Colleges & Universities

APB speaker, educator and best-selling author of The Gift of Failure Jessica Lahey gave her opinion on the college admissions scandal in a Washington Post article. A highly sought-after speaker, Lahey addresses “overparenting” with the authority of an experienced teacher and the empathetic, often humorous, personal perspective of a mom who has truly been there. 

New York Times best-selling author, musician and APB speaker James McBride wrote The Good Lord Bird, a powerful story of John Brown, a white American abolitionist who in 1859—along with 19 others—attacked the largest arsenal of weapons in America, ultimately prompting the Civil War. The winner of the National Book Award for Fiction in 2013, the book is now being adapted into an eight-part series by Showtime, set to star Ethan Hawke. 

Following up on her acclaimed New York Times bestseller Who Thought This Was a Good Idea, Alyssa Mastromonaco shares stories and reflections that are a far cry from the typical career memoir. From the time that former Secretary of State John Kerry accidentally walked in on her dancing in her underwear to a dance-off with Jennifer Hudson (at President Obama’s urging) to conserving tampons on the road in Japan, Mastromonaco shines with her candid recollections and laugh-out-loud wit. 

APB speaker and creator of the popular blog Wait But Why, Tim Urban, was featured in the Netflix documentary Behind the Curve. Exploring the rising movement of those who believe the earth is flat, the documentary has already received widespread critical acclaim.

APB speaker and civil rights activist Cheryl Brown Henderson recently finished writing her book entitled Recovering Untold Stories: An Enduring Legacy of the Brown v. Board of Education Decision. Her new book contains a collection of essays by plaintiffs and descendants of plaintiffs from the cases consolidated under the Brown decision. Readers will glean insights into and a better understanding of personal experiences and challenges faced by those at the center of an extraordinary historic milestone. 

Throughout February, audiences around the country listened to various APB speakers celebrate Black History Month. Speaking on topics ranging from continuing the legacy and lessons of MLK to creating more diverse and inclusive spaces for everyone, our Black History Month speakers inspired and empowered!

March is Women's History Month, a time to honor and celebrate the triumphs of the trailblazing women who have paved the way for change and progress. 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. Below, we have highlighted some of our most talked-about and requested female voices. Responsible for inspiring millions, these women continue to empower audiences worldwide:

In three short years, Sophia has seen many firsts. She is the first non-human to address the U.N., gain citizenship and grace the covers of Cosmopolitan and Elle. She has gone on a date with Will Smith, sung a duet with Jimmy Fallon and wowed speaking audiences from Indiana to Pamplona, Spain.

Known for making history in 2006 for defeating a 26-year incumbent State Representative, Bakari Sellers is the youngest member of the South Carolina state legislature and the youngest African American elected official in the nation. Sellers' documentary, While I Breath, I Hope, examines what it means to be young, black and a democrat in the American South.

Virginia governor Ralph Northam’s blackface yearbook photo is just the latest “in a long and troubled cultural legacy of racist stereotypes being used to entertain,” says best-selling author, cultural historian and acclaimed biographer Wil Haygood.