The EDYS 2025, Chicago

Buzz
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August 7, 2025

Every damn year, we show up.

In 2024, we lit the match. The first-ever EDYS launched with glitter, guts, and a whole lot of heart as we celebrated XDA’s 25th anniversary. It was joyful. It was loud. It felt like the beginning of something bigger.

Then 2025 arrived, and things shifted.

Our team weathered a reduction in force. Just one week later, we lost our teammate, Marc LeJay. A bright light. A curious mind. A creative force who made our work better and our lives brighter.

We could’ve hit pause. But that’s not who we are.

So we rewrote The EDYS.

Hearts on Fire

We met in Chicago’s Lincoln Park and made the experience deeply human. Trust-building. Connection-forging. Full of moments that could only happen in person. We made a clear call during planning: if it could be done over Zoom, it didn’t make the cut.

Hearts on Fire became more than a theme. It became our pulse, reflecting our desire to reconnect and heal.

  • We opened with coconut mocktails and cocktails by the beach. Scent-making sessions stirred up memory and intention. And when we hit the main stage at Second City, the energy turned electric.
  • Throughout the day, we checked in with ourselves on the Six App, tracking emotions and psychological safety. 
  • We also held space for Marc. A tribute to the one and only: M.A.R.C. — Music Machine. Aspiring Adventurist. Respected Voice. Curious Human. We lit candles. We stood together. And we promised to carry forward his spark.
  • We laughed and cried with a heart-opening keynote “Laughter is Medicine” led by “Jester of the Peace” Rev. Barbara Ann Michaels. Through storytelling, improvisation, and guided values conversations, we peeled back the layers and connected on a human level. We learned how to find the freedom that comes with the funny, and heard stories from XDA leadership that were both heartfelt and hilarious.

That energy rippled through every moment. It deepened conversations. It shifted how we saw one another.

“I realized that being behind a screen is just one part of a person, and not the whole part of a person. Being able to connect and have real deep conversations made me think differently about my peers and completely shifted my thinking about who I work with. I also saw many people as more human than ever before. It was nice to peel back the layers and really dig deep with our team to understand them better.” — XDA Team Member

City Safaris: Exploring Chicago’s Soul

We split into crews and explored the city through four curated tracks:

  • A deep dive into neuroscience at Mindworks, led by our Strategy team.
  • A vibrant walk through Frida Kahlo’s world at the Art Institute.

We added a Carbon Challenge to nudge each other toward more sustainable choices along the way. Trains, carpools, reusable everything.

That night, we leveled up. Speakeasy Rebels took over Untitled Supper Club. We dressed the part and danced hard. It was bold, expressive, and very XDA.

Grounded in Sound, Stillness, and Gratitude

On our last morning, we walked to the Honeycomb in Lincoln Park. Blankets. Yoga mats. Birds in the trees. We closed with a sound bath led by Davin Youngs, who gave us the gift of stillness and sound all at once. We didn’t speak. We just let ourselves be.

“This year’s EDYS made me feel something deeper than ever before. I laughed until I cried. I cried until I laughed. It’s exactly what I needed. The EDYS felt like a safe space and completely embodies who we are as an agency. I definitely feel emotionally attached to this experience.” — XDA Team Member

More than a Summit. A Ritual.

We came back to our home offices transformed. We brought with us a renewed sense of who we are, what we care about, and how we show up.

The EDYS aren’t just a summit. They’re our recalibration point. A chance to live out our values. To make culture, not just talk about it.

And next year? We’ll show up again. Every damn year.

Return to Extra! Extra!
Rachel Hermansader
8.7.25

The EDYS 2025, Chicago

The EDYS 2025, Chicago

Every damn year, we show up.

In 2024, we lit the match. The first-ever EDYS launched with glitter, guts, and a whole lot of heart as we celebrated XDA’s 25th anniversary. It was joyful. It was loud. It felt like the beginning of something bigger.

Then 2025 arrived, and things shifted.

Our team weathered a reduction in force. Just one week later, we lost our teammate, Marc LeJay. A bright light. A curious mind. A creative force who made our work better and our lives brighter.

We could’ve hit pause. But that’s not who we are.

So we rewrote The EDYS.

Hearts on Fire

We met in Chicago’s Lincoln Park and made the experience deeply human. Trust-building. Connection-forging. Full of moments that could only happen in person. We made a clear call during planning: if it could be done over Zoom, it didn’t make the cut.

Hearts on Fire became more than a theme. It became our pulse, reflecting our desire to reconnect and heal.

  • We opened with coconut mocktails and cocktails by the beach. Scent-making sessions stirred up memory and intention. And when we hit the main stage at Second City, the energy turned electric.
  • Throughout the day, we checked in with ourselves on the Six App, tracking emotions and psychological safety. 
  • We also held space for Marc. A tribute to the one and only: M.A.R.C. — Music Machine. Aspiring Adventurist. Respected Voice. Curious Human. We lit candles. We stood together. And we promised to carry forward his spark.
  • We laughed and cried with a heart-opening keynote “Laughter is Medicine” led by “Jester of the Peace” Rev. Barbara Ann Michaels. Through storytelling, improvisation, and guided values conversations, we peeled back the layers and connected on a human level. We learned how to find the freedom that comes with the funny, and heard stories from XDA leadership that were both heartfelt and hilarious.

That energy rippled through every moment. It deepened conversations. It shifted how we saw one another.

“I realized that being behind a screen is just one part of a person, and not the whole part of a person. Being able to connect and have real deep conversations made me think differently about my peers and completely shifted my thinking about who I work with. I also saw many people as more human than ever before. It was nice to peel back the layers and really dig deep with our team to understand them better.” — XDA Team Member

City Safaris: Exploring Chicago’s Soul

We split into crews and explored the city through four curated tracks:

  • A deep dive into neuroscience at Mindworks, led by our Strategy team.
  • A vibrant walk through Frida Kahlo’s world at the Art Institute.

We added a Carbon Challenge to nudge each other toward more sustainable choices along the way. Trains, carpools, reusable everything.

That night, we leveled up. Speakeasy Rebels took over Untitled Supper Club. We dressed the part and danced hard. It was bold, expressive, and very XDA.

Grounded in Sound, Stillness, and Gratitude

On our last morning, we walked to the Honeycomb in Lincoln Park. Blankets. Yoga mats. Birds in the trees. We closed with a sound bath led by Davin Youngs, who gave us the gift of stillness and sound all at once. We didn’t speak. We just let ourselves be.

“This year’s EDYS made me feel something deeper than ever before. I laughed until I cried. I cried until I laughed. It’s exactly what I needed. The EDYS felt like a safe space and completely embodies who we are as an agency. I definitely feel emotionally attached to this experience.” — XDA Team Member

More than a Summit. A Ritual.

We came back to our home offices transformed. We brought with us a renewed sense of who we are, what we care about, and how we show up.

The EDYS aren’t just a summit. They’re our recalibration point. A chance to live out our values. To make culture, not just talk about it.

And next year? We’ll show up again. Every damn year.

Return to Extra! Extra!