Community & Nonprofit

Author, educator, leadership consultant and APB speaker Rachel Simmons appeared on Good Morning America to advise parents who may feel overwhelmed by the prospect of their children being home from school for weeks due to coronavirus closings. Simmons advised parents to maintain structure, such as enforcing consistent wake-up times and meals in order to help kids feel safe and stable amidst these uncertain times. She also recommends crafting plans for the day together, such as deciding what to cook or how to get active, so that everyone is equally invested in the plan. For teenagers, Simmons points out that “this is an opportunity for your kids to develop some independence and contribute around the house.” 

APB’s Wes Moore joined Stephania Ruhle on MSNBC to explain the extreme risks that coronavirus poses on the poor and homeless populations, pointing out that the most vulnerable among us need to be protected in this unprecedented crisis. Moore, who is the CEO of the anti-poverty organization Robin Hood NYC, highlighted the dangers for the homeless who rely on resources such as shelters and food banks, as well as to the many working people in our society who are “one shock away” from poverty.

APB speakers Nick Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's new book Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope is now #2 on the New York Times Bestseller List. Known for their international reporting, the investigative duo turned their focus domestically for the book, examining the epidemic of depression, unemployment, poverty and addiction that is plaguing the working class across America – an ...

One of the winningest game show contestants of all time, Ken Jennings recently earned legendary status when he won the coveted title of Jeopardy!'s Greatest of All Time. Dubbed "the Michael Jordan of trivia," Jennings has shattered records, become a pop culture icon and is one of our most sought-after speakers. Having spoken at corporate events and colleges nationwide, Jennings covers topics ranging from how to train your brain for high performance and success to the importance of education.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist, world champion many times over and APB speaker Kayla Harrison closed out 2019 with a bang! She clinched a major victory over challenger Larissa Pacheco in the Professional Fighters League women’s lightweight championship.

APB speaker Herman Boone, a beloved football coach, mentor, leader and motivator that touched the hearts of thousands, has passed away at the age of 84 in his home in Alexandria, Virginia. Boone is best known for uniting two racially diverse football teams in the '70s as newfound head coach of the T.C. Williams High School. The incredible story, including his journey with assistant Bill Yoast, was memorialized in the mega-hit film Remember the Titans, in which Boone was played by Denzel Washington to great acclaim. Coach Boone was a larger-than-life figure in the Alexandria community, and he became a symbol of steadfastness in the fight for racial integration and equality nationwide.

The 42nd annual Kennedy Center Honors are set to take place at the Kennedy Center Opera House on December 8th. This year’s showcase marks the first time a television program will receive an award, with Sesame Street being honored as the iconic cultural institution that it is. APB’s Sonia Manzano, known for her longtime role as “Maria” on Sesame Street, is set to introduce the co-founders of the program who will be accepting the award. Manzano, who won many Emmy Awards as part of the Sesame Street writing team, is a core part of the show’s legacy. 

In a recent interview in Variety, Cameron Douglas, son of Academy Award-winning actor and producer Michael and grandson of Hollywood legend, Kirk, explained why he wrote his new bestseller, Long Way Home. “I can’t go back and change a lot of my decisions and the pain and the wreckage that some of those decisions have caused,” he said. “What I did endeavor to do is take those experiences and turn them into something useful.” In Long Way Home, which has climbed to #1 on Amazon, Cameron provides an unflinching account of his dangerous descent into years of addiction and incarceration—and his inspiring rise to recovery and return to society and family. Contrasting what it is like to grow up as Hollywood royalty with hitting rock bottom as a heroin addict, Cameron shares his struggle to return to society and family after almost eight years in federal prison.

APB speaker Sonia Manzano is set to appear in the 50^th Anniversary Special of Sesame Street on HBO, Saturday November 9^th at 7 P.M. EST. Considered a cultural landmark widely praised for its approach to children’s programming, Sesame Street is not only educational, but provides special support and guidance on such topics as military families, autism, addiction and more. In 1971, Manzano landed the career-making character of “Maria” on the show.

“I want my kids to know when you’re chasing big dreams, you may fail, but if you get back up again — that’s how you fly.” Thirteen-time best-selling author and APB speaker Brad Meltzer appeared on Good Morning America to discuss the release of his two new children’s books: I am Walt Disney and I am Marie Curie. “I was tired of my kids looking at people who are famous for being famous and thinking that’s our hero,” said Meltzer, on what inspired him to write the children’s biography of Walt Disney.