Teen Vogue’s annual summit returned Sept. 20, taking over NYA West with a packed lineup of celebrities, creators, and industry leaders. The all-day event mixed performances, panel discussions, and mentorship sessions with the energy of a festival and the impact of a think tank.
Big Names, Big Topics
This year’s summit drew cultural icons across music, fashion, television, and activism. Raven-Symoné, Tess Holliday, Alyson Stoner, and music sensation Tanner Adell joined the conversation alongside breakout talents like One Piece’s Iñaki Godoy and Percy Jackson star Leah Jeffries.
Global pop group KATSEYE lit up the stage with candid stories about friendship and fame, while model Vivian Wilson tackled harmful myths about trans representation. Tess Holliday used her platform to address body image pressures in the age of Ozempic. Adell brought a country music lens to the Grammys’ controversial award split, and Raven-Symoné got honest about the lingering challenges of child stardom.
Community at the Center
Teen Vogue positioned the summit around connection and collective ambition. Attendees were encouraged to exchange ideas and take part in mentoring sessions led by editors and industry veterans. The networking lounge buzzed with young creators hoping to make professional inroads, while hands-on workshops gave attendees a chance to turn inspiration into action.
Panels weren’t just sit-and-listen affairs, fans engaged directly with stars during live Q&As. Between conversations, guests enjoyed food trucks, photo setups, and plenty of swag, creating an atmosphere that balanced fun with forward-looking dialogue.
Radical Optimism in Action
The 2025 theme, “Your Voice. Your Vision. Your Community. Your Moment Starts Now,” set the tone for a day that celebrated both joy and unapologetic ambition. Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief Versha Sharma highlighted the summit’s mission: to hand the mic to the next generation and let them shape the cultural future on their own terms.
From debates on fandom culture with Wicked’s Marissa Bode to discussions on mental health and movement with Alyson Stoner, the programming showcased voices pushing boundaries across industries. Music performances and high-energy moments ensured the summit stayed lively from start to finish.
Why It Matters
The Teen Vogue Summit has become a cultural checkpoint for Gen Z, blending entertainment with advocacy and career guidance. This year, it underscored the power of community-driven change and the role of radical optimism in a world that often demands compromise.
Whether attendees came to meet their favorite stars, expand their professional network, or find a sense of belonging, the summit proved itself more than an event, it was a catalyst for what’s next.
