In The News

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only affected people physically, but also mentally. It has accelerated a mental health and substance use crisis in the United States. The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Behavioral Health Integration Task Force calls for the Biden administration and Congress to put an emphasis on the integration of primary care, mental health and substance use services because these issues will last long after the pandemic. Regina Benjamin, M.D., Founder and CEO, BayouClinic, Inc. and the 18th U.S. Surgeon General, is one of those task force members.   

Emmy Award winner and founder and president of Futuro Media Group, APB speaker Maria Hinojosa created Futuro Media, an independent, nonprofit newsroom based in Harlem, NYC with the mission to create multimedia content from a POC perspective. On April 17th Maria will be featured in Finding Your Roots with APB speaker Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.!  Finding Your Roots highlights 20 fascinating new guests who are game-changers in their fields, with family histories that illustrate the power and diversity of the human experience. The show airs every Tuesday at 8/7c.  

We are excited to share that APB's Justin J. Shaifer will be featured on ABC's new series Soul of a Nation on Tuesday, March 9th! A rising star in STEM education and advocacy, Shaifer is a LinkedIn Top Voice in Technology and popular science communicator with a talent for understanding and inspiring GenZ. The series will focus on the black experience in America. “The way we have been talking about the show, internally, was sort of a news variety show,” Robe Imbriano, executive producer along with Eric Johnson, said during the network’s Winter Press Tour panel. “And we are covering real life. We are telling these stories. We are out in the field doing very cinematic, sort of short film documentary features.”

Every year March marks Women's History Month, a time to celebrate the powerful role of women throughout history. APB continues to represent a number of speakers on women's issues, from award-winning actresses and activists to journalists, best-selling authors, entrepreneurs and innovative global leaders. The National Women's History Alliance is extending the theme for 2021 to "Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced.” Learn more about some of our most sought-after female voices:

We all want to experience life satisfaction and emotional health. But getting to that place is another matter. From lockdowns to isolation, ongoing racial injustice to political turmoil, lost lives and lost jobs — this past year has tested our minds and bodies in profound ways. During the Addy Hour podcast, APB exclusive speaker Dr. Nii Addy will discuss topics at the intersection of brain science, mental health, faith, culture and social justice. Featuring community leaders, scientists, professional athletes, entertainers, faith leaders, and mental health experts, Addy Hour engages listeners with dynamic conversations and insights.

APB would like to congratulate exclusive speaker, Dr. Eddie S. Glaude, on being named The Stowe Prize 2021 honoree. The Stowe Prize recognizes a distinguished book of general adult fiction or non-fiction that illuminates a critical social justice issue in contemporary society in the United States. Dr. Glaude’s Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own is a New York Times best-seller, shortlisted for the Goddard Riverside Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice, and was named “One of the Best Books of the Year” by both The Washington Post and TIME.

April 7 of each year marks the celebration of World Health Day. Over the past 50 years, this day has highlighted important health issues such as mental health, maternal and child care, and climate change. The celebration is marked by activities which extend beyond the day itself and serves as an opportunity to focus worldwide attention on these important aspects of global health. Check out some of our most requested speakers for World Health Day:

Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and Harvard professor Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. has just released his new book, The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song. This book is a companion to a PBS two-part documentary series featuring interviews with Oprah, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, and many others.

International Women's Day is driven by the goal of bettering gender balance and our future. Many of our speakers have played a vital role in the pursuit of a gender equal world and continue to challenge us to be more alert, informed and become catalysts for change. Check out some of our top inspirational, trailblazing female voices:

Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, who served as “America’s Doctor” as Surgeon General from 2017-2021, has exclusively signed with APB Speakers. In this role, Dr. Adams will continue his 25-year mission in community and public health, speaking on subjects such as health equity, the connection between community health and economic prosperity, ending the stigma of substance use disorder and fostering diversity and inclusion.