a day ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
A Bold New Intellectual Platform from Global Producer Desh Amila Debuts in North Jersey
Montclair, NJ July 21, 2025 --( )-- This fall, the newly reimagined Lackawanna Station will become the intellectual epicenter of North Jersey with the launch of the Thinkable Speaker Series—a powerful new platform for live, longform conversation created by internationally acclaimed producer, educator, and storyteller Desh Amila.
The inaugural season of this six-part series will bring some of the world's most respected voices in politics, science, culture, and civil society to downtown Montclair for dynamic, in-person discussions.
Thinkable is intentionally intimate, deeply engaging, and relentlessly relevant—designed not for mass media consumption, but for real people seeking real substance.
'Montclair is one of the few places in America where intellectual rigor meets cultural relevance,' says Thinkable founder Desh Amila. 'It's affluent, diverse, media-literate, and deeply curious. We're not trying to inject big ideas into the town—they're already here. We're simply giving them a stage.'
Each Thinkable event unfolds as a moderated fireside-style conversation with interactive audience Q&A, hosted inside the historic Lackawanna Station—a newly transformed marketplace and cultural hub. The result is a rare opportunity for nuanced discussion, civil disagreement, and transformative dialogue in a setting purpose-built for connection.
2025–2026 Season Lineup
October 27, 2025 – Ta-Nehisi Coates National Book Award-winning author and journalist. A leading voice on race, history, and identity.
February 18, 2026 – Dr. Cornel West & John Wood Jr. Two of America's most courageous bridge-builders in conversation about justice, truth, and democracy.
April 23, 2026 – Steven Pinker Harvard cognitive psychologist and bestselling author known for his work on reason, language, and human progress.
March 2026 (tbc) - Richard Dawkins Bestselling author and evolutionary biologist, Dawkins is known for his unflinching take on science, belief, and human nature. In this special Thinkable event, he reflects on the 50-year impact of The Selfish Gene and how its ideas still shape the world today.
June 19, 2026 – John McWhorter Economist and linguist in bold dialogue on race, identity, and intellectual freedom in America.
July 23, 2026– Masih Alinejad Iranian journalist and women's rights activist, founder of the My Stealthy Freedom movement.
'Bringing Thinkable to Lackawanna Station is a milestone,' says Jason Gleason, VP of Community Development at BDP Holdings, the team behind the redevelopment of the space. 'This partnership exemplifies what we built Lackawanna for—big ideas, bold dialogue, and a public hungry for something real. It's proof that world-shifting conversations can emerge from unexpected places. Something from nothing.'
Season passes are available now at Seating is limited. No livestream. No rewind. Be in the room where it happens.
About Thinkable & Desh Amila
Thinkable is a global event and media platform devoted to elevating public discourse through dynamic live programming and high-impact storytelling. Founded by Desh Amila, a Sri Lanka-born entrepreneur based in Melbourne, Australia, Thinkable builds on over a decade of innovation in thought leadership.
Desh previously founded Think Inc., the first touring company to bring renowned global educators and public intellectuals to live audiences, and later launched This is 42, a multimedia platform for complex conversation. His production credits include the award-winning documentaries Better Left Unsaid and Islam and the Future of Tolerance. In 2024, he co-founded Dissident Dialogues, now the largest heterodox intellectual event in the world.
With Thinkable, Amila continues his mission to inspire, challenge, and connect through meaningful dialogue.
About Lackawanna Station
Lackawanna Station is Montclair's newest cultural and commercial destination. A former train terminal turned 1980s mall, the space has been reborn as a vibrant marketplace and creative hub, featuring more than 20 local businesses, food artisans, and art installations. Anchored by Montclair Flea and Ironbound Farm Market, the venue has quickly become a magnet for entrepreneurs, artists, and the intellectually curious. Learn more at
Contact Information:
The Hip Event
Maria Cucciniello Falzo
973-769-2248
Contact via Email
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