A diverse gathering of innovators, artists, politicians, and athletes converged in Manhattan on Oct. 29 to celebrate the 2026 TIME100 Next list. Hosted at Pier 59 and presented by corporate sponsors including Rolex, Toyota, American Airlines, Danantara, Project Management Institute, and Target, the evening featured a musical performance by Grammy-nominated singer Raye—known for hit singles such as “Where Is My Husband!”—and a series of intimate toasts from prominent honorees reflecting on success, family history, and personal motivation.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey delivered the evening’s opening remarks, telling fellow attendees that their achievements serve as his primary motivation. Maxey reflected on a guiding philosophy he has maintained since childhood: striving to improve by one percent every single day, bolstered by his father’s advice that the sky is the limit. The NBA All-Star also highlighted how his platform has allowed him to establish a nonprofit foundation dedicated to community outreach.
Actor Himesh Patel used his toast to address the responsibilities that accompany influence during precarious times. Recalling his upbringing in a Cambridgeshire village where his parents operated a corner shop and he delivered newspapers, Patel noted that his parents insisted he maintain his paper route even after landing his first acting role at age 16. Reflecting on his family’s history, Patel contrasted his presence in the room with the experiences of his ancestors living under colonial rule in Gujarat, India, when the magazine was founded in 1923. Describing hope as an act of defiance, he credited his ancestors’ resistance and his parents’ migration across oceans for making his career possible.
Singer-songwriter and content creator Alex Warren shared a formative childhood memory of climbing a tree at age seven and asking his father what would happen if he fell. His father’s response—asking what if he flew—inspired his early artistic pursuits. However, Warren spoke candidly about losing his father at age nine and navigating subsequent years marked by isolation before finding community through music. He concluded by suggesting that toasts should celebrate not just flying, but having someone there to catch you when you fall.
Wawira Njiru, founder and CEO of the Kenya-based nonprofit Food4Education, redirected the focus toward human capital and the future of African youth. Noting that her organization currently delivers more than 600,000 meals daily across over 1,500 schools in Africa with a goal of reaching one million children daily by 2027, Njiru argued that humanity’s most valuable reserve lies in classrooms rather than extracted resources like oil, gold, or data. While acknowledging the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, she emphasized that physical, human labor remains essential.
Saturday Night Live cast member Ashley Padilla closed out the evening’s remarks with a mix of self-deprecating humor and vulnerability. Recalling her past struggles with self-doubt and multiple attempts to quit comedy, Padilla credited a persistent internal voice that urged her to keep going, even during difficult moments in her youth, ultimately leading her to the stage at Pier 59.
