visionary thinkers
The Next Stage, where attendees ask the big, vulnerable, future-forward questions
Workshops and immersive learning sessions tailored to individual goals
Performances and moments of surprise that challenge imaginations
Transformational connections with mentors, collaborators, and people who see the world differently
In these kinds of spaces, the creator's POV adds essential value, including story-first thinking that translates complex concepts into accessible narratives, community insight into how ideas travel and resonate, and new models of leadership centered on authenticity, collaboration, and lived experience.
Along with Jayde’s attendance, several of her creator peers were also invited, including Brandon Smithwrick, Colin Rocker, and Jade Walters. And for Jayde, TEDNext was an opportunity to bring the creator lens into a space traditionally reserved for academics and industry leaders. In recent years, creators and influencers have become cultural translators for large audiences in numerous online communities, and their work is heavily influencing how people learn, engage, and make decisions every day.
“At TEDNext, I saw the walls between 'traditional' thought leadership and creator expertise finally coming down,” says Jayde.
“Creators have always been the bridge between big ideas and real impact—we know how to make concepts stick, how to spark conversations, and how to move culture forward. Being in that room wasn't about proving we belong; it was about showing that the future of idea-spreading requires our voice, our methods, and our deep understanding of community. That's what this inaugural creator cohort represents—a recognition that expertise comes in many forms.”
From meeting prime innovators and exploring new frameworks for purpose, TEDNext showcased the influential role creators play in shaping conversations about what’s next.
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