Colleges & Universities

With the 2016 presidential election rapidly approaching and candidates hotly debating topics on the national stage, it is important to keep the dialogue alive about those issues that matter most. Having recently honored Women's History Month, we felt it timely to discuss Women's Rights and how they will be affected by the upcoming election.

One of America's most provocative public intellectuals, APB speaker Dr. Cornel West has been in the news for decades preaching fiery messages of love, courage and equity. Recently, he sat down with James Brown in a special 60 Minutes segment highlighting his activism and influential philosophies.

February is when the annual TED Conference is held in Vancouver, Canada, where 1,500 people attend talks highlighting TED’s three tenants—Technology, Entertainment, and Design. This year’s conference features three APB speakers: Parag Khanna, Hugh Evans and Tim Urban, who are presenting their “ideas worth spreading,” which is the TED slogan.

Audiences from across the country heard thought-provoking, heartfelt and fascinating speeches from APB speakers who are committed to carrying on the legacy of the great Civil Rights pioneer, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. From racial profiling and its impact to lessons from Little Rock to creating understanding through the principles of MLK and becoming a transformational leader, these topics and others were addressed by APB speakers who inspired and empowered during their MLK Day and Black History Month events.

Through stories of resilience and courage, bestselling author and APB speaker Casey Sherman weaves some of the most captivating real life experiences on page and screen today. Sherman’s masterful storytelling transformed his maritime masterpiece The Finest Hours — starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck and Eric Bana — into a worldwide Disney blockbuster.

How will the 2016 elections utilize technology for their campaigns? Luckily, speaker Chris Hughes has given current candidates an edge due to his innovative use of social media in 2008.

Speakers Wil Haygood and Tracee Ellis Ross were recently nominated for NAACP Image Awards.

With reviews such as “the best series around is better than before,” the second season of Transparent starring APB speaker Jeffrey Tambor has become a major part of a cultural discussion about transgender individuals as well as discrimination.

The APB education division is dedicated to representing those who have made outstanding contributions and advances in the world of education. With the announcement of the Top 50 Finalists for the 2016 Global Teacher Prize, these heroes are worth being celebrated.

There are many change agents in this world, but only a select few have the honor of being considered visionaries on Salt magazine’s list. APB speakers Tawakkol Karman, Mary Robinson, Amal Clooney, and several other inspiring leaders made the list.