Comedy is among the most potent forms of cultural exchange about social problems and civic imagination, and a long-recognized entertainment genre that pushes taboos into the open and offers social critique of injustice. Around the world, comedy acts as a source of catharsis, satirical resistance, and joyful play that can bring us together. How does comedy work to help us to build and shape a better world, and how has comedy been employed to interrogate serious social and civic problems? Caty Borum offers a 30-minute TED-style talk that offers insights from research and practice at the intersection of comedy and social good.

Caty is joined on stage by three comedic voices who leverage humor to interrogate issues like racial injustice, climate change, and democracy. Each panel member will discuss their work and philosophy, and in so doing, help bring “comedy for social change” to life. Recommended L.A.-based comedy speakers.