George Lopez will keynote the second annual Social Impact Summit, taking place July 24 in Los Angeles.
The event, hosted by the Social Impact Fund and The Hollywood Reporter and sponsored by biopharmaceutical company Gilead, convenes changemakers, creative professionals and leaders across industries to inspire accessible, impactful philanthropy by breaking down barriers to meaningful change.
As previously announced, honorees at the event will be Sean Penn and Ann Lee, co-founders of CORE, or Community Organized Relief Effort, which has been named Philanthropic Organization of the Year; and John Legend, named Philanthropist of the Year for his longtime work to advance equity and criminal justice reform.
In addition to Lopez, others speakers confirmed for this year’s event include:
- Allyson Felix, Olympic track and field champion, and Black maternal health advocate
- Kendall Toole, fitness instructor and founder of NKO Club and The NKO Fund, which seeks to empower community and destigmatize mental health for all
- Dázon Dixon Diallo, founder of SisterLove and global advocate for sexual and reproductive justice
- Dr. Eric Esrailian, co-founder of Together California, an organization launched with Christian Bale to reform foster care and keep siblings together
- Deborah Wafer, executive director of public affairs at Gilead
Felix, Toole, Diallo and Wafer will participate in “Who Runs The World? Trailblazers in Women’s Health and Wellness,” a panel moderated by Los Angeles-based OB-GYN Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, exploring themes including wellness, mental health, sexual health and Black maternal health.
Esrailian will participate in a discussion called “Protect the Block: Safeguarding our Communities.” They will explore topics like foster-care work, women’s and girls’ advocacy, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Actor, disability advocate and EasterSeals Disability Film Challenge founder Nic Novicki will also be a program participant.
Additional presenters joining the summit include ABC News’ Zohreen Shah, who will conduct a fireside chat between honorees, and Los Angeles/Palisades Fire Department captain Erik Scott.
“For our second Social Impact Summit, we’re proud to welcome an inspiring lineup of leaders who are transforming lives and communities globally and locally here in Los Angeles,” said THR co-editors-in-chief Shirley Halperin and Maer Roshan. “Driven by a renewed sense of urgency, this summit is a space to unite over shared purpose and big ideas to make a collective impact at the critical intersections of humanity, innovation, democracy and societal health.”
Aiming to “inspire efficient and accessible philanthropy,” the Social Impact Fund has served as a platform for the philanthropic efforts of such Hollywood luminaries as Legend, Will.I.Am, Kerry Washington, Shawn Mendes, Alex Cooper, Lilly Singh, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, Madonna, Jonathan Bailey, Hailey Bieber, Chris Powell, The Kid Laroi and Lily Collins.
Said Craig Cichy, executive director of the Social Impact Fund: “At a pivotal time when fundamental rights and social programs are being stripped away, DEI+ efforts are under attack, and too many communities face systemic harm, this year’s Social Impact Summit is a space to regroup, respond and redefine what impact looks like. We’re bringing together leaders across immigration, advocacy, disaster relief, health, and storytelling to confront these challenges head-on — and to lift up the collective efforts by leading culture-makers to drive meaningful, lasting change.”
The half-day Social Impact Summit will convene more than 500 culture-makers, production companies, talent agencies and notable figures from the entertainment and creative industries and beyond to reimagine what progress looks like and to define priorities for philanthropy’s role in making impact possible.
The 2025 Social Impact Summit is supported by returning lead sponsor Gilead Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. Additional sponsors include Public Interest Registry, Heineken, Open Water and Casamigos, with additional partners to be announced.
