About The Founder
Rebecca Lipsitch is a curator, researcher, and community organizer based in NYC . She works to combat social isolation through playful design and community programming aimed at fostering genuine human connection.
As the founder of How Do We Play (established 2022), Rebecca has built a growing community of artists, performers, scholars, scientists, and thinkers committed to exploring play as a remedy for the loneliness epidemic and breakdown of trust. Through multimedia exhibitions and programming that has engaged 45+ international artists and 400+ community members, she creates low-stakes environments where strangers of all backgrounds can rebuild connection through embodied, playful encounters that transcend the limitations of language and social barriers.
In addition to her work at How Do We Play, Rebecca is very involved with TED, most recently leading the TEDxHarvardSquare speaker curation team. A good friend of hers, Alex Chueh, recently expressed how exciting it is to have so many people to root for, and that he feels like it’s his duty to introduce these people to each other. Rebecca echos that sentiment, especially in settings like TED where the collision of extreme curiosity, passion, big ideas and generosity intersect, making it possible to build real relationships that grow far beyond the event itself.
Rebecca thrives on collaboration and delights in making meaningful connections between people she believes in. Whether she's hosting dinner parties, wedding-themed gatherings, or hitting piñatas, she brings the same spirit of joy and community to everything she does.
Currently a fellow at the Strother School of Radical Attention, Rebecca is committed to exploring alternatives to the attention economy. Her recent projects include working with The Triennial, a public art organization, and collaborating with developmental psychologist Niobe Way on the science of human connection. She has also contributed to research on curiosity in educational settings alongside professor Liora Selinger.
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